Help please-severe hand injury.

[BertrandRussell]

My dp has suffered a severe injury to his left hand and is unlikely to ever regain full use of it. It’s early days- but are there any organisations that might be able to help him, both practically and emotionally as he recovers and in the future? He’s currently under the care of a fabulous NHS team- but I’m trying to think ahead.

I'm really sorry to hear that. I suffered a very severe hand/forearm injury 10 years ago (worst set of fractures/displacement/tearing all internally that my hand surgeon had ever seen) and lost nearly all function from the elbow down (no forearm rotation, wrist movement, fingers apart from my little finger, but I do have partial use of my thumb).
Unfortunately, there really wasn't any support at all. If I'd had it amputated, then there would have been, or it my disability was a result of specific illnesses but it seemed like I fell between everything.
The good news, is that with time I am able to live a very normal life - I drive (automatic with steering knob), compete in triathlons (swim one armed, adapted bike), cook, etc
It was really hard coming to terms with the new body image, and for me there was a long phase where there was hope to get bits of function back or surgical intervention and coming to the end of that was hard. I had some counselling through a disability focussed counsellor to work through that which was really useful

Sorry to hear about your DP. I would say the Occupational Therapist will be the key person in the NHS team to help him with the practicalities of how to do things either with equipment/adaptations or just in a different way. (I'm assuming he's not left-handed?) You may have some local disability charities who work with people who have been affected like your DP - again the OT might know about them. I think as CMOT says, some disability focused counselling may be good if he is struggling to accept the changes.

Depends on the specifics of the injury but some of the support/adaptions for stroke patients may be relevant as they cover loss of use and limited use for a limb. Also second the rec for an OT if you can find the right specialist.

Good to see you back btw.

Nice to see you back Bertrand. Hope you get some good advice.

Once he's on the road to recovery, his ot may recommend and arrange for him to borrow equipment, but your local mobility shop is a good port of call too. They have so many interesting things I never would have thought of and are experts - mostly it will be for older clients but I have bought things for dd there, things to make pens easier to handle in my case (small but important). I find the shop quite interesting, especially like the cooking equipment available (was at it looking at mobility scooters for gp's recently)

Bert really good to see you back, my friend. I am sorry to hear about DP hand.
I am no use re your question.

Gentle arm squeeze from me.

Limb power, although it's mostly sports.
Limbcare
He may be able to get advice from Reach, although it's mostly for children.
And he should be assigned a limb centre, although they vary in how much help they give.

My 17yo was born missing her arm below the elbow.
Don't underestimate the use of the residual limb, and he'll be fine

Our depends on the injury type and how it happened.

If it happened while working in construction for example, I'd recommend The Lighthouse Club.

There are lots of organisations, but try Scope as a starting point. www.scope.org.uk/ They have a lot of projects and support around having a "normal life" - so looking at how you can work, play and so on without the disability stopping you; and they can signpost you to many services and other organisations. If it's a severe injury then is a compensation claim involved. Because the other thing to do is to consider that, and also getting really good advice about how to use any money you might get - I all too often see people fritter away the money without intending to because what starts out as a "treat" - a holiday, or redecorating, ends up being everything on the list of treats and nothing is left.

Good to see you Bert, but very sorry to hear about DP.

I'm sorry I can't help with help for DP, but I just wanted to say it was good to see you!

I hope he can get the help he needs and regains as much use of his hand as is at all possible.

Good to see you back @BertrandRussell , albeit under very difficult circumstances for you which I’m so sorry to hear about.

I’m an OT. When I was training I worked alongside an OT who was a dedicated hand therapist. Hand therapists work on regaining function and rebuilding strength (where possible) but also deal with things like desensitization therapy (if nerves have been damaged this can cause neuropathic pain and increased sensitivity to temperatures/touch/textures, which can be reduced through graded exposure on the guidance of the hand therapist).
Once any rehab potential has been explored by Hand Therapist and Physio, a more general OT would be able to advise re: compensatory adaptations (special grip pen, if he’s left-handed, lighter-weight kettles, special button-hole aids for dressing, a tool for helping put socks on etc). All the aspects of daily living (“ADLs” in the lingo) will be affected to one degree or another but the good news is that after rehab has been maximised any remaining impairments can be got around with the huge array of compensatory equipment that’s out there. Either he may be prescribed some of it (for essentials such as personal care and eating) or you may need to purchase some things.

