I guess I won’t be knitting for awhile. I did one of those “wide world of sports” falls two nights ago, and trashed my hand. We were going across the yard to the neighbors after dinner to socialize for a bit. We had part of a bottle of wine left, and I was carrying that and my wine glass. I miscalculated where the rock retaining wall was, and the next thing I knew, I was on the ground with a bloody hand, and the broken off stem of the wine glass sticking out of my palm. I couldn’t flex my index finger so I was pretty sure that I’d either gotten a nerve or a tendon, or both. After a couple of hours in ER, it appeared to be tendon. I had semi-emergency surgery last night, and spent the night in the hospital afterwards. The good news is that the plastic/hand surgeon was able to repair the two severed tendons, and if all goes well I should have a good chance of regaining full function.
I’ll spare you the bloody hand photos…actually we didn’t wait around long enough to take them before racing off to the ER. Here’s what it looks like this morning.
Yes, it’s my right hand, and yes, I’m very right hand dominant. I’m not much of a one-hand typist, either.
To add insult to injury, our trip to Spain is postponed for the time being. We may try to reschedule for the fall, but the surgeon didn’t think leaving the country for three weeks was a very good idea. It’s a good thing I have lots of audio books on my Ipod.
Oh yes, though I broke the wine glass, I did manage to save the bottle of wine. I have my priorities, after all.
O my goodness, how horrible Lorette! I hope that Mr. Doctor is taking good care of you. I’m so sorry that you had to endure that, and I hope that you have a nice, relaxing, hands-free vacation. Just think, staying at home for a few weeks and not being able to do housework, drinking lots of wine to relax, and generally being a pampered (albeit slightly injured) goddess.
How terrible! I hope you heal quickly…or at least don’t have too much pain while you heal.
I’m very impressed that you managed to save the bottle of wine, but wished you’d tried a bit of self-preservation first! How very annoying for you. I’m also extremely right-hand dominant so my headspaces knows exactly where you are at the moment.
And Rogue was so close…..
Oh no! Well, at least you can read about knitting while you recover. I’m glad they were able to repair the tendons, and congratulations on saving the wine. First things first!
OMG, my hand hurts just reading your post! I can’t imagine how frightening that must have been. Take good care of it (of course you will!) and we’ll all send healing thoughts. Glad I’m not the only klutz around but you really took the cake.
OH NO! Heal quickly!!!
I know knitting withdrawal will set in really soon. I bet you get proficient at left-hand mouse clicking…
Holy cow! Here’s sending good wishes for fast healing with no function impairment! I live in terror of something happening to my hands.
Be well, be careful, and heal quickly.
Holy Cannoli!!! My heart goes out to you – I have those kinds of accidents and I feel for you. Maybe you can spend some time looking thru knitting books and magazines for new patterns to get to after you heal? (and of course ordering and shopping for the yarn you will need for all those new projects!) I’m sure you will heal fast and be back to your knitting in no time – will you have to have any PT afterwards? If so, knitting would probably be perfect! Feel Better!
OUCH! I’m trying to think about the upside here. You can read to your heart’s content. You can develop your mad left-handed skills and be an ambidexterous. You can drink the rest of that wine in a non-stemmed glass. You can listen to bluegrass until you’re sick of it. Spain? Schmain! You can rest and relax close to home (and surgeon). Spain will be there when you’re healed.
Wow! So sorry to read about your hand, but I’m glad the surgery went well.
Best wishes for a speedy recovery!
Oh no! I think Celia’s on the right track, there, but . . . jeez! Sending you a big, warm hug to help you feel better…
Ouch. That was a doozy! I usually only walk into walls and stuff like that…well so far anyway. Hope you heal fast and are not hurting too much!
Oh my, how awful! Here’s to a speedy recovery. Hope what’s left of the wine will be of some comfort.
