What is it like to have cut your finger deep enough to damage the nerve?
Two years back, I have cut my right ring finger when trying to take out the Avocado seed using the knife. The blood flow vigorously, and I nearly thought that my finger have broke. The blood stop only after like a 10min attempt to stop it.
I went to the GP only the next day, because I feel numb on my partial of my finger tip. However, the GP said it was due to I have put my bandage too tight that cause the numbness. I was given the Tetanus Vaccination and a new bandage with two days MC.
After weeks from the injury, the numbness did not get away. Instead, I can feel electric shock at my injured area. I could not shake hand, I need special attention to my hand when I get anything from another person, just to avoid the electric shock.
It was two months from my injury that I headed to the Polyclinic to get a referral to the specialist to NUH. I did not do any research on my injury, I just treat it nothing too serious. In fact, the feeling of the electric shock is kind of interesting, and I am kind of missing it now (am I insane?).
The appointment at NUH was fixed very fast, within a week, I was able to see the specialist. I was attended by three doctors. It was the third doctor, Dr Anthony Foo who came in, he explained to me the surgery procedure. It was at that time, that I felt something serious happen. I need a microsurgery to fix it! GOSH! My mind was blank! I have never ever have thought that I will need to enter the operation room in such a point of time (at least may be when I am at older age?).
The way that Dr Foo explained the surgery procedure was like he is going to make a mini "art piece" on my finger. He asked if I have any questions, and I am totally don't know what to ask. My surgery was fixed two weeks later, and the date was lunar 7th Month, and 15th day. I wasn't aware of that until I reached home. To chinese superstition, better not to have operation in the 7th month. I am not superstitious, but the people around me "highlighted" it, making me scare.
When I told my parents and my colleagues about the surgery, alot of negative feedbacks received. The most influential is my dad's objection. My mind was so complex at that time. To get better assurance, I approached the TCM, which the chinese physician who attended to me, wasn't able to give me a confidence that she will able to cure it. The chinese physician gave a vague explanation on my possibility recovery of the nerve damaged. I was prescribed a week's medicine, and a appointment in a week's time.
After taking the chinese medicine for a few days, I felt my injured finger have hot sensation, getting stronger, and the electric shock feeling diminished a little by little. I went back to the chinese physician, she gave me another week's medication. In view that the electric shock gradually diminished, I called to NUH and attempt to cancel my surgery. I was told that the surgeon wants to see me on Monday, which is two days before my surgery date. During my visit, his assistant checked on me by tapping my injured finger, and he said that my injury won't recover without the surgery. To me at that point of time, his way of speech, his tone and his approach, makes me feel that I am forced to have the surgery. Later, Dr Foo came in, he explained my injury, but seeing my reluctant-ness to have the surgery, he gave me an open date of one year.
I went back the TCM, the chinese physician prescribed again the medication for two weeks. However, she gave me a call personally the next day, and told me to go back to NUH to get it fix by the surgeon. She told me to stop the medication prescribed by her.
My mind went complicated again. Should I call back to NUH? It was like weeks after I was given an open date, I called up NUH and was given an appointment to see the surgeon again. With my mind set that I want to undergo the surgery, I went to my NUH appointment. However, Dr Foo said that I should not have come so early. He does not want to operate on me, he said I might have sign of recovery. I was given an appointment to see him in two / three months time. Then on, I have visited him every three months or so, putting in to a monitoring mode, giving the hope that it will recover by its own. Dr Foo also mentioned that the surgery will only have 50% confidence that it will recover. The possible of remain the same OR getting worst after the surgery is another 50%. With this in mind, I am in a dilemma. And this have dragged to two years later and I finally got my surgery.
Dr Foo did mentioned that it is never too late to have the surgery, since I have a little feeling on my finger tip. I got my surgery last November after my China trip. My surgery was rather a short one, less than an hour. I choose local anesthesia, because I heard that General anesthesia will cause short term memory loss, and my whole body may be "altered". Whether true or not, since I am given the choice, I choose the safer approach.
Dr Foo mentioned two possible approach for the surgery, first is only operate on the injured area up a little, to clear the scar tissue that blocked the growth of the nerve, and to join back the damage part of the nerve. The other approach, which he mentioned is unlikely to adopt, is to do the nerve grafting, where a small part of nerve will be get from my wrist to use to join my damaged nerve. The outcome is the first approach. During my initial visit to Dr Foo after my surgery, he mentioned that possible second surgery using nerve grafting, since I have no sign of recovery.
It is now five months after my surgery, the feelings is slightly better than before my surgery. However, the feeling is still abit of tingling, and the injured area will have pain when "hit" by something. The injured finger seems to remind me from time to time that it is not normal.
My last visit to Dr Foo was last Wednesday. Before my visit, I make up my mind that I will not opt for second surgery, because the 2nd attempt does not guarantee a full recovery. Dr Foo told me that he is leaving NUH to another private hospital. He explained again to me the possible approach that other surgeon may suggest. I told him I have no intention to opt for second surgery. He gave me an open date of one year.
My thoughts..
If I have not approach the TCM, and I go straight to my surgery two years ago, will the outcome better?
The reason that I am so reluctant to go for surgery two years ago, other than what stated above, another is a little reason due to Dr Foo seems to be young, that made me skeptical on his experience.
Through this experience, I think nerve injury looks simple yet complicated. I am glad that my finger still intact. This incident brought my alot of thoughts that previously I did not ever think of.
Kudos to the medical team, no matter is the doctors or nurses. Dealing with huge number of patients everyday, they still need to keep their professionalism.
Through these visit to Dr Foo, I felt that he is calm, patient, understanding. He seems to have planned what he is going to explain, he is frank to tell what he have never tried. He gave good advise on the surgery approach.
Although I have to live with my imperfect finger which looks perfect from the outside, I have a good lesson. It brings me closer to what a medical service meant to a patient. It also bring me thoughts of joining the medical sector as nurses or therapist..should I? But career conversion needs courage and time to re-enter the school.
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