OOPS I Cut my Finger Off

[Weet]

What I am surprised about is that only one person has mentioned Tony Iommi - losing finger tips in a metal cutting machine basically forced him to invent Metal, the rest is history . . . I'm sure you will finger out a way to keep playing. Thumbs up for your positive attitude, it must come in handy. I'd give an arm and a leg to be like that.

 

[Mister Boh]

Oops.

 

[Bubba PhD]

I cut all three in the lawn mower, but the middle one lost the tip from the base of the nail. Never found it! I can't play guitar anymore because it got too fat on the end (it covers 2~3 strings) but it's my goto finger for bass playing and driving.

 

[SCOTT_GROVE]

I had the same thing happen....same finger, same hand. It was pinched off 40 years ago when the old, fold down camper came down real fast and lobbed it right off. Mom stuck it in a sandwich bag, off to the hospital 20 minutes away and they saved it. It felt like NOTHING I've ever felt. It was fine when it happened and to the hospital....it was when they started sticking needles into every part of BOTH parts of my finger to TRY to numb it is where it got hairy. Just watching and feeling them reconnect as many nerves as they felt was needed from piece A to piece B. lol It took about 2 months and all was in full swing again. My fingernail doesn't grow in the regular place anymore. It just grows out of the NORMAL place and grows straight out. So, stick your hand on a table, that nail is pointing at the ceiling. lol I hope all comes back together for you as well as mine did. Be GROOVY!

 

[TonyG12]

I wish you a speedy recovery. I’ve had a few close calls, almost took my right index off with a bandsaw this past June.
It’ll take a little while for the feeling to come back depending on the nerve damage, be patient.

 

[illbegotten]

When I was a kid(7th grade) I cut off all the fingers on my left hand except the thumb, and my middle finger got cut in two different spots one at the base of the finger and one at the top across the nail. They were all thankfully able to be fixed. The nail still grows messed up on my middle finger. I didn't have any feeling in the entire hand for at least 3 years and then feeling slowly came back to the whole thing.

 

[Bubble]

Looks like we all suffer. I used to have the "it's only me" syndrome. Good and bad. I actually used to think only other people would get hurt, killed, and suffer, only someone else will get in a wreck and I'm just here to observe.
We need to write songs about that, fill the dumb ones in on the situation. LOL

 

[robthebassplaye]

Monday Sept 17, 2018 I cut my left index fingertip off at the base of the nail , got it sewn back on and now it seems to have feeling by Thursday 20. So I wrote a ditty.

I picked my finger up and I stuck it back on.
The doctor sewed it up but it's not quite as long.
At least it still works and attached to my hand.
And nothing's gonna stop me when I play in the band.

I did exactly the same thing, about 28 years ago - cutting up BokChoy. Left index fingertip gone, sown back on. Every once and a while I can feel it tingle. Stupid me. I can still play a bit, but I cant blame my shortcoming on cutting off my fingertip, I probably just need to practice more!!! :>)

 

[abarson]

I've often considered starting a "Stumpies" thread, but thought it a bit off-putting. Glad someone did if for me, and OP heal quickly!
I experimented with blasting caps at the ripe age of 9, resulting in this:

The moniker came from a bar patron who came up and stared at my left hand at a gig while I played. He suddenly turned around threw his hands in the air and yelled "STUMPY!!!". He later showed me his own lost digit and bought me a beer.
So far, Tobias asymmetrical necks are what work for me and I'm always on the lookout for the right 32" scale bass.

 

[Bubble]

Do you that have injured left hands learn to play left handed ? (pick with left hand, finger with right) I tried to flip my right hand bass around and just didn't know where to go. Like thinking backwards. I'll bet you can adapt. I'm sort of ambidextrous so yea but let's wait on that one.
Surgery to remove the tumor on my left long finger tomorrow, so at least one month to play right handed.
The cut on the pointing finger caught the doctor's attention to the tumor on the long finger. It needs to come out now.

 

[Bubble]

Aren't painkillers great?

