Cranking on my new stump

Hi Mountain Project... first real post

Wondering if anyone here is in the same boat as me? Last weekend, I managed to amputate my right index fingertip on a chossy approach to my local crag. The back story is HERE for anyone interested. In essence, I lost a bit of bone and half my pad but luckily, I didn't manage to foul up any tendons.

Although the surgeon believes I'll make a full recovery in 6 weeks but I doubt he had crimpy face climbs in mind. I'm not sure what to expect other than ultra-sensitivity at the stump site but I'd like to hope I'll be back to leading respectable grades within a few months.

I'd be interested to hear from any climbers who've been similarly injured and what their recovery experience has been. Cheers!

Ever here of Tommy Caldwell? Sorry to here about your injury. Heal quickly and get back out there!!

Edit: John, you beat me by seconds!

I've lost three fingertips. It made climbing a little more difficult at first, but after a while i don't think it has made much difference. They have been both more sensitive to pain and at the same time, less sensitive to touch. Not sure if that makes sense, but basically I'm saying they are hurt more easily and tend to be the first fingers to get splitters, yet at the same time they feel numb on a day-to-day basis and I don't really feel fine detail as well. In the end, though I don't think it has hurt me much in the long run.

A good friend of mine had the tip of his thumb bitten off by a dog a couple years ago. He lost half his nail and pad, and the skin is right against the bone at the tip. He just does a solid tape job over the end to help with sensitivity and uses his other digits more predominantly. It is not really a problem for him, he just had to adapt a little.

John Rogers wrote:Caldwell would be a great person to talk to.

Tommy's finger got mostly chopped off, so, he didn't loose just the tip.

When they rebuilt your finger, how much was left? Did you get the tip rebuilt, or, did you loose all the way to the first joint? Ie, nail bed totally gone or were they able to recover it?

Did they rebuild it knowing you were a rock climber? That might make a big difference.

Anyhoo, I lost a finger tip in a long fall (ugh!). Rebuild was awesome. I have to be careful with really crankin' on the tip, as, its more prone to some funky tearing and damage, as the feeling isn't quite there, for sure.

Good luck!

what? no pics of the gore? ;)

heal quickly man! I bet you'll adapt and after a few weeks won't even notice a difference.

That's generally good news Evans and csproul, thanks. Taping over the tip might be the ticket. I'll have to experiment with it when I heal. Curious csproul... did this set you back weeks, months, or more than a year?

Also, the Caldwell references are welcome, but not entirely useful... evidence suggests that he's not actually human!

Brian in SLC wrote: Tommy's finger got mostly chopped off, so, he didn't loose just the tip. When they rebuilt your finger, how much was left? Did you get the tip rebuilt, or, did you loose all the way to the first joint? Ie, nail bed totally gone or were they able to recover it? Did they rebuild it knowing you were a rock climber? That might make a big difference. Anyhoo, I lost a finger tip in a long fall (ugh!). Rebuild was awesome. I have to be careful with really crankin' on the tip, as, its more prone to some funky tearing and damage, as the feeling isn't quite there, for sure. Good luck!

Brain, the doctors weren't telling me much... they just worked away. I did let them know that long-term strength was more of a concern to me than length. The nail bed is gone as far as I know. The surgeon removed some bone that was exposed and crushed. I do have about 1/2 to 1/3 of the final digit. Sounds similar to yours?

Sorry Mike... no gore... my fiancee refused to take any ER pics. I'm as upset about it as you are. Just imagine Zombies and you get the idea!

After cutting all of my tendons on both wrists and median nerves serving both hands, a doctor told me that I would never be able to climb again. She was wrong. It just took a few years and effort on my part to come back to where I could lead some moderates. Your injury is nothing compared to that. Tommy Caldwell's injury was a bit more severe and it hasn't stopped him because he trains hard and gives himself no excuses. So you will be just fine in maybe a year at most! Hope this helps!

Chris Norfolk wrote: Also, the Caldwell references are welcome, but not entirely useful... evidence suggests that he's not actually human!

+1

John Rogers wrote:Caldwell would be a great person to talk to. Best of luck on recovery, and a speedy return to climbing.

Touche. And he wasn't climbing, l think he was cutting a board at his house. Anybody know?

Tommy Caldwell - Superhuman?

I had a similar injury to one of my fingers years ago. I had the tip ripped off and only attached with a bit of skin and nerve. The Dr asked me how I wanted it fixed. He said he couldn't remove all of the main nerve that was left. He wanted to coil it under the pad but I told him I would need to put a lot of pressure on it for climbing and that it would feel like hitting my funny bone every time I tried to crank down. So I told him to put it off to the side. Even so, months later when I really pulled down on it, I literally saw stars in a black field of vision with my eyes open, but I made the move. About 9 mon after the original injury I had to go back to have the remainder of the nail bed coterized. So it took more than a year to get back to it. I had that Phantom Limb Syndrome for years.

About the only difference it makes for me is when I'm using that occasional hold that requires a fully spread open hand or it may not fit into a tight crack. So it shouldn't hold you back much at all.

Chris Norfolk wrote:The nail bed is gone as far as I know. The surgeon removed some bone that was exposed and crushed. I do have about 1/2 to 1/3 of the final digit. Sounds similar to yours?

Yeah, pretty similar. My bone was sticking out and chopped off at an angle. The end of the tip of the finger was gone, and I thought nail bed and all.

They cut the bone back and grafted a hunk of flesh to pad the finger. Somehow, the nail bed grew back (must have been some left). I have a nail, but, it comes to a point at the end of the finger instead of setting on the top edge.

Ended up with about 3/8" in length difference between the finger on my right and left hand. "Bird" finger.

Mine happened in the fall, and, I didn't rock climb on it through the winter, but, could get into the gym after a number of weeks. Skied and didn't worry about it and that spring, started back rock climbing with it. Didn't really set me back much.

I've compared mine up close with Tommy's, right after he was kinda healed. He pretty much just has a nub I think above the bottom joint, so, lost most of the finger. Way different than just a tip. Index too, so...(be careful around power tools, eh?).

Did they graft yours? Its funny, but, my graft site, which is in the side of my hand below my pinky finger, will cramp occasionally especially after a long day. Not a deal, just interesting.

Wild stuff they can do.

I didn't have a graft from a different location. The bone was trimmed back such that the remaining material could be pulled over and closed. Thanks for sharing your experiences all; I think I've got a decent outlook.