Thankful.

Just over a month ago, Blaise nearly cut his fingers off of his left hand at work…literally! He was operating a drill press when the drill bit in a piece of stainless steel sheet metal snagged, sending the piece of metal spinning.  Unfortunately, Blaise’s hand got in the way and all four fingers on his hand were sliced open; however, none was as bad as his index finger, which was nearly completely severed.  It sliced through the flesh, cut the flexor tendons, the nerves, and both arteries.  It cut all the way to the bone, but he was blessed to not have had any damage to the bone itself.  He was also blessed to have fast-acting co-workers who responded immediately and helped him get packing and pressure on his hand, and then took him to the hospital.  

I was called during my first period class and told to get to the hospital as quickly as I could, because my husband’s hand had been cut badly at work.  I received the news as a class full of students sat staring at me…so losing it was not an option.  I didn’t know any other information as I drove the 25 miles to get him, but I did pray like crazy that God would protect him and his hand.  (Fortunately, God also placed a speed limit abiding semi-truck in front on me on the two-land highway to keep me from driving like a scared maniac, keeping me safe, too.)

Once I arrived at the hospital and learned that he would be going into surgery at a different location, we drove another 30 miles to the Hand Reconstruction Surgeons of Indiana (Carmel), met with a surgeon who assessed the damage (by that time, his finger had lost all natural color and was a sad, dead gray), and then had a few quiet moments of prayer before he was wheeled back into the operating room.  It was all so fast and so scary, but thankfully I had my little travel Bible with me and was able to spend some time reading God’s Word (James 1:2-3, Psalm 46:1-3, Isaiah 25:1, Isaiah 26:4) as I waited the nearly 3 hours during surgery.

I have to share that during his surgery I was seized with one small terror: we had not discussed what I should do if the surgeon came out in the middle of surgery and said that he probably couldn’t save the finger.  It had all happened so fast prior to surgery, and even the meeting with the surgeon was a blur, but I distinctly remembered him saying that an amputation would be quicker and less painful than keeping the finger.  As Blaise was in surgery, I was so afraid that the surgeon would come out and make me make the choice about saving his finger or not.  I know we aren’t talking about an entire limb, but still, that was not a decision I wanted to make.  Thankfully, that situation never arose, but you better believe that we have had that conversation since then!

A couple of hours after surgery, we came home.  Then the truly hard part began.

Blaise can’t go back to work because they don’t have much use for a one-armed sheet metal worker, especially one on pain medications.  He has also been pretty limited by what he can do around the house, as there are far more two-hand tasks than you think, although he has helped a LOT while I have been working! In addition to all of that, regenerating nerves is painful work, and his hand has been in excruciating pain a lot of the time.

He did start occupational therapy the week following the surgery (passive bending of his fingers), but was told that he would be in the arm splint for 6 weeks and wouldn’t be fully recovered for about 5 months.  This has been a pretty huge challenge in our lives, but it has been especially hard on Blaise.  We just keep reflecting on James 1:2-4 that says, “Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, when you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.  Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.”

So that’s what we are doing…persevering!

We have also been incredibly blessed by friends and family, and how quickly they all responded to help out with meals, driving Blaise to appointments while I have been working, and praying like mad! I don’t know how we would get through this without their love and support, and of course, without God’s unending mercy and love.  It has been an incredibly tough journey, but we have felt His presence every step of the way.

For those of you with a sense of curiosity and a strong stomach, I have included the picture that Blaise took while he was in the ER the day he cut his fingers.

WARNING: The picture that follows of Blaise’s hand is graphic!

This picture was taken while Blaise was in the ER, just before they packed and wrapped it up.  You can see how terrible the index finger’s laceration is, and that white clump in the cut is a balled up tendon.  By the time we reached the surgical center, the index finger was completely gray.  Because he also severed the nerves, he was fortunate in not being able to feel what I’m sure would have been intense pain…although, he could feel the pain in his other fingers!