Well, it's been one year since the metacarpal busting incident and while I can't say that it has been a direly traumatic or even a most painful rehabilitation, it still sucks. As I had mentioned, a healthy main knuckle can give each finger 45 degrees of flex whereas mine is roughly in the high 30s. Perhaps in another year, I will be able to get more flex or lose some. I simply have to accept what damage that has been done and move on.
People go through worse things in life. I know that, and I try to deny myself any self-pity, but when it's at a personal level ... it's sometimes quite difficult. I believe each of us are plagued with vanity and other negative attitudes in one way or another. It's actually strange how we are the almighty intelligent species, but are the most destructive against other species while including ourselves - isn't this the primary cause of Boxer Fractures? So, we humans are far from perfect ('perfection' is nonexistent and is a tripe term in itself) and it's actually okay if I harbor regret of the incident and some animosity against what I believe is deficient medical care - after all, who actually loves their job and puts in the 100% work day? Then again, there is something to be said for the lack of commonsense in people who break themselves instead of doing the much harder task of controlling their emotions. Yeah, been there - done that - and got the mental tattoo.
Ah well, there's more important issues to tend with, like an early midlife crisis that is really putting the 'i' into depression. Some people - optimists - say that life is long. That statement may be true if one forgets that people usually start falling apart way before halfway through. Hmmmm, if blogs wouldn't suck my mental and creative juices dry, I would start one enriched in my ever so cascading psycho/sociopathy. Without the hoopla or drama, maybe a blog to state why we are simply parasitical organisms.
Without further ado, I still have compelling bouts of wanting to punch things and hope I can kick my own ass before this incident repeats itself. ;p
19 comments:
My pinkie knuckle looks like the frontal bit has been basically flattened and dented in.
The metacarpal is both bowed up a bit at the back (actually straight), but then the front part of it is bent downwards. My other pinkie metacarpal is actually not straight but goes down a bit gradually, so when the busted when goes straight, and then suddenly dips down, the effect becomes even more exaggerated.
I guess I have full motion, but it is still sore when I try and use it much.
I feel like my life was on track up to that point, but then it took a month to initially heal and I felt terrible most of that time. After this event, I really lost focus and direction in my life. I am now a Class A level chesspler, but that was more of a distraction, does not pay any bills so far, really. Sometimes I win and only get gift certificates.
Right before I hit that wall I had watched the movie 'Big' and was feeling great, it was about being able to "go back". Ironic because now I really can't go back, but have to go forward.
Yes, very similar indeed ... my pinkie knuckle appears the same, indented as well. I found what's left of the knuckle though, it's underneath within my palm. ;p
My pinkie, from the top view, appears like a cigarette poking out from within the pack. The 'cigarette pack' being the calcium mass that is still there.
I wonder how these screwed up knuckles are going to affect us into the retirement years. I suppose it might be too late to learn the guitar. Ah well, just as long as it flexes a bit when necessary, it's all good.
My life was definitely derailed long before my punch into the floor. I used to punch things back in the drinking days and especially in my youth. Although, the meta break came at such a bad time and it really made me more depressed. The cause was from the outside environment (negative condo side effects) and some kind of rage/fear/desperation emotional malfunction. I just snapped and it's probably best that my emotions were subdued before the proverbial crap really hit the fan ... which being I probably needed a cigarette and a nice cool drink. I was in a quitting phase at that time. However, I started smoking again thereafter until Jan of this year.
Either way, the destination is indeed straight ahead because there's no turning back time. I don't know how valuable of a lesson it was being that it happened late into life than earlier, but it's run it's course.
I suppose we're technically disabled, only when we're doing things and that darn knuckle isn't working right or getting sore. For all that sucks, worse things could always happen, so we have to try to realize that isn't focusing on our not so great pinkies. We have to get out of the rut, shake off the dust, and catch some dry ground. It's tough when we aren't spring chickens, but it's doable all the same. I guess, when we try to unload some emotional baggage. ;p
I straight on bumped my rebuilt pinkie at work, it's still sore around the main knuckle ... even after a few days. It's actually pretty stiff along with being sore. How odd is that?
My pinkie knuckle is still stiff when I go to clench. It feels like I get some sort of soreness there daily, I don't know if that is arthritis or what, perhaps it's simply that the structure is changed and to go for full range of motion makes it sore. Typing right now is making it sore.
It definitely has to be built back up somehow; perhaps I will hit a light punching bag today - have only done that a couple times, but I'm thinking that might help.
Sorry to hear about your bumping your knuckle, I don't think it's odd that it is vulnerable in some way.
