Life threw me a curveball today :-(

[crimsonwarlock]

I got a freak accident today with a sharp knife stuck in a holster. When it abruptly came out, it sliced through my right ring finger and pinky. Three tendons and four nerve paths cut. I've been in surgery for about two hours. The surgeon told me afterward that I have to set my expectations to not getting back full dexterity, probably far from that. It's my f-ing solo hand

I've been playing keyboards for over 40 years, and now I maybe will not be able to play again. I'm crushed right now

[PhillipOrdonez]

JFC that sucks dude

[Loque]

Life sucks. Hope you get well.

I only trust holsters i made myself or they come from high quality manufactures.

[robussc]

Jesus christ man, that's awful! Words fail...

[DaveyG]

Yes, awful, but you'll find a way to play again.

[Popey]

Sorry to hear that

Hope you heal well and stay positive regards movement, dexterity etc.

I know someone who was told they may not be able to walk again after a accident but with a lot of hard work they achieved it. Try and keep a positive mindset if you can.

[dvdrtldg]

Really sorry to hear it. Here's hoping you get to prove the doc wrong

[Jackjackdaw]

Sorry to hear that. Stay positive , remember Django Reinhardt! I think Dave Mustaine had a hand injury as well that he recovered from. Both total shredders! Get on the physio, steel your resolve you’ll be back at the keys in no time.

[MuttReason]

Oh man, that’s terrible. Really sorry it happened to you. Horrible, and really distressing.

It’s easy to assume the worst when the medics tell you things like that. But… it doesn’t mean all is lost. It is surprising how body (and mind) can adapt over time to work around an injury or loss of function. You will need time to heal (which will be frustrating as hell) but it’s possible you’ll get back far more dexterity than the medics have predicted at this point.

FWIW I had major trauma to my left hand when I was 18 (crushed metacarpals and associated nerve damage) and the surgeon told me I’d most likely never play an instrument again. Well, he was wrong, after a year of intense physio I was back playing, in fact two years later I was at my peak playing 300+ gigs a year. I carried on playing for another 40 years (although not at that level once kids came along) until, recently, arthritis in the same hand (probably linked to the old injury) has started to slow me down. All the same… I was told to fear the worst… but it didn’t work out like that.

Wishing you a speedy recovery.

[Aosta]

Man I can't imagine, sorry to hear that happened.
Time, healing and adjusting, wishing you the best

[visheshl]

Sorry to hear.
Hope you get better and are able to play again.

[crimsonwarlock]

Thank you all for the kind words and support (sidenote: we need a group-hug smilley )

I just got up from a night of little sleep and lots of contemplation. The local anesthesia is slowly wearing off, and I could move the tip of my ring finger a little. Off course because the tendons are reconnected. No feeling sensation there though because the nerves reconnecting will take time to heal. The initial emotional blow is subsiding a bit. It is just that losing the ability to play is close to being my worst nightmare (just behind losing a relative).

I'm a fighter by nature, so I'm going to tackle this one way or the other. We'll see how this goes

[visheshl]

Wishing you a speedy recovery friend, and all my wishes that you're again able to play normally very soon.

[VariableX]

wishing you a speedy recovery too time heals.
i broke both my wrists at the start of march one quite badly ( my guitar fretting left hand side) needing surgery a plate and ten screws, i was told to expect no better than 80 mobility back and thought id not be able to play my guitars properly again, anyway long story short - the DRs and therapy people are pretty amazed i am virtually back to normal and playing the guitar although not quite the same, its back to just my skill and dedication dictating my ability haha.

[plaamook]

Thank you all for the kind words and support (sidenote: we need a group-hug smilley )

I just got up from a night of little sleep and lots of contemplation. The local anesthesia is slowly wearing off, and I could move the tip of my ring finger a little. Off course because the tendons are reconnected. No feeling sensation there though because the nerves reconnecting will take time to heal. The initial emotional blow is subsiding a bit. It is just that losing the ability to play is close to being my worst nightmare (just behind losing a relative).

I'm a fighter by nature, so I'm going to tackle this one way or the other. We'll see how this goes

DO NOT TRY MOVING YOUR FINGER!!!
Not even a little.
I did something similar years back and I couldn’t resist the urge to give it a little wiggle now and then.
Then I felt the stitches of the newly attached tendon pop and I haven’t been able to bend my finger at the tip since that moment.
The doc said…yeah, I told you not to move it!
Really, you need to wait quite a while before you try doing ANY movement w it.

