Here goes...my hand! This is the entrance wound 6 days after surgery!
This is the exit wound 6 days after surgery. Actually they also used this wound to enter for the surgery so it is a lot bigger here. Brent has some pictures on his phone of before surgery, the x-ray, and the metal hook that impaled my hand.
Tuesday morning I got up as usual to go work out. It was about 5:30am. I was kind of dawdling before I was about to leave and so Brent ran out and asked me to wait for him so we could workout together. I like the motivation so I decided to wait for him. We got to the gym at about 6:20am, right when boot camp was getting out. All the ladies from boot camp started swarming Brent (telling him how much they missed his class etc.......). I could tell he was going to be a while so I decided to start with out him. I did my first excercise and then moved onto split squats wit a 45lb bar with 50lbs of weight on it. So about 95lbs.. Brent keeps telling me if i want results I have to do more weight. I've done 95lb. squats so I did not think it would be to heavy for me. When I started I noticed it was very heavy and my legs were shaking. I decided to just go ahead and finish my first set and then rack it and change the weight out. Unfortunately I did not make it. I was on my last rep when I went down. As I went down I let go of the bar with my left hand to catch myself. I was falling backwards to my left and my hand hit the hook that racks the weight (it is about an inch wide and a 1/8 inch thick and dull). All my weight and the bar and weights came down on my left hand impaling my hand and trapping me. A trainer in the gym asked if I needed help and I asked her if she could please lift the weight off my hand. She lifted it off and then I was able to pull my hand off the hook. Everything happened so fast I still was having trouble believing I actually had fallen. In my mind it was slow motion, but in reality it was a split second. Everyone immediately started to try and help me, but there was not any kind of first aide kit in the gym. Someone found some gauze and we quickly headed to the hospital (Brent took me). One of my friends was at the gym and said that she would cancel preschool for me. I told her don't cancel it I'll be back by then. Obviously I did not realize the seriousness of the accident. At the ER they drugged me up which I was soooo grateful for. Then they took an X-ray ( I was thinking why are they taking an x-ray just give me an antibiotic and sew my hand up. Obviously I was not thinking clearly). The X-ray showed the real damage! From there we were sent to an amazing hand surgeon who I will be eternally indebted and grateful for! Him and his staff were so unbelievably nice to me and Brent. Doctor Laney switched his schedule all around to get me in for emergency surgery. I was in Surgery for 2 hours (it was suppose to be 1 hour). The Dr said it was really messed up in my hand and one of the bones to my left ring finger was completely missing. He said he believed it came out of the exit wound and was probably in the gym somewhere! Lets just say it was a very long day. We did not get home until around 8pm. My arm is killing me and typing with one hand is very slow! I just want to say how grateful I am for modern medicine, great doctors, antibiotics, pain medication, prayer, unbelievable friends, awesome parents, and family! I also am so grateful it was my left hand as i am right handed. As I drove to the hospital I couldn't help but be so thankful and grateful for all of the blessings in my life. I have had a few trials in my life, but everything that is important in my life is sooo good. The outpouring of love and help was so amazing to me. I never really shed a tear over my hand and the physical pain. I did shed some tears later as the psychological trauma of it all crashed down upon me. O.K I will admit that today at physical therapy I almost cried, threw up, and passed out because of the pain. Just in case you were thinking I was tough I thought I better clear you up on that issue. I guess I forgot to add that they put a plate in my hand and lengthened my ring finger. My key board keeps skipping letters so I guess that means its time to quit. I hope someday I can repay all the incredible amount of kindness and help I have received!!