I remember my crappy jobs, it was easy to think, as I was working on adding parts to hundreds of computers a day on an assembly line "how did I get here?" The accident was a big derail for me also in terms of months and time.
When I had the job that paid over 40k/yr I said to myself "why was I doing all that other crap and busting my @ss way more than this?" The crappy part about well-paid jobs is how political it gets once you throw in a real living-wage. People can get very territorial because turf=money in some disturbed way as opposed to everyone getting paid dirt to bust their butt. Not saying office people don't work just as hard, but being able to do that becomes a privilege because if your work goes away so does your cushy salary, so people can not give you work and leave you out. Don't know if that makes sense or not, but it's sort of a sickness IMO, but it doesn't necessarily have to be that way. Not all jobs are like that.
I know how it is thinking a low-paying job buys time and it does, but it mostly puts off the issue for later down the road.
As far as hard physical work goes, I'd rather be an ice-rigger (trucker), Alaskan Fisherman, or even one of these "axemen" that fells and collects lumber. Working at detailing cars, that is mostly Mexicans doing that down here and can be done just about anywhere, it's not special enough. That is not a put-down as it is great that you are working hard and paying your bills.
Yeah, my pinkie knuckle doesn't like too much flex and tends to drive the pinkie tip into my ring finger tip. It's a real irritating thing.
I'm not sure if hitting the bag will build up your finger. Well, can't be as bad as using two fingers including the damaged pinkie to carry a large bucket of water on purpose to test the pinkies' threshold. That was a week prior to jamming my damaged pinkie into a interior panel. ;p
My pinkie is a bit better today after a few days of limited use. I must have bumped the assembly quite hard because I'm gently tapping the pinkie head straight onto the table top edge without much soreness. Ah well, at least it's not really screwed up and functions enough for what I need to do.
Well, I look back and realize all my jobs were crap - all without any viable future. I can't help to think that I could be making well over double pay if I was in a trade or just sticking it out in a semi-decent job, working up the pay scale. I'm pretty sure there're no 'perfect' jobs out there, but people can end up in those cushy jobs. I never worked in an office type environment, but I imagine the drama is the same as per fellow employees trying to fight over pay increases/job promos. I don't think I'm cut out for one of those jobs. I kind of see myself as a janitor or a lone worker, doing my thing with headphones on, or just deep in thought and having nobody stirring up crap. Everything is getting more expensive and I'm needing more work dough. I still think people are making more than $13 without breaking a sweat and not covered in chemical solutions. I'm sure it's not healthy to be breathing in all those aerated fumes, but 'industrial' types of jobs promote that sort of thing. Ironically, I was a detailer in my late teens and didn't remember how much of a freakin' joke those jobs are. The job isn't cutting the mustard, but it's putting bread on the table. A temporary fix, a finger in the dike, but dead-end. My experience is limited, but not finished. Once I refinance my debt, then it's time to seek out some new/worthy work experience to take into the future. Power polishing (1 or 2 step) an old Chevy van with a 20lb orbital is not fun nor is cleaning the entire interior from top to bottom.
The worse taxing job I had - was slinging peat moss bags for 10hrs a day. I was an energetic guy in my late teens, but that job knocked the wind out of me and required an instant nap when I got home. Detailing cars is certainly for younger folk who also don't need much money to survive on. One way to look at it is that there will be tinting and windshield R&R ... either of those two venues has to be worth $18/hr+, but I don't think I can handle the job until I learn the ropes for each. It's a paycheck job and certainly not a career. I'll keep looking around for a tire job, that's pretty easy to me - well, easy than what I'm doing now. ;p
same story for me on all fronts. 24 years old, no girl, and a lame $15/hr office job in an industry meant for old ladies (accounts payable). broke my hand 8 days ago punching a dude who stepped between me and a girl i liked. turns out she had given me a phony ph number, and was banging the dudes cousin. shows you how out of whack my radar is when im drunk. in any case, i am going to see a psychiatrist tomorrow and hopefully get some chemical medication to bring my brain into balance. ive had outbursts periodically since long before i ever had a drink.
are you taking any meds?
Hi A, thanks for stopping by. Yeah, I'm not ready for women drama just yet... all the lies, deceit, and cheating. I'm not a woman hater, but I've been burned far too many times. I'm not taking meds, but I suppose I should as I've become increasingly agitated with people and irritating things. I'm not sure what's wrong, but I suppose I should find out before I do something crazy. It seems like I'm never in a good mood and it dips really far down to the point where the whole day or week is just a big crap fest.
quick follow up: 2 1/2 months after surgery on the 4th and 5th, the 4th is 45 degrees flexible, the 5th is 30 degrees. again, after twice breaking my pinky (only icing it the first time), and reading your account and others', i would conclude generally that anyone who gets a boxers fracture should ice it, and continue using it to maintain flexibility. there will be knuckle sinkage and arthritis either way. but no surgery, less stiffness and loss of motion.
