Three fingered for a while...

[kestrou]

You should be healed well enough in a month to attend. The stiches should be out in 7-10 days and then try to leave it un-bandaged as much as possible (like when you sleep) as it will dry and scab faster. Also keep it clean but don't sit in the tub or put a plastic bag on your hand when you shower-if you shower lol. Seriously you just don't want to keep it moist with an anti biotic sab too long as it slows the healing process. In the meantime you have another hand so work on your alternate picking while watching TV as there are a lot of exercises you can do to build up your right hand. I had to go 13 months one time without playing due to developing bad Cubital Tunnel Syndrome which affects the Ulnar nerve in the elbow and this is what I did. I would practice 16th note triplets (a little tip for anyone who has an issue counting) just alternate pick while saying- "Double lobotomy everyone follow me" and you will be wizzing by in perfect time. Also practice starting on up strokes on everything for an hour. I guarantee you by the time your finger heals you will notice a solid improvement in your picking. Also work on a little bit of theory or if you are not as fast naming notes on the D-G-and B strings as you are on the low E and A practice those three strings so you put your middle finger on the 10th fret of the B string-A the 4th fret D# and so on.

That happened to me 6 years ago and nothing ever gave me a knot in my stomach like the Doctor telling me my playing days may be over! I guess the only thing worse would be if he told me get my affairs in order lol. But I was honestly depressed for the first couple of months and then you get idiots telling you things like "Why not learn to play left handed" or "Learn Keyboards" my brother told me that one and if he wasn't my brother I think I would of cracked him. Then I just thought if Tony Iommi and Django could overcome worse disabilities I would find a way. In those 13 months I also finally changed my picking hand grip from fanned out to a closed grip which was something that never felt comfortable in 30+ years and now it is like I picked that way my whole life. I don't playout anymore but I still get the same high from playing at 53 as I did at 13, but I am going to have to have two surgeries done or I may as well hang it up, as I can't deal with getting back up to snuff only to not be able to feel my fingers for a few months. The reason I haven't had it done already is because I have a severe phobia of being put under, as I have never been put under in my life. But I never thought I would live this long so it's time!

straycat113,

Thanks for the detailed and insightful reply - checked my bandage, which had been on for 24 hours, and the skin was "white" - so have removed it today to make sure it's getting plenty of air and healing is happening MUCH faster. Yes, I knew all the things you were saying, but wasn't really "conscious" of them and applying them - so your note definitely helped.

Appreciate the tip on practicing the right hand techniques as well - my guitar hero, in case you don't know who that is, is known for his MONSTER picking technique!


Kevin

 

[Bob123]

straycat113,

Thanks for the detailed and insightful reply - checked my bandage, which had been on for 24 hours, and the skin was "white" - so have removed it today to make sure it's getting plenty of air and healing is happening MUCH faster. Yes, I knew all the things you were saying, but wasn't really "conscious" of them and applying them - so your note definitely helped.

Appreciate the tip on practicing the right hand techniques as well - my guitar hero, in case you don't know who that is, is known for his MONSTER picking technique!


Kevin

Yes yes, we all know what a huge EVH fan you are

 

[kestrou]

Quick update - got stitches out two days ago and that tore it up pretty good. Since the hedge trimmers had taken a chunk out, a couple of the stitches were pretty deep and the flesh had pretty much grown over them so they had to be dug out.

Bled like a pig and told the doctor that after getting my stitches out, I needed stitches!

Did get some good breathable tape at that time though - and that's helped a lot. Hey, I can even bar chord and it only hurts a little now.

Anyways, am back to playing slowly and feeling better all the time. Seventeen days until Vai Academy and based on the last 10 days progress I should be in pretty good shape by then. Whew!

Kevin

 

[QuietSpike]

Darn it... I was hoping to go to Vai in your place.... Grrrr....

I mean, uhh... GREAT NEWS BUDDY!

 

[kbaim]

Quick update - got stitches out two days ago and that tore it up pretty good. Since the hedge trimmers had taken a chunk out, a couple of the stitches were pretty deep and the flesh had pretty much grown over them so they had to be dug out.

Bled like a pig and told the doctor that after getting my stitches out, I needed stitches!

Did get some good breathable tape at that time though - and that's helped a lot. Hey, I can even bar chord and it only hurts a little now.

Anyways, am back to playing slowly and feeling better all the time. Seventeen days until Vai Academy and based on the last 10 days progress I should be in pretty good shape by then. Whew!

Kevin

Shoulda asked this earlier...How do those hedges look?

 

[kestrou]

Shoulda asked this earlier...How do those hedges look?

Except for the blood on them - pretty good!

When I was a kid, my parents had a huge hedgerow - Chinese privet so they "sculpt" really well. Of course when you grow up you want to be just like dear old dad so I put in TWO huge hedgerows at my house and I've been there more than twenty years so they've been well maintained and are "head high" for a couple hundred feet. Have to be trimmed at least four times a summer and it's quite an undertaking as a ladder is required for part of it. So, this isn't just some little bush by the front door we're talking about boys!

If I had half a brain I'd at least wear leather gloves when doing stuff like this...

Kevin

 

[Mordimer]

My band-mate smashed his thumb with a bending machine few weeks ago. He sold all his guitar gear and bought bass. His doctor said the healing will last at least 2 years with no guarantee for full recovery. He's playing pretty good now, so we all believe it's gonna be ok in the end

Good to hear that you're feeling better and can slowly get back to playing