Handmit!!

Full disclosure, I've posted a bit about this recently, so my apologies for the repetition (if any), but it's a lasting effect.

About a month or more ago I got into a little "rodeo" with a steer and I broke two bones in my right hand going headfirst over a 6 foot fence. I've been convalescing my hand ever since, but I'm right handed and my hand never gets any rest, just never. It is getting better, but my Gawd...this is taking FOREVER to heal!! They wanted to cast it, but there's no way. I couldn't function for even a single day with a cast on my hand, let alone six weeks or more.

I know some will ridicule me, say I'm stoopid and such. Unfortunately though, I just don't have the luxury of taking a bunch of "time off" in a world where there is none. Some may understand. Hey, I can type here, right...so must not be hurt that bad. The one bone which is really hurting and taking the time to heal is my metacarpal bone associated with my "pinkie" finger (not a medical term). It's broken up near my wrist, so my fingers don't hurt, but if I roll my hand I'll cry like a little girl.

Now truth be known, I'm no stranger to hand injuries, I've had more than my share (including a smashed left hand), but this one sucks.

I know, I'm just whining. Sorry. If there's a lesson here, it is...take care of your hands. They are far more valuable than you'll ever know!!

In the meantime, I'll just suffer along.

I'll live. (Sorry, for those who hoped otherwise! LOL)

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

As another man that works with his hands. You aint doing yourself any favors. Do you want your hand to work or do you want a story as to why your hand doesn't work?
A few weeks now or a lifetime. The choice is yours.

Just for clarity, how I jacked up my hand is, I was in a pen with one of our steers and he went nuts while trying to load him into a stock trailer. He charged me, I ducked him and he slammed headfirst into a corral panel. The steer then spun around and slammed me into the panel with his hind quarters. He was "full-on rodeo" at this point. On his 2nd 360 degree pivot, he came right back around at me and I stepped up on the 4th bar of the panel and dove over the top to get out of the way. My boot slipped and I went upside down. I put my hands out, fists actually, and landed on my right hand, the side of my right hand, then over onto my back outside the pen. I grabbed my hand and knew it was hurt, but the steer wasn't done yet.

Had to jump back over the panel and get the dang steer loaded up with the rest (ornery bastage). Got kicked and then punched his stoopid-ass on the butt to get in the trailer. "GIT UP, DAMMIT!!" I think that's when I really hurt it. I heard it pop. Wife said she heard it pop too.

So now I suck.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
So now I suck.

Yup you do.
Rodeo Has never been a big part of my life. But I've worked it and seen it.
You are not doing yourself favors with this.

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Vet said it was a high break, probably not much they could do, just take it easy.

Yeah, my "vet". She's probably better than any doc I've ever met!

I'm sorry you're in pain..that just really sucks! ....I do remember your post about this awhile ago, and I do remember me and others telling you to go take care of your hand properly . ...If you do not, you will be in pain for a long time and arthritis will set in. Also, You may have to rebreak it and cast it if it heals wrong. ....I'm not trying to be mean, but....medically speaking, if you can cure it or heal it, then do it ....and do it right away and properly . No need to delay your pain and possible issues down the road because you wanted to " grin and bear it " rather then wear a cast. .....I know you think a cast will impose on your daily life style, but you'd be surprised how well you will adapt to having a cast and functioning....right now, you are working twice as hard compensating with your broken hand then if you had put a cast on it....I am flagging you for typing with a broken hand, but really I want to slap you for not taking care of this properly....because down the road you probably won't be able to use your hand at all , and you will feel really bad when your wife has to care take because you refused to put a cast on it.

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Thanks. Appreciate the encouragement.

It's not like I can take a couple of weeks off, you know. I could only "wish" for something like that.

Vacation? What's that? HA! I haven't had a vacation in over 10 years. I just "wish" I could take a couple weeks off to nurse off some simple hand injury! A broken leg, now that's different, but the hand still works (as you can see).

There's really no way to immobilize it, not that part anyway.

Thanks though.

a reply to: Meldionne1

Thanks for the reply. I do appreciate it.

I know, dumb me, but I have few, if any, choices. I could just go in and let them do whatever they want to do, and my poor wife would gladly jump in and try to do everything, as if she didn't already do enough. That's not okay in my book, and as long as I can walk I'll be in the game, rodeo and all.

She should never have to do that! And, I hope she never will.

originally posted by: Flyingclaydisk
a reply to: randomtangentsrme

Thanks. Appreciate the encouragement.

It's not like I can take a couple of weeks off, you know. I could only "wish" for something like that.

Vacation? What's that? HA! I haven't had a vacation in over 10 years. I just "wish" I could take a couple weeks off to nurse off some simple hand injury! A broken leg, now that's different, but the hand still works (as you can see).

There's really no way to immobilize it, not that part anyway.

Thanks though.

