Originally Posted by greydog
My injury was a crushing, tearing thing. Virtually every bone in my right hand was broken and I lost 2/3 of the soft tissue on my hand. Two fingers were severed. One knuckle was broken off above and below and rotated 180 degrees. My wrist was crushed. The only thing untouched was my thumb although the first joint, at the base, was crushed and most of the web was missing. All in all, a bit of a mess. I had ten surgeries (bone grafts, skin grafts, pins and screws etc) over two months and nearly croaked from a gas gangrene infection. When I got out of the hospital, the first thing I did was take a rifle for a walk and started getting used to shooting left handed since it was plain I would never shoot right handed again. It was close to eight months before I could hold a pen to sign my name right handed. I remember having a discussion with the bank manager when they balked at cashing a check because my signature (signed left handed) didn't match. I believe I may have used the term dumass. I regained much of the feeling in my fingers after about two years and adapted to doing things a little differently; using my thumb to hook the brake lever on the motorcycle and run the throttle on the chainsaw. Casting left handed. I built an addition on our trailer house and tried to use what was left of my hand as much as possible. Went to work pulling lumber on the green chain at the mill. As the years passed, I did whatever I wanted to and ignored the injury as much as I could. I started motocross racing, I played men's league basketball, I resumed recreational boxing. I started gunsmithing professionally about three years after my injury and most will say I'm fairly capable. There are some things which bug me. I don't like shaking hands (Covid has helped in this regard!). It's hard to put a glove on. Scissors don't work left handed. I sometimes dream I can open my hand up and it's always a disappointment when I wake up and can't.
I have still, after 47 years, have never bought a LH rifle or action and still shoot RH rifles off the left shoulder. When I shoot prone, with a sling, I wallow around like a scrawny hog between shots but I get it done. I like single shots!
Now, in my seventies, my whole body hurts so I don't even notice the pain in my hand anymore. Being old and having poor eyesight is more of a handicap than the hand ever was! Life is good. GD

That really helped put it into perspective thanks for the insight I am glad life is good

You've got to hand it to a blind prostitute