Whos missing a ring finger.......

[spidr]

Can anyone tell me why I shouldnt.......

February I tore some ligaments in my right ring finger. Whatever the technical jargon is, they're the ones that hold it straight from flopping side to side.
6 weeks before the specialist would even look. Told me to take 6 more weeks to hopefully heal, surgery was a last resort.

Went back and he wanted to book surgery. I had lost some of my mobility. Told me I had to take 12 weeks off the tools, and even then there was an almost zero percent chance of any more mobility, and the best case was it took away my pain. So I told him to hold off until after the summer, he said I couldnt do any more damage at this point. That was in May.

Now it hurts every day, but its generally tolerable. As long as I dont squeeze anything(I cant make a fist), and pressure inflames it. The slightest bump and it doubles in size, and its been swollen and crooked ever since I injured it. Any little thing and its like an ice pick throough the hand. Even typing hurts if I'm not careful.

I have my own shop, and due to some issues over the last couple years, there is no way I can survive 3 months off. So surgery is out. If I injure it after the surgery, there is a chance I lose what use I have right now.

So yesterday I went in and asked him to cut it off. The surgeon doesnt want to, as he thinks there is less drastic measures that can be taken, but lets be honest, he is a hand repair specialist, and very well known, so its his rep on the line, and he makes about 10 times what I do in a year.
My doctor is understanding, but cant order it himself, so he's referred me to a differant plastic surgeon.

I have a friend that lost the same finger when he caught his ring, and he was healed and back at work in 2 weeks, no side effects. Guess I'm just trying to see if there is any reason not to........Maybe I just need to ramble, I dont know........Bit of a wierd requesst to the doctor, and not sure how this is all going to pan out, but I cant work with the pain any more, cant take time off, I honestly dont know if theres any oother option.

And before anyone says it, maybe I am just a pussy and should suck it up, but I've got a lot of years to take care of the family, and I've been working at half capacity if that for most of the year, and we just cant do that any more.

[bparsel]

Shit, Jerry Garcia was missing his middle finger on his right hand........still jammed guitar.

[farmall]

Still have mine, but a ring finger isn't critical to wrenching or even holding small parts.

Consider how often you hold the ring finger out of the way when working with little shit. Thumb+forefinger+middle finger are the important digits for mechanics, machinists and technicians.

I have a friend that lost the same finger when he caught his ring,

That sort of thing is why I refuse to wear rings, any rings.

[Wingnut89]

Shit, Jerry Garcia was missing his middle finger on his right hand........still jammed guitar.

That's 'cause he was right-handed. I could lose my middle, ring and pinky on my right hand and still totally shred face.

Also, cut it off. Fuck that finger. It's trying to keep you from wrenching. Insolence and mutiny must not be tolerated.

[spidr]

Still have mine, but a ring finger isn't critical to wrenching or even holding small parts.

Consider how often you hold the ring finger out of the way when working with little shit. Thumb+forefinger+middle finger are the important digits for mechanics, machinists and technicians.


That sort of thing is why I refuse to wear rings, any rings.

I refuse to wear them too. I damaged it when a 1/2" drill caught the bit and ripped out of my hand.

And thats kind of what I told the doc too. I'm already trying to hld it out of the way, cant work in pain, but I can work if its gone.

[ChicagoRedux]

That's 'cause he was right-handed. I could lose my middle, ring and pinky on my right hand and still totally shred face. ...

I think Tony Iommi is missing a finger tip or two.

---

Hell, if the finger is causing chronic pain and interfering with your livelihood and the odds of it improving are basically zero I'd just have it cut off. I can't think of anything I do now that I wouldn't be able to do minus one ring finger.

[Wingnut89]

I think Tony Iommi is missing a finger tip or two.

Sure is, and on his fingering hand, now that shit's impressive.

Hell, if the finger is causing chronic pain and interfering with your livelihood and the odds of it improving are basically zero I'd just have it cut off.

