Jeff's X-Ray
While finishing up my trip North, a little something happened that I am most unhappy (and more than a little embarrassed) about. It was the next-to-the-last day of the trip and I was feeling good. I was on my way out of the motorhome at about 6pm when my "clumsy foot" met with the "altogether too moist" step and down I went. It all happened so fast! Me, looking up at the bay-area clouds, flat on my back in the dirt (glad it was newly-mulched soil.) I started to collect my wits (and whatever else seemed loose) and began to laugh at the incredibly stupid scene and also at my great forune... I was convinces that I had landed on enough soft stuff as not to be hurt at all!
Alas, such was not entitrely the case. I had landed on an adequately soft surface and I felt totally fine (for a minute). Then, I looked at my left hand (you know, the one that I use to play guitar and bass with) and it looked a little funny (ha ha). I held up my left hand, and assembled my fingers into the normal "howdy" wave. Instead of a waving tool, I saw what looked to be Mr. Spock's hand doing the "Live long and prosper" sign. Nope, not quite right. My hand began to expand and swell (not very swell, I think) and I had someone drive me to the emergency room. I would later find out, what felt like a sprain really was a break in the ring finger of my left hand, all neatly confirmed with those black 8 x 10's.
Breaking one's guitar-playing hand (as versed to the strumming or finger-picking hand) is supposed to be a guitar player's worst nightmare. I had never experienced a broken bone before, so, I didn't know what to expect. Didn't seem all that bad. Didn't even hurt that much. I returnedhome, and following the emergency doctor's instructions, I made the soonest appointment that I could get with my physician.
The "accident" was on Friday. I returned home on Saturday, got the appointment on Tuesday morning. He referred me to an orthopedic specialist, which took me 'till last evening to see the doc. He is farming out my pretty x-rays (two set's of 'em, now) all over the southland to see if a hand specialist needs to get involved. He mentioned the word "surgery" and "screws" a couple of times. In my best "John Wayne" attitude, I am toughing it out without a resolution until I hear from him. This seems like a long time to wait with an Ace bandage wrapped around what now looks like a 3-piece broken bone.
I have included a bony shot of my hand (I'm thinking about having wallet-size copies made to hand out to friends). "Don't you think this shot makes me look thin?", I would say to each one. The ramifications of this little "mishap" are so far-reaching (and retching) that I'm not sure how long it will take to get back into playing (performing) shape. The doctor said eight weeks to mend (after surgery), then eight to ten more to get my range-of-motion back. I just hope I still know how to play at all, after this concludes.
I will not be hampered from performing as audio engineer in my studio, so I will try to do as much recording (of other performers) as I can, during this forced hiatus. Onward, to the studio!