With love and respect I say Idiot.

Take the time to heal. Or learn it the hard way.
You have two options, to be out of the game for a minute, or to permanently disable yourself.
I do not think you are ready for retirement. . . So you choose.

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

I think you misunderstand me, and where I come from. (all due respect)

Where I come from there is no down-time, no excuses..ever. I've dealt with injuries all my life. This one is just minor in comparison. It's a hinderance, and I was whining about it I guess, but it's minor.

I'm 54 years old, a bus could run over me tomorrow. I played college football. I've rounded up wild horses, dealt with wild bulls and everything in between. Perhaps I shouldn't have even posted this OP, it's just that getting older hurts a little more and sorry-ass me was just whining about it. I guess this would be the point where I should say..."I'm good, blow the chute!" And, maybe that's just part of it. An injury to the right hand was always something a bullrider feared.

When the chute opened, and that bull whipped his neck around, made that radical left turn and the big jump; the right hand was the only thing connecting you to the living world! When his 2,000 lb. backside slammed into the chute coming out, and jerked you, shocked you, suddenly around to the right...the clock was ticking. Just seven more seconds between success and potential injury (or worse). Yeah, I know all that.

No, I am not ready for retirement actually, nor do I ride bulls anymore (equally). Even so, it's easy to tell another fella what to do, when it might not be so easy to do the same for one's self.

Best.



ETA...sometimes, you gotta' just get up, dust yourself off and get right back on...and ride!!

Get some good pain killers and carry on . It might heal funny but life is a funny thing when you can't stop to mend properly .Could have been worse and you could have lost the hand ...then you wouldn't need it to heal and you would have to figure out how to carry on carring on . best of luck

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Scars, crooked fingers, calluses, are physical resumes'.

Have an extra bourbon or scotch at the end of the day.

Or even at the start, if the break is new.

Going through the stuff with my ankle and lower foot, and I to cant take time off or afford surgery. But it aches like hell after I walk on it all day. So I got couple of braces braces and a walking boot, the help stabilize it when I can wear them and at least keep me from moving it the wrong way when I sleep if I'm not working . check out braces and splints online

Going through the stuff with my ankle and lower foot, and I to cant take time off or afford surgery. But it aches like hell after I walk on it all day. So I got couple of braces braces and a walking boot, the help stabilize it when I can wear them and at least keep me from moving it the wrong way when I sleep if I'm not working . check out braces and splints online

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

You could get them to cast it with a hook sticking out.

Then you'd have to get a parrot and an eye-patch, though.


Arrrr...

a reply to: DBCowboy

Heh...yep!!

Especially the crooked fingers part!

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk

Soak the hand in sea salt water. Make it with the store bought good stuff.

While at work or sleeping, you should wear a sort of MMA glove that has padding where it needs support in case you bump it or roll it in your sleep. FIngerless joints, just cut them along the side so you can slip it on easy.

Eat bananas and take some vitamins.

Ever think of just making yourself a custom cast?

Get the material, mold it the way you want, let it almost dry, cut it off and then when its hard just slip it on and off as you please. Best of both worlds.


Feel better. Damn.

I remember your post. Should have healed better by now. I think I broke my ribs same time as your hand if I recall ( mid may?) my ribs healed but my shoulder didn't.
Anyways I think you should treasure your hands. I only have one that works. Other is paralyzed. Like you I took hands for granted before that happened and what I wouldn't give to have two working hands

It might not be too late to see if you can correct it as it will worsen. I think it's healing wrong

However I know you won't!

Sorry you're in pain though. Even though it's healed wrong by now I suppose in time you will get used to it being that way and adapt, the pain will subside.
I'm no doctor though.

I'm hoping to adapt to my shoulder being like this.

a reply to: Flyingclaydisk
Sorry to hear that you're in pain. I understand the issue of not being able to take off. While we were building our home I managed to get a finder stuck in the seam of a garage door as it came down. Had to raise the door to extract the finger. We were doing the painting and finishing of the woodwork and were on a schedule to be finished by the time the construction crew got back to us. We were doing this in our spare time so taking a couple of days off would throw off not just our schedule but the crew's schedule as well.

Only advice I can offer is to look into a brace to wear when you're not actively using the hand. And get yourself a paraffin spa to treat the hand. Don't laugh. Try it. You will be absolutely amazed at what a 20 minute treatment will do for your painful joints. The treatments will also aid in healing by increasing circulation to the injured area.

I just last week convinced my 90 year-old brother-in-law to try a treatment. His feet hurt from wounds he got in WWII. He could barely walk across the house. The next morning he was strolling up and down the road. He gets a treatment every three or four days and is off the pain pills he was taking just to walk in the mornings.

Best of luck.

a reply to: randomtangentsrme

A lot of people don't have that luxury. If OP is a rancher, he certainly doesn't.

Can you splint the thing at night OP?