Rough times guys! These stories are not giving me hope at all haha, at least maybe it'll help me accept the final condition of my finger. My tale is the same, punched a hard surface, now regretting it FULLY. I hope to at least be able to grip the weights at the gym soon :( i've already been away from it for 8 weeks, and I'm supposed to take it easy for another month.
By chance did any of you have a hard time generating a "callus" around your fracture? My doctor kept mentioning that there wasn't much of a callus forming around my break even after 6 weeks with my cast on.
Rough times guys! These stories are not giving me hope at all haha, at least maybe it'll help me accept the final condition of my finger. My tale is the same, punched a hard surface, now regretting it FULLY. I hope to at least be able to grip the weights at the gym soon :( i've already been away from it for 8 weeks, and I'm supposed to take it easy for another month.
By chance did any of you have a hard time generating a "callus" around your fracture? My doctor kept mentioning that there wasn't much of a callus forming around my break even after 6 weeks with my cast on.
Thanks for stopping by, Forest. This blog was quiet until now, but I guess there's always a broken metacarpal somewhere out there. The old 'hindsight is 20/20' insight always comes too late, but mostly we just punch things anyways. Hahha.
I, for one, can't recall if it took a while for the callus to build up. I think it was a slow process. Bear in mind, I smoked about a pack a day and didn't fancy any dairy products either. I guess the smoking was definitely a detrimental aspect of healing. Funny thing is that I quit smoking prior to the 'incident', but not after. My pinkie bothers me every single day, if it's not digging into the neighboring finger by simply holding onto the steering wheel, it's something else like digging into the neighboring finger while using the computer mouse. Damn it all to where ever.
My pinkie used to really tick me off, but I think my hair took that spot because it seems like the once thick front of my scalp is now sparse ... it's hard to find a haircut to fix that asides from shaving ones' head, but I have a menial job where I can wear a cap to hide the recession. Yay me. ;p
Best wishes on your healing.
In a fit of stupidity I too broke my 5th metacarpal. Consulting a sports injury specialist, I was advised I could let it heal bent, which would entail a very minor loss of function, or have it repositioned and fixed in surgery. I thought, fuck that, I'm getting it fixed. The fact that I have health insurance made the decision a no brainer. Day 2 after surgery and really happy I did it so far.
dude i fractured my hand several times,from crash'n,fightin(mainly),and of course bein dumb. yeah..just take lots of vicadine next time and ask for a airsplint. :-)
Right now i'm in a cast from a similar stressed out action - my wall still looks healthy as ever, apart from three indentations - and my middle finger broke like your pinkie did. knuckle in meaty part of hand, not nice sinewy part. luckily for me the good ER doctors at emerson hospital here in healthcare loving MA referred me to an ortho RIGHT AWAY; thank god they did - true the pain from pins was egregious, but it lasted about forty eight hours. now my hand feels great (well not great, but nothing more than very mildly annoying). cast comes off in two more weeks. don't know how rehab will be but i sure pray i get mobility back in full. i wonder what ever happened to your break- if you hand now works pre-break level? hope so. i think we both learned a lesson. if you go back and get it pinned, i guess you'll have learned it twice.
I feel like I should clarify what I said there about surgery (comment from "a," that's me). well I'm over 2 years removed from surgery and couldn't be any happier with how it turned out. Flexibility is back to 97% or so and strength is back so that I don't even think about it. About the only thing I can't do with my right hand is bare-knuckled punch shit anymore (there's no knuckle anymore on the 4th and 5th), but that's fine.
Im a week into my injury. Im trying so hard to bend my main joint in the pinky. It wont for the life of me. I dont care about the pain i just want it to go back. It looks like my knuckle is up inside my hand. I want to be able to grip weights ,do pullups ,and if the situation arise at least be able to make a fist to fight. Can i get some updates please. Im dying right now with the thought that i wont be able to do any of these things anymore
Wes, go to the hospital and get it put back in place. My pinky knuckle was broken 2 years ago. It's not normal looking but I can lift weights and everything with out any trouble. Go get a cast and you'll be set.
Thanks
Good read:)
Broken Knuckle/Boxers Fracture
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