Just wanted to share...

Messiah25 · #1 08-07-2008, 04:12 PM

Hi to anyone who bothered to read this.
I apologize in advance for my English as I'm writing this with one hand.
I wanted to share a thing that happened to me two days ago and almost cost me my career.
I was in my kitchen preparing something to eat. I decided to cook a couple of frozen hamburgers i had in my freezer.
When i took them out I've noticed they got stuck together and i wanted to separate them.
I took out a big kitchen knife and squeezed it between the hamburgers, a thought flashed in my mind "maybe i shouldn't do it like this..."
But it was too late... I saw the hamburgers separated and the knife goes straight in the lower half of my pointing finger.
I let out a gasp and my wife who was sitting at the kitchen freaked out, i told her to come down and bring me a bandage.
While she was gone I've examined the finger and tried to wash the blood of to see what's the damage.
While washing I've noticed i lost control of the upper part of my finger and cannot bend it.
I yelled to my wife to get a car and that we are going to ER now, the time was 12:30:am at night.
After a long wait at the ER waiting room I've got to the night doctor that examined me and told me that i have lost my tendon that controls my upper part of my pointing finger on my left hand.
I tried to keep calm and asked him would i ever be able back to normal. I don't know if it was the late hour (till we got to him it was 02:30am) or what he said "No, never. I'm going to write you a tetanus shot and release you home, there is nothing i can do."
My body covered with cold sweat and i started to black out.
Fortunately my wife was next to so she shouted at him "What?! you say it's a total lost? you don't understand... he is a musician by profession. there is nothing we can do?"
He told her "The only thing i can do is to point you tomorrow to hand specialist to check his hand". My wife said "fine, do that then"
Next morning i arrived at the clinic to see the hand specialist who immediately sent me to surgery. I've waited for 10 hours to go in surgery. When i woke up my first question was "Doctor... Will i play again?" He said "Yes, the surgery was complicated as you not only manged to cut one of your tendon, but also cracked another and one millimeter deeper you would hit a nerve and would loose your hand for good, But everything is alright now and now it depends on your will power"
Now I'm after the surgery at my house sitting and writing this for you read and realize how easy it is to loose your career in a sec, even at your own house.
I'm glad to report that as i see i regained control on the upper part of my finger

I cannot play for 3 months till full recovery and stitches remove. after that I'll have a physiotherapy sessions. and hopefully in 6 months or less I'll be back on stage again.
6 months... sounds long...
But hey... better than a life time isn't?

Thanx for reading

Chipsonfire · #2 08-07-2008, 04:20 PM

Wow, thank what god you believe in for that one. That's an amazing story, and I'm glad it turned out the way it did. You are a lucky man. Keep us informed as to how the whole thing plays out! Here's to a speedy recovery!

Messiah25 · #3 08-07-2008, 04:23 PM

Thank you

I'll keep you informed, i have inspection of my hand on 12.08.08 so i will know how is the progress. I'm praying all day to be back on my feet(hands

) as i used to.

Trevorus · #4 08-07-2008, 04:28 PM

One little tip. To pull apart frozen burger patties like that, I use a butter knife and just stick it in between them and pry out just a bit. They usually pop loose.

I've done similar things more times than I care to mention, so I know how you feel. I nipped my tendon on my left thumb, cut part of the end of my left index finger nearly off (through the nail) and random other things. After a while, you get a deep sense of self preservation for your hands. I quit skating because of the injuries I sustained to my hands, and I enjoy music more.

I hope you have a speedy recovery, and do exactly what the therapist says so you get back to playing ASAP. BTW, if it's just your index finger, you may be able to learn to play with your middle as number one. I've done that after an injury, but make sure it's okay to do and that it won't stress or harm the index finger (and I mean check with the doc or the therapist).

Messiah25 · #5 08-07-2008, 05:03 PM

I actually decided to just take them out of the freezer next time about 15 min before i cook

I prefer not to change my fingering style till i get everything working again.
But as i noticed while i wiggle my other fingers i puts pressure on my index one. so it might not be too good to do that.

Messiah25 · #6 09-17-2008, 06:47 AM

Hey there

Just a quick update, i have started my physiotherapy sessions couple of weeks ago and the progress is great.
It's mostly hard mentally, seeing yourself not being able to do actions that you took for granted like making a fist and point at people. It's hard... But my wife helps me in keeping the mood up.
This week i was finally allowed to start playing on the bass, no slap as the string bounce still hurts my finger. but i can press slowly.
The doctors say i have a fast progress cause of my will to get back to normal as fast as i can.
Today i played scales on my acoustic bass, the string tension there is lower then on my Fender.
It was the first time i felt whole again.

Thank you for reading

Will be updating again.

RiseAgainst · #7 09-17-2008, 07:13 AM

Insane, good luck with a speedy recovery. Best wishes.

Deacon_Blues · #8 09-17-2008, 07:15 AM

Wow, missed this story last time, I was on a gig that day... Nice that you have started to play the bass already, and I bet you will recover back to normal very quickly with your positive attitude shining through already in the first post above.

varunkapahi · #9 09-17-2008, 08:05 AM

wow! good you went to the ER and the hand specialist. i often let things heal up on their own and dont visit the doc, i know not good for me. anyway wishing you speedy recovery.
hope you'd be back on stage again asap

Messiah25 · #10 01-11-2009, 08:55 AM

Final update

I'm back to (almost) normal self, Slapping and tapping plucking my bass with more drive than ever!!! I have a bit handicap, it seems that cause they had to re-attach the tendon, they've shortened it. So i can't really straighten my finger completely. But i found my way around it. This whole experience has twisted my view on life 180 degrees. I'm playing with more passion then ever, Finally got over my writers block and composing music again. I thank god that everything is OK now. My doctor told me that I'm a really lucky person, cause he never seen such a quick recovery. I've started gigging again and trying to regain all the jobs I've lost cause of the surgery.

This is my first show since the injury.

1.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSPERRA5TOo
2.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Jr0E2172Ns

Nothing special but i was excited to play. Didn't really thought i could hold a 3 hour show and an after party jam

.

Thank you all for reading and your support!!!

Mickey "Messiah" Finegold

P.S.
Quick tip, If you want to cook meat and its frozen... Defrost it first

etechstan · #11 01-12-2009, 06:51 AM

Butterknife user here

Phalex · #12 01-12-2009, 07:09 AM

I'm glad you're OK! I lopped the very tip of my left index finger off two years ago. Not as serious as your injury, but I know what your talking about with the "cold sweat" thing.

Did you teach anyone any new swear words when it happened?? That was all I did for about 30 seconds after I cut myself!! (I think my mother-in-law was pretty impressed!)

Messiah25 · #13 01-12-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phalex

Did you teach anyone any new swear words when it happened?? That was all I did for about 30 seconds after I cut myself!! (I think my mother-in-law was pretty impressed!)

Actually i was too busy to calm my wife

cause she was panicking more than me.
She was shouting and crying and i told to get me a bandage so i will have some quiet to examine my injury while shes gone

Pilgrim · #14 01-12-2009, 05:09 PM

Over time, hopefully we become experienced (I won't say wise) enough to see this kind of thing coming, so as we grab the knife and reach for the burgers, we stop and say "Wait...there's a better way to do this. Let's think about it!"

I'm confident the OP has attained this enlightened state.