Oh, LORETTE! May I use my favorite expletive here in your blog? Fucksake!!!!! I feel SO bad for you. I’ll have this image in my head for a long time to come.
oh no! oh no oh no oh no!!! (I thought doctors were invicible and never got hurt?)
Congrats on saving the wine – I hope you were able to get a glass of it when you got back from the ER. Watching a doc stitch up a finger laceration was my first ever “passing out” event (in an ER preceptorship) and since then I have given people who have experienced the patient side of the whole ordeal major points. I hope you enjoy the audiobooks and time “off.” What do your animals think of the whole ordeal? I hope you’re feeling better soon!
Oh man! I’m sooooooo sorry that happened to you. You poor thing. I hope that you heal quickly! I’m glad your trip is postponed and not canceled. Take Care!
Oh. That really is terrible–I am so sorry! My husband did a similar thing last year with a beer bottle that exploded when he picked it up–yuck. I hope you heal very quickly (and, since you are a doctor, nobody looked at you as strangely as they looked at my husband– a guy who smells like beer from an exploding beer bottle makes people suspect the story, regardless of the truth!…)
Ouch! So sorry about your whoops! Please take care of yourself and use this time to read, read about knitting, and pamper you. Speedy recovery!
OMG! I’m so sorry! I truly hope you get well soon. Take care!
Oh my! That sucks royally. :/
Oh, dear! I hope you start feeling better soon, and that you find many interesting things to occupy your time while you cannot knit or go to Spain. Take care of yourself.
Oh, Lorette!! I wish you a full and SPEEDY recovery! Take care.
Noooooo! That sucks. Seriously. I am so glad that they were able to patch you up, and hopefully you’ll be healed in no time. I probably would have ended up saving the wine, too. 😉
Wow. What a story! Who knew how dangerous it could be to walk and carry wine at the same time! Seriously – I hope your recovery goes smoothly. When I can’t knit for whatever reason, I read about it!
Oh, Lorette! I’m so glad it all turned out so well, considering. We’ll have to brainstorm some way to get you knitting with your left hand. A knitting belt maybe?
I’m so sorry!! Your writing sounds like you are taking it all fairly well? Books on tape/mp3 are wonderful things at a time like this:) Maybe the travel channel and some wonderful Spanish food would help too:)
You will have to vicariously knit by reading everyone’s blogs. And of course buying yarn now for projects when you heal (insert evil grin).
Ouch. I hope that the surgery is successful and that you don’t go too stir crazy in the meantime. Good catch on the bottle of wine thought!
Lorette,
I am really sad for you. By all means dont let this stop you from a nice glass of wine whilst you prop up the right arm, and flip through posts and knitting patterns.
I had a similar injury, our family refers to as….the guacamole incident. You can imagine….
You’ll probably end up watching things like Larry King for entertainment….
he really embarrassed himself last week. He had NO idea what a hospitalist was and had no shame letting his veiwers see how poorly prepared he was, for the show.
healwell. healfast.
kathyb
Two tendons?!? Ouch! Sending healing thoughts your way. Next time? Use plastic glasses. Gauche, but safe. 🙂
Lorette,
I had to delurk to say – that sucks goats! I am sooooo sorry.
xoxox Lynne
lynnerago at comcast dot net
Oh ouch! Oh misery! Be sure to find a good OT/hand therapist as soon as you are ready to start using your hand. I’ve worked with two superb hand therapists to regain the use of my damaged hands (WIde World of Genetic Sports, pun intended), and they make a world of difference.
I can hold a pen and write, knit for hours, soothe and strengthen them when needed, and learned not to use them as hammers, screwdrivers or wrenches, my former vices (sorry).
Kristi, aging 3rd year PA student
Ohmigod, I’m sorry! This is awful. I think there might be data that suggests a dilute Naloxone drip might help the knitting addiction withdrawal. I’m feeling for you, girl. Pretty scary.
OUCHIE! I hope you recover quickly. I am happy that you have the chance to get back all your finger functions with time. Take care of yourself and let me know if there is anything I can do for ya. Yips.