My Finger!

Well, our much vaunted and looked forward to snowboard trip ended up being somewhat of a flop snowboard-wise as the weather didn't co-operate...TOO WARM!!! more on that later though as it's been a busy few days.

A couple of weeks back I fielded a distress call from friends at basketball in search of a 5th player for their league game. I willing stepped forward and had a fun time, only to snag my finger in an opponent's singlet as he brushed past my "screen"in the final quarter. Anyway, it didn't seem so bad and I played on for a few minutes to see out the game (which we narrowly won). After the game everyone was hungry so we hit a Family Restaurant in Kimitsu on the way home and I just dangled my finger in a glass of ice water...it's cool I thought, maybe just a sprain.

During the week I was surprised at the slightly unusual shape and continued swelling but didn't say anything as I knew it would put an end to my trip away snowboarding with the boys. I even went for a surf and a SUP. Then last Saturday, good friend and Doctor H (visited NZ with family a few years back) dropped his son off for English lessons and I sought his quick opinion. He advised me to come in first thing Monday for an x-ray which I did and a fracture was noticeable. From there a decision was quickly made to OPERATE!! So it was back to the hospital again Tuesday (before work..thanks for covering the first two lessons D)

It was the first operation I've had and was thankful that my friend was the Doctor. It made things that much easier. I went through the whole ordeal of being sanitized and monitored throughout. Very thorough and professional indeed. Funny enough, right before the first local pain-killer injection my heart rate started to race a little which was a tad embarrassing as the machine beeped away for one and all to hear.

The actual procedure was painless enough but it hurts now!! We had to put two pins to hold the pieces of bone together as the tendon had pulled the fractured part too far away to bond which required a drill (the sound of which was the only squirmish part...just like being at the dentist).The fracture is noticeable on the top of the joint (above)
The two pins inserted holding the bones together are visible (below)

Looking pretty chipper but not really feeling anything at that point. Six weeks or so of being encumbered with this and I'll be raring to go again. Fingers crossed the pins don't get infected!!!

Thanks Doctor H