I no longer have use of my left hand - UPDATE! Including pictures

  • Thread starter Thread starter Matt R
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So, I know it's been a while since I last updated this thread and I apologize. My friend fell through on getting pictures of my hand back from me.

Today I went out and bought a Sony Cyber-shot DSC-H2, and I'm in love with it. So now, without further procrastination, here are new photos of my hand.





 
Things look much better. You have a scar on your hand almost the same place I do. I fell through a window left hand reaching out, palm out. Split open right across my hand just like yours.

How's the mobility? Any different?
 
Solid Lifters
How's the mobility? Any different?
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Well as you can see, my fingers are bent badly due to all the scar tissue caked on the tendons. My second surgery is any day now, just whenever my insurance company gives the green light. I'm sure you know what I mean Solid. The mobility is crap. I can pick up cans of coke and stuff, but only because they are the perfect fit to my "claw" form. Not much mobility really, I can bend all the fingers but the ring one, but not well.
 
I got word from my doctor today that I'll be having my second surgery on March 27th at 9 A.M. If anyone wants to send flowers, please feel free.
 
Alright, the big day is tomorrow. I'll be sure to post new pictures after I'm out of surgery later tomorrow for those of you still following this.
 
Good luck, dude. 👍
 
I'm sure you'll get through alive, but i hope this one is a breakthrough!
 
Best of luck with the surgery 👍 Ironically, I have a doctor's appointment today about a problem with my left hand... spooky :odd:
 
Jjacks
I'm 19. I've got over over $50,000 in medical bills and my whole life to live with a jacked up hand. :/
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Let's update.

I'm now 20. That $50,000 figure I gave was just what my doctor was to make of off that first surgery it turns out. I've had more than $375,000 in operations. That's not including physical therapy, other doctors, and the cost of medication.

I still can't lift a 12 pack of coke.
 
Speechless......
 
Oh lordy. How is the hand these days? Been a while.
 
Sting
Oh lordy. How is the hand these days? Been a while.
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I have more mobility in it, but nothing of any real use. I can move every finger but my ring finger around but again, it doesn't help with the use of the hand. I've learned some cool stuff about having a whacked out hand. Since I have no protective sensation left in the hand, it can be submerged for an hour or two and not prune up a bit. The nerves don't function properly. Everything has changed about it. The fingernails grow more quickly and more brittle. For some reason the hairs on the hand grow faster and thicker than my right. Especially after surgery.

But, it's all good. It'll be one year tomorrow since it happened. Around 5:15PM EST.
 
Did the doctors give you any kind of steroids for the surgery? If they did, considering you had metal and other foreign stuff put into your hand, that probably explains the hair and nail growth. Androgens ftw.
 
Omnis
Did the doctors give you any kind of steroids for the surgery? If they did, considering you had metal and other foreign stuff put into your hand, that probably explains the hair and nail growth. Androgens ftw.
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I don't recall ever hearing any talk about steroids. It's possible.
 
Yeah, it's weird. One the one hand, I have no idea why steroids would be used because it'd slow down infection defense. On the other hand, I think maybe the immune system could attack something that they put in your hand kind of like how they pump people up with steroids when getting organ transplants.
 
Jjacks
Let's update.

I'm now 20. That $50,000 figure I gave was just what my doctor was to make of off that first surgery it turns out. I've had more than $375,000 in operations. That's not including physical therapy, other doctors, and the cost of medication.

I still can't lift a 12 pack of coke.
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It's a horrible situation Jjacks, I really do hope that you can get everything sorted and get your hand back to how it was. How does paying off the costs work?
 
You had the misfortune of massive injuries that had to heal. You will probably still have a long way to go to getting quality use from the hand.

If it never comes back completely, trust me, you will adapt. My remaining issues involve a lack of dexterity and so I can type very fast with my right hand and I constantly amaze my wife by being able to stack all the groceries in an intricate balance in my left hand while using my right to dig out the keys and open the door.


Being different injuries I cannot tell you what everything will be like, but I can almost guarantee you will always be self conscious. Even if it returns to almost completely normal usage you will subconsciously be aware. To this day I still can't walk without putting my left hand in my pocket just because I am aware of the difference in feel when swinging both arms.


Despite the lingering issues you will personally feel, once time has passed and the scars fade no one will notice. I often have to remind family and friends when I can't do something, because they forget.

Take care of it and work at the rehab. It will probably still have a lot of time to getting back normal usage. I know simple things like rotator cuffs can take years to recover from, so I imagine you are far from finished. Some days it becomes frustrating but it will get much better.

So what are the rehabilitation predictions?

Good luck with the medical expenses, I know that can be a rough situation.

Good luck with everything and keep us updated.
 
Jjacks
Let's update.

I'm now 20. That $50,000 figure I gave was just what my doctor was to make of off that first surgery it turns out. I've had more than $375,000 in operations. That's not including physical therapy, other doctors, and the cost of medication.

I still can't lift a 12 pack of coke.
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Dude, I'm sorry. A situation I hope nobody else here has to go through.

Are things going according to plan? What kind of recovery are you expected to make?

Best of luck to you!
 
Sureshot
It's a horrible situation Jjacks, I really do hope that you can get everything sorted and get your hand back to how it was. How does paying off the costs work?
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Thanks. My insurance company handled the whole cost of my treatment.

FoolKiller
Being different injuries I cannot tell you what everything will be like, but I can almost guarantee you will always be self conscious. Even if it returns to almost completely normal usage you will subconsciously be aware. To this day I still can't walk without putting my left hand in my pocket just because I am aware of the difference in feel when swinging both arms.
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I find myself doing that same exact thing just about everywhere I go. I'm fine with my hand, it's a good conversation starter, but I subconsciously tend to hide it in my jacket or pocket frequently.

Despite the lingering issues you will personally feel, once time has passed and the scars fade no one will notice. I often have to remind family and friends when I can't do something, because they forget.
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Same happens here. Someones asking me to take all the dishes downstairs and I'm like, "I've got one hand dude, you do it."

So what are the rehabilitation predictions?
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I've got at minimum at least another years worth of physical therapy. Thankfully I was able to get it relocated from Buckhead to my town. It's not so much of a pain to go to therapy now. Rehabilitation is all about just getting my hand to look and act more normal. I have stimulation units here at home as well as an array of every tool used in hand therapy. When I'm given tests at therapy my strength and agility in the hand always increase.

Good luck with the medical expenses, I know that can be a rough situation.
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It's all taken care of. I've never spent a penny out of pocket.
 
Ouchie! & Best of luck with the recovery & stuff. 👍
 
Jjacks
It's all taken care of. I've never spent a penny out of pocket.
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Apparently I'm all out of +Reps to the Killing Fool -

But a massive thumbs up to both of you - Jjacks for keeping the positive side up and FoolKiller for actually coming up with something useful !...

Thanks - And all the best, to both of you !...
 
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