• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

Ruined my hand...

#21
pacojas said:
my son broke his finger, got it set, didn't listen to the Doc, and now has a permanently bent finger. luckily, he can still play bass!
Click to expand...

Can I ask in what way did he 'didn't listen'? And how bent did it end up? I'm worried more now :eek: I had it coming to be fair, doctors do know better than people who break their fingers punching stuff, then modify their cast afterwards. I know I'm silly, I'm just not ready to admit it :wacky:

Frank Tuesday said:
You'll just have to pick one video and stick with it.
Click to expand...
Really? What if I only want to see the shots of the girl, not the chubby bloke with a dodgy haircut? You gotta think logically dude!
 
Last edited:
#24
Electricblue said:
I'm not ignoring the fact that it's bad for me, some risks are just there to be taken.
Click to expand...

I disagree. There is no justification for taking that risk. My mom smoked and ended up on an air tank for the last couple years of her life - the thing she MOST wanted to avoid.

That risk is NOT there to be taken. It is to be avoided.

I used to be less adamant about this, but I saw the hold it had on my mom, and what it cost her in the last 10 years of her life. Don't go there.
 
Last edited:
#25
The universe is giving you feedback that you need to listen to.

In this thread alone, you've talked about out of control rage, cigarette addiction and drug use, which led you to damage the cast which was put there to allow your hand to heal. You are worried about permanent damage to your hand, which you almost certainly have, and which may or may not have an effect on your playing. Your short term behavior is creating lifelong consequences.

I am not judging. This is your life, and you will do what you think is best. But I do encourage you to seek treatment, so that you can get on a path toward happiness. The path your on will probably continue to get worse.
 
#27
line6man said:
I'm a bit confused on the cutting the cast to roll cigarettes part. Is there a reason you can't just buy normal cigarettes in a pack and smoke that way until your hand heals? Otherwise, have someone roll your cigarettes for you.
Click to expand...

I'm guessing that pre rolled cigarettes are too expensive for OP, so he rolls his own. All the people I know who roll their own don't really do it because they enjoy it, but because it's cheaper. That, and OP was apparently a skilled roller of other non-tobacco cigarettes anyway.
 
#30
You'll be fine. Follow the doctor's orders. You haven't buggered up anything freeing up your index finger a bit. And smoking tobacco or weed isn't going to do anything to bother it either.
Do go and see a physiotherapist and also develop your own exercises for rehabbing your hand once the cast is off. Start easy and stop if you feel pain.
The bone will have knit together by about 21 days. So by the time the cast is off (4-6 weeks) the bone is strong, your muscles and tendons will be weak as ****. LOL
Take it slow and steady.

The metacarpal on my right hand little finger has been broken a couple times, and my right thumb metacarpal once. (hockey ;) )
I survived. I also played competitive golf (amateur and pro) and carried a +4hcp. I began putting left hand low because I was in a cast, and it was all I could do until the cast came off. LOL
And I putt left hand low still to this day. It was a great improvement for my putting.
None of the breaks has hampered my bass playing or anything else. Just rehab it proper.
 
#31
I broke the 4th metacarpal on my left-hand pinky when I was younger (boxers fracture). It broke the behind the knuckle, I thought it was dislocated, and I waited a day to get it looked at. The Dr. ended up resetting the bone in such a way that I have a noticeably less visible pinky knuckle on my left hand when making a fist, and the pinky finger is shorter than the one on my right hand. I had to get it re-set while it was casted, because I slipped on ice, landed on (and broke) my cast, and re-fractured it. Fretting can be a touch tricky sometimes, and my finger has a noticeable hitch when moving it in certain directions. Let your hand heal properly, definitely look into physical therapy, and don't rush the healing process. My injury was almost 20 years ago, and it still isn't completely right.

Hopefully you learned to not do the same thing again.
 
Last edited:
#32
petrus61 said:
I'm guessing that pre rolled cigarettes are too expensive for OP, so he rolls his own. All the people I know who roll their own don't really do it because they enjoy it, but because it's cheaper. That, and OP was apparently a skilled roller of other non-tobacco cigarettes anyway.
Click to expand...

