Last year, in about June or July, I managed to damage in ring finger on my right hand. I was holding an electric drill that jumped due to an obstruction that it met, and the drilled turned in my right hand causing damage to my ring finger. I did all the right things: I took off my ring, strapped it to my middle finger and put it up - mostly. It didn't really get any better and the following week I had x-rays which showed that nothing was broken and so I thought that it would settle down, eventually.
But it hasn't and I still have a swollen joint, still can't wear my ring, still can't get my finger to touch my palm and occasionally I catch it and it hurts. So today I went to my hand specialist appointment. I was dreading the thought of having to have more x-rays, an operations, rehabilitation on it and all the time and discomfort, not to mention the cost, that this would involve.
So imagine my surprise when the hand specialist told me what the problem was and that it couldn't be fixed. He would refer me for hand therapy to give me a bit more flexibility in the finger but the swelling and comfort level would remain roughly the same. As for my ring, I should find a good jeweller to have it re sized. My finger will never be the same.
As a nurse, even though I no longer work as a clinical nurse, I should know and remember that it can't always be fixed, cured or treated. Sometimes the best outcome is really good management. So for all you non-health professionals out there let me share a little secret with you. It is a bit like house fires and car accidents. That stuff happens to other people and we do all that we can for them. It does NOT happen to us. And when it does we are always surprised. Or at least most of us are. Just for the record we aren't good with receiving injections either.
I feel quite calm about the whole thing. Firstly it is only a finger and although I am right-handed there is very little that I can't do now that I could do before. I think that opening jar lids has probably been one of the things it has affected most and there are plenty of other people in the house to help out there. It also means that when I teach tai chi I can't make a fist for one of the movements but so far no participant seems to have been affected by this. And finally my ring.
This ring is very special because my lovely aunt gave it to me in her Will. Every time I put it on I remember her and I haven't been able to wear it since I hurt my finger. I haven't had it re sized to date because I was waiting to see if my finger returned to normal or if the hand surgeon could fix it. No that I know that this isn't going to happen I can take the necessary action to have it re sized and enjoy wearing it again. I'm lucky that the injury isn't on my left hand because then I wouldn't be able to wear the ring my partner gave me, which he had specially made in Vietnam with a beautiful ruby. All in all I would say that I am one pretty lucky lady.
An event is just an event and it is how we feel about it that makes it good, bad or indifferent for us. The same event can cause different feelings for different people. For me I feel lucky that all it is is a swollen finger joint.
I look forward to being able to wear my newly re sized ring.
love
Sarah
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