The Price of Dependability

all photos courtesy of Bing.Com

Today I am typing with my right index finger taped to its best friend, the middle finger.  The MF is longer, feeling no pain, and has a nice fingernail.  I am certain that, if fingers had miniature brains, it would have been thinking smug thoughts until today.

The right index finger (RIF) has always carried the brunt of the hand’s work, and the nail has always broken easily.  RIF was always the one to volunteer for scraping off tape that would not release its cling to the wall.  RIF was also dependable in untying knots in shoelaces.  In fact, RIF and LIF were the CFO’s when it comes to all things “Hand”.

Today, RIF woke up and hurt like the dickens.  I do not know what happened, but somehow I think it got sprained during a very demanding week, during which the LIF and the RIF were putting in overtime in their CFO jobs.  But, then, these two digits were always over-achievers.  Between all my writing, piano playing, cooking, vegetable dicing, and plant maintenance, they never get a break.

Such a little boo-boo

A Joint Service Medal--no kidding.

The LIF had to have two surgeries in 2010, and it was a real trooper.  Never complained, followed restrictions put up with the pain—man, that digit should get a silver star.  After all, it was injured in the line of duty.  I was walking with my granddaughter, Sunshine, and LIF was instrumental in holding onto that sweet little three-year old hand.  When Sunshine and I tripped over something, LIF did all it could to pull Sunshine up, to keep her from slamming into the asphalt.  When it came my turn to hit the road (heh, heh), LIF led the rest of the hand in an effort to keep me from serious injury.  Together, the RIF and the LIF tried, but I was still knocked out cold.

Coming out of the foggy knock-out, it was obvious that the tendon of the first joint had “blown out”.  The LIF endured two surgeries in order to make it functional, although the first joint has a metal screw fusing it in place.  LIF feels the cold badly, but it is one strong soldier, so to speak.

They like each other now.

Meanwhile, RIF is taped to MF, snuggly.  The two are not getting along very well.  The number of typos is astronomical.  If RIF is still having pain in a few days, it will have to see my hand doctor, who is so very handsome.  I won’t mind the trip, and I think RIF will be fine with that.

This current injury happened in St. Louis, MO.  Reference "Stupid Things I have done:  #347" for scintillating details of this senseless injury.  Both fingers are doing nicely, thanks for your kind thoughts.