I would rather pay more for the cigarettes while my hand was healing than to risk further injury or improper healing.
 
#33
Electricblue said:
Hey everyone, it's been a long time!

So I found myself in a rage for undisclosed reasons, ended up punching my window a few times (UK household double glazing) and hit the frame once at full whack. This left me with completely snapped 4th and 5th Metacarpals in my right hand :dead: I've had an operation (plate on the 4th, wires on 5th) so I'm out of action for a while! The doc put a cast over all 4 fingers, leaving just my thumb to use. I need to roll cigarettes etc so I took a razor blade and sidecutting pliers to the cast, I now have my index finger to use :cigar:

Has anybody else broken these bones? I'm a bit worried it will affect my playing (guitar/bass/keys) in the long run? I'm 19 and I dont want it too affect anything too much :jawdrop:
Click to expand...
I've never had a hand injury, but I've had surgery for other things. The only advice is to listen to your doctor. Do not rush getting back into bass playing or whatever other activities your doctor advises that you do not do. Recover first, rehab second, then get back into playing.
 
#35
Link Removed

In a 2006 European study, the risk of developing lung cancer was:

0.2% for men who never smoked (0.4% for women)
5.5% for male former smokers (2.6% in women)
15.9% for current male smokers (9.5% for women)
24.4% for male "heavy smokers" defined as smoking more than 5 cigarettes per day (18.5% for women)

Also see: http://www.nsc.org/NSCDocuments_Corporate/2014-Injury-Facts-Odds-Dying-43.pdf
 
#36
Money isn't too much of an issue on the smoking subject. I roll because I prefer the taste, and the ritual of creating what you're about to smoke. When I bought the 20 pack, something was missing after I had one (rolling is part of the psychological addiction, I think). I'm pretty sure there are less chemicals (although still above 4000) in rolling tobacco, ready-mades have glue and also stuff to keep it burning when you leave it alone :eek: not denying that inhaling burning plant matter is pretty bad for you!

I think having a cigarette does have a calming effect, admittedly because the craving is being fulfilled. I couldn't see myself smoking one, then returning to punch a window. I'm sure fellow smokers will appreciate the peaceful 5 minutes thinking time while having one.

I'm considering getting an E-cig but I don't trust them yet, since nobody knows the long-term effects. At least I know how bad smoking is for me, it's tried and tested. It's like I would rather have a sugary drink, than one pumped full of new 'miracle' chemicals to sweeten it. I would also rather do a 5-10 mile walk than take a 'fat-burning' pill if I needed to lose weight.

Would it be bad to go straight back to playing once it's out of the cast? That was part of my recovery plan. I thought lots of little hand movements with little force would have helped?
 
#38
Electricblue said:
Money isn't too much of an issue on the smoking subject. I roll because I prefer the taste, and the ritual of creating what you're about to smoke. When I bought the 20 pack, something was missing after I had one (rolling is part of the psychological addiction, I think). I'm pretty sure there are less chemicals (although still above 4000) in rolling tobacco, ready-mades have glue and also stuff to keep it burning when you leave it alone :eek: not denying that inhaling burning plant matter is pretty bad for you!

I think having a cigarette does have a calming effect, admittedly because the craving is being fulfilled. I couldn't see myself smoking one, then returning to punch a window. I'm sure fellow smokers will appreciate the peaceful 5 minutes thinking time while having one.

I'm considering getting an E-cig but I don't trust them yet, since nobody knows the long-term effects. At least I know how bad smoking is for me, it's tried and tested. It's like I would rather have a sugary drink, than one pumped full of new 'miracle' chemicals to sweeten it. I would also rather do a 5-10 mile walk than take a 'fat-burning' pill if I needed to lose weight.

Would it be bad to go straight back to playing once it's out of the cast? That was part of my recovery plan. I thought lots of little hand movements with little force would have helped?
Click to expand...

Understandable, but proper healing should be more important than smoking. Make do with what you can until the cast comes off. It's better than what could happen if you don't.

On the other hand, call your doctor and discuss this with him/her. Maybe it isn't a big deal. Most of us are assuming that the doctor had good reason to do the cast the way it was done, but only the doctor can say for sure.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back