One Handed Typing

It's not what you're thinking (well, I suppose that depends on what you are thinking).

In the first game of the soccer season with my new (all English) team, I bounced off a couple of tackles from over-rambunctious 21 year olds, and fell on my right hand—which went *pop*. Loud enough for the ref to hear, and a few of their younger players to come over excitedly and want to see it.

Dislocated finger said the physical therapist on our team. Maybe a fracture, see if it swells. Didn't continue the game as we were up 4-1, and I was feeling a little woosy. But no major pain, so went for beer after the game, and then went out that Saturday night. and drank a lot more with The Wife and others. Besides a few occasions where she grabbed my hand, it was easy to keep out of harms way.

Wife left for 4 weeks that Sunday (we see each other next in Portland for Thanksgiving), and Monday morning I decided to see my doctor as there was clicking in the knuckle, and some swelling. He sends me to hand specialist (whos first request is to ask you to fill out 4 pages of insurance paperwork?!), One x-ray later — broken hand. Middle finger meta-carpal (#11 in the image) went snap, clean and diagonal.

Still no pain, unless you count what a pain-in-the-arse having a splint on your right hand is. It is a half circle cast from pinkie finger almost to the elbow, and the three fingers on my right hand, as well as the rest of the forearm are bandaged into it. You should have seen my signature on the payment at the doctors. Amazingly, this is really my first major broken bone (minor fractures during my martial arts days, and all my major sports injuries are joint related - knees, spine, ankles). So this whole splint thing is new to me. All I can say is that my gorgeous wife, being away for the next 4 weeks, is getting off easy. I better get sympathy credit.

Heres the daily frustration list: Things that are more difficult to do now:

• Do up shoe laces
• Style (dubious use of the term) my hair
• Wash my left armpit
• Drive a manual/stick
• Iron
• Type

Things that are damn near impossible to do now:

• Dry yourself after showering
• Pop a zit
• Cut a steak
• Open a twist-top
• Write (or use a Wacom tablet+pen)
• Make your cast smell nice

If, as a man, you think there is a notable exclusion from the list (especially considering my wifes absence), it's because I was willing to persevere with that task, no matter what it took.

We find out this week whether they will want to pin it. Surgery seems to be a 50-50 proposition these days, so I'd rather have none (never been under a general before either), but then again, its not a finger you want healing crooked and not 100%.