Finger Update

Over Thanksgiving, we had our traditional American football game here in Daejon. It is a chance to share some American culture with our friends from other nationalities. We welcomed a New Zealander this year...we had to explain several times that lateraling the ball backwards was not as common in football as rugby. We have also graduated to flag football the last couple years. Towards the end of our game, my right ring finger got caught in a shirt while pulling a flag. In the midst of pulling the flag, it appears that I also fractured my finger.

As soon as I did it, I was pretty sure it was broken. For some reason, the 30 degree angle of it seemed a dead give away. I went the emergency room and they confirmed with an x-ray what I thought was the case. It is my first time to the emergency room for my own injury. Overall, it was a pretty smooth trip and the doctors/nurses were nice. I saw an orthopedic specialist, Dr. Lee on Tuesday, 2 days later. Then I found out that not only was my finger fractured below the top knuckle, but also rotated. He offered to do surgery on it that night. I declined and got digital copies of my x-rays. With those and a short video of my finger bending (or should I say overlapping my middle finger), I made a distant consult with my friend Steve and his sports medicine doctor. He confirmed that pins were inevitable and to go ahead with the procedure. And Wednesday was the day it was done. I was able to watch most of it via "x-ray" view on a TV. Interesting, but not something I wish to repeat.

Three pins later and the largest splint they could find, I was "fixed". Overall, I have a lot of faith in Korean doctors. It's not the US, but it's where we live and pretty good generally. However, my confidence is shaky ever since Kirk, my brother-in-law, got his pinky turned into Swiss cheese when he broke it playing basketball. They had several attempts to get the pin properly placed. And let's just say that little hook of his has never been the same. So all I'm hoping for is--FUNCTIONALITY! Straight is not required.

In order not to lose any of the small readership we have and keep a G rating, I won't post any pictures of my finger with pins sticking out although they are available upon request.

I kept asking the doctor if he was happy with how everything looked. I finally built up a relationship enough to get an answer a couple visits later. He seemed a bit puzzled at times so I wasn't sure what response I would get. He informed me that he had straightened the finger correctly, but it just didn't seem right. He had informed me during the operation that he thought I had broken my pinky previously, judging by how it looked. He is probably right with basketball and whatnot. I just never went to the doctor. He has also drawn the conclusion that this finger was injured previously as well. Who knows it that is correct, or just an easy way to explain a not so straight finger. Regardless, he says it will be fine, but not 100% normal.

Jumping ahead 3+ weeks, i just got the pins out last Friday. I was quite excited. I get to lose the splint in favor of a little gauze. Of course, now my joint is totally stiff from having the pin in it to keep it immobile. I think the physical therapy may be more painful than the break or the surgery...we shall see. I am still hopeful for functionality and all seems headed in that direction. It is more straight than it was when I broke it. And it doesn't overlap my middle finger as much as it did prior to the surgery. We'll leave it at that. I'll let you know how it comes out...