Replies

1. 
   andybuildz | Nov 26, 2002 02:01am | #1

   Youre asking for jokes to be trown at ya with that question my brother but all kidding aside..ROFLOL.....You havn't given us enough info on how long youve been a carpenter and what you do. Can you manage a crew? Paint maybe? Maybe some light trim work? Sales in a supply house? We need to know more about you. sorry for the pain. Bummer!

   Be well soon,

                 NAmaste'

                             andy

   It's not who's right, it's who's left ~ http://CLIFFORDRENOVATIONS.COM

   
   

   ---

   Edited 11/25/2002 6:02:58 PM ET by Andy Clifford(Andybuildz)

2. 
   Frankie | Nov 26, 2002 02:53am | #2

   Let's get some more info.

   Which hand? Are you "that" handed?

   Where do you live?

   What is your education focus - what is your knowledge base?

   What other skills do you have OR been wanting to learn? Maybe it's time to learn how to do CAD.

   How many years have you been working and honestly are you any good?

   Now for the lecture.

   You're an idiot! The Dr. told you to lay off the hand and keep it elevated. You didn't listen becase you were worried about your customer more than yourself. After all, you wanted to impress them with your commitment to the job. How about your commitment to yourself, your livelihood, and those who depend on you - employee(s), lover(s), children, etc.

   A dose of tough love yes, but I speak from personal experience. I caught my hand - got tugged - in a table saw. Had tendons re attached and not, had pins in my finders holding them together - the works. Didn't work in the shop for 5 months and couldn't even grab and lift a sheet of ply for a month more. Forget about MDF. I kept the hand elevated the ENTIRE time, in a sling to keep reminding myself. And did the physical therapy exercises daily. It's amazing how much my hand atrophied after just being in a splint for one week! And so stiff. I could not even bend my fingers 1/4". The Dr. told me after the operation that I would be lucky if I could hold a beer can when I healed. This level of recovery was not an option. I at least needed to be able to hold a ski pole, oh yeah, and a hammer. I now have full use of the hand. It's not too pretty but I am still earning. Get yourself a used racketball to squeeze. The bean bag squeeze bags are good at the beginning but they don't last once you get good at it. I still do the exercises and it's been 10 years. This helps in cold or damp weather.

   Look, you make your living with your brain and hands. No brain no work. No hands, no work. Get it? Got it? Good!

1. 
   RW | Nov 26, 2002 05:32am | #5

   Kinda gotta agree with Frankie. Busted a leg up good once and of course, that pretty much limits doing much of anything. Three days into the cast I started driving with my left foor (and you thought the women drivers thread was spooky) and went looking. It almost doesn't matter what you do as long as you can do something and still pay the bills. If its still even kind of related to what you want, mores the better. Don't dis the doc. He told me stay off it until the cast came off. Of course, I'm stubborn and going to prove it, and it didn't heal right, which is my own darn fault, so now instead of back to normal I'm back to trick ankle and careful on ladders. It's a big piece of humble pie to swallow, but your friends here could be your best asset. Nobody who likes you wants to see you get burnt worse than you already are. Maybe they could use some help - on the phones, typing with one hand, who cares if it's slow. Just don't sit on the couch sucking down Tylox.

3. 
   CAGIV | Nov 26, 2002 03:20am | #3

   Well Im going to get castrated for suggesting this, but you could possibly work at Home Depot or another harware store, lumber yard possibly at a store like woodcraft something like that,  You wont make anywhere what you were, but its income, and at least you can be somewhat surrounded by what you like.

   Best wishes with a speedy recovery

1. 
   billyg83440 | Nov 26, 2002 04:05am | #4

   I thought HD had a strictly enforced policy of not hiring people who know what they're talking about. <g>

4. 
   barnes70 | Nov 26, 2002 06:02am | #6

   thanx for the feedback

   here's a little info  - i'm a 29 yr old trim/finish carpenter and i have a bit of experience in framing. i've been at this trade for about 5-6 yrs now and i think i am pretty good at it and have ample experience. after the first surgury, i didn't go back to work until the doctor told me it was okay, which was 2 months. i didn't push it. it was only til the recent surgury that i was told to not work with my hand because the tendon is tied to a rod and if i hit it (the finger ) off anything it will most likely break and i will have to start over again. anyway the CAD idea is agood one and i did put an application in @ home depot. thanx for the ideas. and to answer frankie's question about which hand and finger it was....... it was the one i would give you for calling me an idiot!!  ha ha (just kidding)  

   steve

1. 
   Piffin | Nov 26, 2002 06:46am | #7

   I was thinking sales at the lunberyard too, even if it is HD. Not just to keep busy and bring home the bacon but think of all the contacts you could be making and parrallel knowledge you could be gaining!

   Suppose you got on and finagled a chance to spend time helping out the kitchen design people to get to learn their CAD system and the principles of Design - of course that presumes that it is a place where they have somebody who knows something..

   Excellence is its own reward!

   "The first rule is to keep an untroubled spirit.

   The second is to look things in the face and know them for what they are."

   --Marcus Aurelius

1. 
   CAGIV | Nov 26, 2002 07:55am | #8

   Wow, I suggest working at HD and so far still have my head attached, Im impressed

1. 
   roucru | Nov 26, 2002 04:01pm | #9

   I hope that if they hire the kid that they put him in an area that he can help a lot of people. Not in the garden stuff!Tamara