[TritoneAddiction]

Sorry to hear that. Yes sometimes life is unpredictable and throws stuff at us. I hope things work out.

[crimsonwarlock]

Thank you all for the kind words and support (sidenote: we need a group-hug smilley )

I just got up from a night of little sleep and lots of contemplation. The local anesthesia is slowly wearing off, and I could move the tip of my ring finger a little. Off course because the tendons are reconnected. No feeling sensation there though because the nerves reconnecting will take time to heal. The initial emotional blow is subsiding a bit. It is just that losing the ability to play is close to being my worst nightmare (just behind losing a relative).

I'm a fighter by nature, so I'm going to tackle this one way or the other. We'll see how this goes

DO NOT TRY MOVING YOUR FINGER!!!
Not even a little.
I did something similar years back and I couldn’t resist the urge to give it a little wiggle now and then.
Then I felt the stitches of the newly attached tendon pop and I haven’t been able to bend my finger at the tip since that moment.
The doc said…yeah, I told you not to move it!
Really, you need to wait quite a while before you try doing ANY movement w it.

Thanks for the tip. However, the surgeon assured me that he was able to make very strong connections apart from the tendon to the first digit of my ring-finger, as the cut was too close to the attachment point. He got it connected, but that's the point where he is unsure about the result. Besides that, it is just the question about the nerves reconnecting ok. He didn't warn me about wiggling. But I'll take your tip to heart, at this point I take what I can get

[crimsonwarlock]

Sorry to hear that. Yes sometimes life is unpredictable and throws stuff at us. I hope things work out.

Yep, shit happens. I had my share of it already. 14 years ago, I was in a heavy motorcycle accident (also a freak one, story of my life) that immobilized my left arm for two years. It scared me then too, but not as much as this, where it's about the dexterity of my hand/fingers.

[Quarmat]

ouch, I am so sorry about your accident, I hope the pain passes soon and your fingers heal perfectly. Fortunately, medical technology has advanced so much and continues to advance and I am sure you will regain your ability to play at your best and soon. My best wishes for a good and speedy recovery.

[wowhow]

Yes! I hope the pain in your finger subsides soon and that you will be able to play again.

[crimsonwarlock]

ouch, I am so sorry about your accident, I hope the pain passes soon and your fingers heal perfectly. Fortunately, medical technology has advanced so much and continues to advance and I am sure you will regain your ability to play at your best and soon. My best wishes for a good and speedy recovery.

Yes! I hope the pain in your finger subsides soon and that you will be able to play again.

Funny enough, pain is not (yet) an issue, and I have a rather high pain threshold, so there's that. As for the medical advancements, I've just learned that the surgeon who helped me is one of the top surgeons in Europe, specialized in this specific injury When life throws you a curveball, sometimes there's a great catcher close by

[Tiny Montgomery]

Sorry to hear this Crimson sound very painful as well as worrying, I hope you make a full recovery, all the best.

[Aosta]

Thank you all for the kind words and support (sidenote: we need a group-hug smilley )

I just got up from a night of little sleep and lots of contemplation. The local anesthesia is slowly wearing off, and I could move the tip of my ring finger a little. Off course because the tendons are reconnected. No feeling sensation there though because the nerves reconnecting will take time to heal. The initial emotional blow is subsiding a bit. It is just that losing the ability to play is close to being my worst nightmare (just behind losing a relative).

I'm a fighter by nature, so I'm going to tackle this one way or the other. We'll see how this goes

Hey man, I have MS and have had 4 attacks where significant nerve damage has occurred. I've had it twice where my entire right hand and arm has lost feeling and I have had to retrain my motor neuron skills to use it again properly. I'm also an artist and musician and have retrained myself to do what I used to do more that once.
My art techniques change and so does what I draw and paint, I'm no keyboard guru by any standard but I learn to play little melodies again.
You can get back to the level you were though it will be different and in some ways you might find consolation in that difference

[Neo]

Ah the joys of life. Its if not one thing its something else.. many suffering, most in silence. Feel better soon (present company included)

[selig]

Had to stop reading, I’m SO squeamish with cuts - but I’ve known a few musician friends that have had to deal with similar concerns and it’s quite stressful - and yes they all made full recoveries with only a few minor issues to deal with.

Hope you make a full recovery, and quickly find your way back to full health and are back at the keys none the worse for wear!

On a lighter note…Hope you took advantage of the situation to ask the doctor if you’d be able to play the violin after you recover…OK, I’ll see myself out.