Pretty much this. I hate the idea of losing any digits, but if it's not gonna get better and it's only gonna fuck with you and keep you from working...I'd snip mine off, too.

[CytochromeC]

My left middle finger is "frozen" in position with about 23* of movement in one joint. It won't get any better but it doesn't hurt me like the issues you're having. It's nice that it's there because people don't usually notice. I even dance with girls frequently and none have noticed yet. So it's a bum finger but the absence of a finger would be much more noticeable. At any rate, if you do hack it off, replace it with a bottle opener or some gator-clips or something useful.

[spidr]

My left middle finger is "frozen" in position with about 23* of movement in one joint. It won't get any better but it doesn't hurt me like the issues you're having. It's nice that it's there because people don't usually notice. I even dance with girls frequently and none have noticed yet. So it's a bum finger but the absence of a finger would be much more noticeable. At any rate, if you do hack it off, replace it with a bottle opener or some gator-clips or something useful.

I kind of figure that other than the fact that I would have a permanent shocker hand, I could always put something together in the shop that goes there. I dont give a shit about what people think about how it looks, so thats no skin off my back, its the function(or lack of) that I care about.

If this was my left hand, I dont think I'd cut it. But I'm severely right hand dominant, and cant do anything left handed. So its always in the way.


Thanks for the opinions guys.

[ScarTissue]

Indian Larry was missing a pinky or ring finger on one of his hands, and apparently that didn't slow him down any.

[CytochromeC]

I kind of figure that other than the fact that I would have a permanent shocker hand, I could always put something together in the shop that goes there. I dont give a shit about what people think about how it looks, so thats no skin off my back, its the function(or lack of) that I care about.

If this was my left hand, I dont think I'd cut it. But I'm severely right hand dominant, and cant do anything left handed. So its always in the way.


Thanks for the opinions guys.

If you do hack it off can you post pics plz?

[spidr]

If you do hack it off can you post pics plz?

I'll even make jokes about it.

[beershredder]

definitely get it cut off if they let you keep it. Then get it freeze dried and make a lucky rabit foot style key chain out of it..

[Capino]

If you hacked it off yourself Im sure they would find some reason to arrest you.

[spidr]

If you hacked it off yourself Im sure they would find some reason to arrest you.

I joked about it a while back, and the doc said to me..........."do you have a history of hurting yourself"..........

I actually spent 30 days in a mental ward about a year and a half ago on allegations that I was self destructive and a paranoid schizophrenic. So I have to tread a little lightly with the docs........

[TheWhiteDevil]

+1 for lucky rabbit finger..

also. its a perfect excuse to get tattoo of like a perforated line right above the cut or like a weasel face and mouth on it... ect ect..

[Clockwork444]

there is probably a slim chance of you getting a doctor to cut it off, but if you get really really drunk and hurt it again, they might have to.....

[spidr]

there is probably a slim chance of you getting a doctor to cut it off, but if you get really really drunk and hurt it again, they might have to.....

Plan B.

[EVILBLACKSABRE]

I remember a story very recently (this past week) of a kid here in the US who had a bad leg and had it surgically amputated because it was causing chronic pain and other problems. The kid decided that a prosthetic leg would be preferable and would allow him to live a better, more active life than his problem leg. I've seen several cases of this happening.

On a different note- If you have it cut off, save it and encase it in lucite. Then make a gearshift knob or something out of it.

[Xilo]

I've got a bud who was in a similar situation with either his middle or ring finger. Injured trimming trees with a chainsaw and they told him they could cut it off, or put a metal rod in it and he'd never be able to bend it again. Needless to say, he doesn't have that finger. He has up to the first knuckle remaining, so he wears a ring on it, and still holds a cigarette with it. He works with his hands every day and is much happier and better off than with a metal rod.
He loves to tell kids when they ask (cuz kids are curious) that when he was their age he was picking his nose and sneezed, and blew it clean off!
If the fucker's just dead weight, get it chopped! You're on CHOP cult after all. (that's my corny pun for the day)