[pianotech] Pain Hurts

[paul bruesch]

I smashed finger/thumbnails a few times when I worked as a machinist (I did
eventually learn that it HURTS! and quit smashing them.)  On one occasion,
the pain was bad enough that I chucked a small bit into my drill press and
drilled through the nail. When it broke through, my finger jumped up just a
bit before I could stop it. No harm done, but the thought of what could have
happened gave me shivers for years every time I thought about it. (Actually
it still does as I write this, and the event in question happened in the
mid-1970's.)

On another occasion, I went to the ER (this must have been prior to the days
of Urgent Care clinics) and they drilled a hole with a small hand-held tool
that had a stop on the bit so it would only go through the thickness of the
nail. I imagine it was sterile, too.

I never had the courage for the hot paper clip option. . .  or maybe I quit
smashing fingers before I heard of it.

Paul Bruesch
Stillwater, MN

On Thu, Dec 9, 2010 at 12:43 AM, Geoff Sykes <thetuner at ivories52.com> wrote:

>  Yes the pain has diminished significantly. I went to see the doc this
> morning and he educated me in all the horrible possibilities of potential
> damage that could have been caused, and all the horribly expensive remedies,
> including the drilling of the hole through the nail to relieve the pressure,
> but followed that by saying that in the long run, no matter what course of
> action I take, Acetaminophen and time would produce about the same results,
> only a bit slower and a lot less expensively. He offered to give me a
> prescription for Vicodin but I foolishly turned it down. I’m not quite brave
> enough to drill a hole in my thumb, (thoughts of trepanation come to mind),
> and in a day or so the swelling will subside all by itself. He gave me a
> cute little splint so I wouldn’t hit it accidently, told me my hand modeling
> days were over because the nail will likely be deformed from now on, and
> sent me home. I, instead, went to my first appointment. Ya know, having
> thumbs sure makes a lot of things easier to do. Not having my left thumb at
> the moment makes simple things, like tying my shoe laces, very difficult.
>
>
>
> Thanks for the support everyone. I feel much better!
>
>
>
> -- G
>
>
>
>
>
> • *Geoff Sykes, RPT*
> • *323-478-9276*
> • www.ivories52.com
>
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>
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