I'm Officially An Idiot!

[Moondoggie]

....Which is why I'm typing this with my left hand and only 1 finger on my right hand.  Got this big honking bandage/splint around first 2 fingers on my right hand which is covering up the open fracture on my index finger (AKA my TRIGGER FINGER!!!!)and a bunch of stiches.

Smooshed it between a dock plate and the floor of my semi trailer this afternoon in Topeka.  Had to get taken to the emergency room...broker had to find another truck to handle my load to Chicago, wife had to drive 85 miles to pick me up (shipper is letting me leave my truck there till I'm back in the saddle).

The E Doc said it was kinda like sewing up a ruptured hotdog from the microwave.  He thinks it'll be OK, but wants me to go my regular doc plus an ortho doc.  We're on that tomorrow.

BTW, got me some jammin' pain drugs...Lortabs.  Working really swell, too!!

The part that hurt worst was getting the Lidocaine shots before the sutures.   Yeoooow!

Did I mention the swell mellow pain drugs??

Now for a week or so of R&R.  Bad news is no shooting for awhile.

[K Frame]

I think I'm going to puke...

[grampster]

Moon, man, you know how to make a guy's skin crawl.  Gosh, I'm sorry to hear about your hand.
One day at a time for awhile, friend.  Use them meds.  Any spares...send my way.

Look at the bright side.  Now you'll have to learn how to shoot ambidextrous.  Then you'll hafta buy a new Beretta 'cause they gots ambidextrous safeties.  If you can now shoot both hands, it is imperative to have a pistol you can use with either hand.  New wheel gun would work, too.  You lucky guy.

[Moondoggie]

I'm thinking it's gonna be just a temporary thing.  The fracture is very close to the tip of my finger and the doc thinks it'll fuse back as normal just being immobilized.  I'm pretty sure I'll lose the nail since the doc had to kinda put it back where it belongs.

Not one of my better days, but the drugs are cool!.

[mtnbkr]

I think I'm going to puke...

Remind me some time to show you what that looks like after it heals.

I crushed my right ring finger 13 years ago.  I didn't have a severe a break, but my finger split open like an overnuked hotdog, I lost the nail, and the bone was broken at the tip.  That finger is now wider than it should be and pressing on the nail delivers an odd sensation.  

Chris

[wmenorr67]

Went through the samething about 6 months ago myself.  Slammed my right index finger (trigger finger) in a car door.  Broke the tip and lost the nail.  There are still times that when pressed just right I get a weird sensation in the tip.

[Moondoggie]

As long as it will still work for it's intended function.....trigger control!!!!

Did I remember to mention the coooool drugs??

Zoom zoom zoom!

[jefnvk]

Putting our fingers where they don't belong happens to the best of us.

[Monkeyleg]

Man, it hurts just thinking about that!

You either have the best outlook on life at even the worst times, Moondoggie, or those are some heavy meds you're on.

Did the doc say whether you'll get full functioning with the finger again?

[Moondoggie]

Just got home from my doc...USAF. He thinks I'll fully recover in abt 8 wks.  Got an appt with ortho surgeon this Fri.

Saw the new x-ray today.  The bone in the end of the index finger is kinda shaped like an arrowhead.  Mine is split lengthwise into 2 pcs abot 60/40 with a little space btwn both cleanly broken pcs.

For such a little thing, it sure hurt like heck!  Now wife & I are talking abt what comp, if any we might see from shipper.  Lost revenue would be fine with me.  Looks as if our med expenses are going to be zero.  We aren't looking for a jackpot payday.  I think this particular dockplate was malfunctioning.  I've never seen one drop instantly like this one did.

[K Frame]

"For such a little thing, it sure hurt like heck!"

Of course it hurt like mad. There are more nerve endings in our fingertips than any other place in our body. Or so I've been told.

Makes sense, though, as we depend so much on our sense of touch.

[Schuey2002]

>>"I think this particular dockplate was malfunctioning.  I've never seen one drop instantly like this one did."<<

Just curious.. Was that one of those loading plates that you reach down, pull up on a ring (hooked to a chain) that is recessed into the steel, watch the plate lift up, and then stand on the plate to make it go down and lock into place?

[brimic]

I feel your pain. Owwwwwie, well no I don't I guess.

[Moondoggie]

No, Schuey, this one is electric.

Press a button and it goes up to about 30 degrees and the flange is supposed to automatically extend out flat with the dock plate as it settles back down.

This one didn't extend out flat and the edge got stuck in a groove that runs across the rear of the trailer floor.

I cycled it again and got the same result.

Normally when you lift up on the end in similar situations the dock plate settles with plenty of time to get out of the way...this one slammed down immediately.  Failure to extend properly and slamming down with such speed is what leads me to think it malfunctioned.