In terms of the psychological aspect (change to sense of self, perhaps less independence for a while, body image issues, even grief etc) Id advise he speak to either a counsellor specialising in these areas (check BACP website) or if he’s impacted by trauma around the accident explore EMDR (the first-line treatment for trauma). Both of these things should be available via referral from GP to Secondary mental health services, HOWEVER, there will be a huge wait and lots of hoops to jump through I’m afraid. If you have a spare £60/week or per fortnight I’d really recommend accessing privately (no waiting lists, you get to choose a therapist who’s the right fit for DH etc).

Lastly, don’t underestimate the impact this has had / will have on you as his spouse. Both in terms of day-to-day practicalities and in terms of the dynamics between you (for example it’s common for sex-life to be affected following traumatic injury or illness) plus also the switch from ‘wife’ identity to ‘carer’ role (even temporarily) can dent the dynamics. Additionally, if your DH’s income may be affected this can put untold stress on you both.

If needs be, access a few sessions of counselling yourself, just to have a space to talk about the impact on you (without the usual “feeling selfish” feeling that the loved ones usually feel). You need to be tip-top yourself in order to help him, so invest in your own well-being if possible.

All the very best for you both Bertrand. If I can be of any more help, feel free to PM me.

The hand therapist will be key. Our hand therapists are amazing and work on both the functionality aspects as well the psychological parts too. For severe cases they will see patients on a daily basis for as long as the patient is gaining benefit, which for some can be years.

Not as severe, but I recently fractured my arm quite badly, in a way that will probably affect my work (at least in some respects) forever.

Through my professional body for my industry that I was already a member of, I've accessed better physio and more quickly than the NHS. They also offer counseling but I'm not ready for that yet as I can't process mentally until I have a firmer idea of what the long-term impact will be.

So if your DH has any professional membership or insurance connected to his work, a good starting point would be to give them a call.

I have also accessed a one-off specialist consultation via a charity for my industry which I just found by googling 'charity injured [industry]'

You can also look into the motibility scheme for help with adapted cars but it looks like it takes 12 months and being assessed as significantly impacted by PIP. I'm very fortunate in that it looks like I won't need to access this scheme but I read up on it when things were looking bleaker.

On a more positive note, I've been amazed at how I adapted to managing day to day one handed. I've been able to run our home and look after DD (3) single handed once I'd got through the first few weeks where I needed help due to the pain being incapacitating.

I'm lucky in that I'm getting some useful function in that arm back now but for weeks I've managed without my dominant hand at all.

I'd highly recommend getting some kit in so that your DP can be as independent as possible as this helps hugely on the mental front. Tiny things like a dycem mat and a knork (combined knife and fork) so that I could eat one handed as easily as possible etc.

I am so sorry to read this, Bertrand. No advice from me but if he is under the care of a good NHS team, that is something and they will organise rehabilitation.

Thank you all so much- lots to read and process, so I will be back later to individuals!
It’s nice-but strange to be back, but I knew instantly where I’d find good support and information. He’s being cared for by a spectacular team at QVH East Grinstead-I can't praise them enough. It only happened two weeks ago so we’re still in the very early days. He came very close to losing his life-first in the initial accident then from blood loss - he had severe damage to an artery so ....phew it could have been so much worse. It’s all complicated by the fact that there was negligence involved so there will probably be legal things to deal with. But there’s time for that.

QVH are amazing - I had a private referral to there after my first few surgeries, and having the integrated team with proper hand therapists (my local hospital doesn't have any hand therapists and they don't do OT for mobile adults just told me to go to a shop and try things) made a big difference. I still get compression gloves made by the team there.
I hope he makes good progress, he's certainly in the right place to get the very best help

Sorry to hear about your DP @BertrandRussell. I have no advice that might help, but just wanted to say it's good to see you back.

@BertrandRussell
I am so sorry to hear about that and others are obviously better placed than me to give advice about things like OT etc.

I know you said there was time for the legal things & I believe it is quite a time I think 2 - 3 years ) but a practical point when the time comes for that it will probably / might be helpful to have a file with relevant medical records , notes on what DP cannot now do which he could before , other factors etc - so might be worth starting a file you can shove things in or any notes you make with dates etc. Please ask someone more legally competent than me because I am not a personal injury lawyer & & & this will not be your priority at the moment but as and when and if it comes to it a few spares minutes now and then might pay dividends.

But Bertrand that is off the top of my head & possibly a quick post on the legal board might get a better answer.

So obviously the main thing is he gets as well as possible as soon as possible - and I hope this does not come across as crass because I do not mean it to. All I can say if it were my DH I would not be thinking of that - but would hate in 2 years time or whenever if needed if things were harder because of a few minutes here and there.

I wish you well & if I can think of anything better than that rather rubbish idea will post.

Basilisk

Hi @BertrandRussell
I know you posted this a while ago and may not be around but wondered how your DP was?