Great until ya run out. I was on 4 100mg Ultram caps a day for a month and capital ouch getting off of them. I just wanted it or me out of my body, and a very bad case of restless leg for four days then mostly gone. I mean it, I do NOT want to go through that again.

 

[Bubble]

Oh in case you wonder, broken wrist. A guy dropped a plastic pellet mixing motor on my wrist when working above. No one liked him and they were trying to get him out the door. He was known for stuff like that.

 

[abarson]

Do you that have injured left hands learn to play left handed ? (pick with left hand, finger with right) I tried to flip my right hand bass around and just didn't know where to go. Like thinking backwards. I'll bet you can adapt. I'm sort of ambidextrous so yea but let's wait on that one.
Surgery to remove the tumor on my left long finger tomorrow, so at least one month to play right handed.
The cut on the pointing finger caught the doctor's attention to the tumor on the long finger. It needs to come out now.

I'm decidedly right handed so it was too cumbersome to try and suppress my naturally dominant hand. I've just got on with having stubby left fingers.

 

[Bubble]

I just got back from an exam, the re-graft is making great progress and almost flesh colored in all but a small area.
Might be another week before the tumor removal.

 

[EatS1stBassist]

I just got back from an exam, the re-graft is making great progress and almost flesh colored in all but a small area.
Might be another week before the tumor removal.

Best Wishes

 

[Bubble]

I tried to play with three fingers and was sort of able to play a rhythm to We Got The Beat (Go Go's), too many mistakes and mostly sort of rootish, nothing fancy. How frustrating, I had just recently begun to learn some real fills and scale extensions. Since the tumor removal has been pushed up a week or two, I will have at least another month and 1/2.
However I can still study more scales and fills.

Rub a stub stub three fingers in a dub.

 

[Doctor D]

Monday Sept 17, 2018 I cut my left index fingertip off at the base of the nail , got it sewn back on and now it seems to have feeling by Thursday 20. So I wrote a ditty.

I picked my finger up and I stuck it back on.
The doctor sewed it up but it's not quite as long.
At least it still works and attached to my hand.
And nothing's gonna stop me when I play in the band.

I had the same thing happen. It was not fun at all as a bass player or anyone for that matter. The healing process was a bit long before I no longer was conscious of it but it didn't stop me from playing and it's all good now. Press on and keep it in the groove. Side note, the great Dr. John was originally a guitar player until he had his finger shot off in "a altercation" as he said it. Ciao

 

[Bubble]

Thanks and thanks all, sorry I didn't answer all but I just wasn't up to it.
I was trying to take it easy on three fingers again but two days ago I instinctively started to rip one out and it started with the index finger. How could a person hold them self back with a Jazz Bass in hand ? I screamed bloody murder, it both hurt like hell and like I got electrocuted through that finger. Despite that mistake today it is showing some real improvement, almost back to normal color. I think it's going to make it except for a small area on the side.

 

[Bubble]

It took a down turn today, I may have slept on it and mashed it for a long time.
I gave up on getting all excited about playing again. Might be another month.
I'll probably not mention my finger until each Friday the doctor checks it.
I have heard some big time musicians get really paranoid about their fingers and do odd things to keep from injuring them. Sort of funny but understandable.

I think the cyst removal on the next finger will heal much faster.

 

[Feral Feline]

What I am surprised about is that only one person has mentioned Tony Iommi - losing finger tips in a metal cutting machine basically forced him to invent Metal, the rest is history . . . I'm sure you will finger out a way to keep playing. Thumbs up for your positive attitude, it must come in handy. I'd give an arm and a leg to be like that.

You've nailed it. It tendons to come naturally to you, doesn't it? Gotta knuckle down and give us some more. I'm making an index of all these puns, digitally.

Friend of mine lost his pointer in a lawn-mower brawl — one last grasp and then it happened quick n easy... left his palm waving in the breeze. Not one to take hand-outs, but worker's comp did leave him in the pinky, though, ringing it in. Doesn't ever get wristful of his four-more appendages.

Anyone else with a gripping story?