Modeling while injured

[Hawkwrench]

Last Thursday morning while at work moving a floor fan, the cover came off and the fan while turned on, struck my left palm and slashed it wide open. 

It took 10 stitches to the hand and 2 to index finger to close everything up.

My left index finger is now numb and Dr's said it may take some months for the nerves to grow back and it got me thinking.

How long till I can model again seeing I'm left handed?

So I thought I'd throw this topic out and see how others have improvised in order to model.

Right now, its impossible for me to pick up a paintbrush let alone work the trigger on my airbrush. 

 

Tim

Edited May 5, 2022 by Hawkwrench

[chrish]

Holy crap!

that’s terrible!

I’ve injured my hands more times than I can count (automotive mechanic for 38 years) all I can remember is sitting at the modelling desk wishing I would’ve been more careful and building jigsaw puzzles till things healed up

[D Bellis]

That's no fun at all. The nerves will probably be extremely sensitive as they grow back, too. I certainly hope it heals up good as new, though. 

 

Having smashed my right wrist (I'm right-handed) at work back in '05, I know exactly what you're going through.

 

Just opening a bottle of paint can take all day with improvising and experimenting different ways until something works. Same goes for most everything else modeling related, but opening paint bottles proved to be my nemesis because it isn't easy to do one-handed without shattering the glass bottle. Unfortunately, no one method proved fool-proof, so you'll have to experiment with ways to improvise clamps to hold your bottles while removing caps. Kitchen drawers held with my hip against it, shop vice jaws, pliers in the vice jaws, all sorts of rubber and cloth grippers to add friction to keep it from spinning, so on and so forth. 

 

Experimenting with props and jigs to hold things while you work on them will become an art form. 

 

It also helped to pick modeling subjects that were merely of passing interest to me - if I failed, then oh well. Try another not-so-important kit to occupy my time. The point being to minimize potential disappointments, and therefore improve the fun factor. 

 

The one-handed challenges can be rather satisfying in their own right just by defeating the obstacles. 

 

Best of luck with your hand! 

 

HTH, 

D

[MikeMaben]

Hey Tim , sounds awful. I guess it would depend on the depth of your cut.

Assume the doctor told you to keep it dry and put your topical med on a

regular basis but unfortunately, just not using it as much as possible is the

quickest way to allow it to heal. Take it easy.

[blackbetty]

i have had surgery to my hands a couple of times (similar to Pastor Johns problem, but it turned out much better)

going slowly and not overstressing anything was my way to go, movement is good. it it hurts, stop

just my 2c

[thierry laurent]

I had an accident while I was in my early twenties. I had a long and deep cut at the root of my right inch and it went nearly down to the bones. In spite of microsurgery, I definitely lost close to the full mobility of the last phalange whereas I'm right-handed. It is only in such a situation you realize how your inches are important ! To reply to your question, you're progressively adapting yourself to compensate what is not coming back. Obviously this asks for months.  Actually I'm only realizing I still have that problem when I'm trying to open a bottle of soda. This is the only thing I cannot do anymore with my right hand! Hopefully I dont drink sodas ;-)

[easixpedro]

A few years ago I tore all the ligaments to my thumb while sledding with the kids. Put my hands down to act as brakes as we were flying towards a barbed wire fence. My thumb hit a rock underneath the snow and did some serious damage--like my entire hand was bruised.  Was in a splint to immobilize for a good month. Pretty much put everything on pause--but the occupational therapist was pleased as she considered puttering around as a bit of dexterity work.  Best to let it heal and when it feels well enough, start working for a few moments at a time. Key is listening to what you're body is telling you (easier said than done, and I'm not a glowing example by any stretch of the imagination!)

-Peter 

[rigor]

Damn that blows I'm right handed broke my wrist in a cast so there was no modeling at that time just going to the bathroom was a chore did I say I was right handed 

[denders]

Well, for what it's worth, a number of years ago (late '80s, early 90's), a work associate took a very minor spill on his motorcycle and ended up with a separated shoulder. His right shoulder and he was right-handed. We were in engineering and the need to write was necessary. So, he taught himself to write left-handed until he could use his right side again. The writing was legible too.

[ScottsGT]

Tim, hope you have a full recovery. But be prepared if not.  Sounds like a worker’s compensation issue?  I’ve got some experience in dealing with these issues and long term possibilities.  My advise, get a good WC attorney on your side now.  Think long term and keeping medical open as long as you can if not for life.  No telling what happens 10-15 years from now.  A cut is no big deal, but nerve damage could be.  It’s all a game with WC providers and I bet they try to close the case before you get feeling back.  
 

Other than that, I do have arthritis and a very bad thumb joint in my left hand.  Some days I’m just have to put work aside for a while or do my best with my right hand. I am right handed, and that left thumb is mostly used for holding things.  I’ve caught myself holding with index and middle finger.  Think about things like third hands and practicing holding objects in a completely different way.  When I was a paint and body guy 35 years agoI mastered using a paint gun with my left hand just as well as I could with my right hand.  It takes time, but you can do it.  

[LSP_K2]

A couple of years back, I broke my left shoulder in two places. I did what I could do with my left hand, the mobility of which was restricted because of a brace I wore on my left arm for weeks. I don't really recall if I did much modeling at that time, but if I did, it was minimal. (The shoulder is still not 100% normal.)

[Hawkwrench]

It just sucks that it affected my everyday life in ways I never thought about. Something as simple as putting a seatbelt on or climbing off and on a forklift had turned into a chore. 

I tried writing right handed after it happened and yeah, that didnt work, unless you want to look at a 1st grader's writing so I switched to my left hand and put the pen in between different fingers and at least it's legible! Lol

(Still takes a long time to do that!)

 

Tim

[thierry laurent]

Tim, try to write in capital letters. This helps.

[Oldbaldguy]

I would think scar tissue might be a problem as you heal up, but flexibility later more so.  Lots of people don’t believe in them, but occupational/physical therapists can truly save your bacon - especially a good one - because they understand the physiology of your body and how to make it work normally again.  Insist on the therapy.  It’s gonna be painful and you will hate it, but you’ll happier in the long run.  And, honestly, forcing yourself to build would be a great way to regain fine motor skills in that hand.

[LSP_Matt]

If it needed only the stitches it might heal up pretty quickly. The numbness could simply be swelling that is impeding nerve conduction. Hopefully its transient. I've had about 20 orthopedic operations for broken bones and skin grafts. The numbness can come back slowly even if the nerve has been cut. The critical thing will be to have not cut any tendons and have full mobility, save for swelling and stitches.

Whilst the stitches are in I'd try to avoid stretching the skin and let it all zip back together. Hopefully in a few weeks you'll be able to start on regaining grip strength.

 

I'm a left handed as well. Sucks getting 5.56 hot brass down your shirt.

 

Hope you heal up quick. Suks that it happened.

 

Matty