To be going slightly mad at home due to arm splint/can’t work

[Ihavehadenoughalready]

I’m going nuts at home. I can’t perform my job duties wearing this splint (work in hospital lab handling tubes of blood, urine, and other biohazardous materials and cannot glove or use left hand properly). I offered to come in if I could do non-glove work but was turned down. I am having anxiety thinking I may be home for 5 more weeks incapacitated and bored out of my mind. Also being in the US, I await actual OK of being off work/being paid due to disability. I feel constant nerves not knowing if my leave will be ok’d/not knowing how long I have to wear this huge splint (all six weeks?)/feeling guilty for not being able to work!

This is all due to finger fracture that was reduced surgically and there’s three lovely pins sticking out the side of my finger, thus the arm/hand splint.

I gross myself out looking at the pins whenever I need to remove splint to dry out all the sweat that builds up in there. My finger looks like Frankenstein’s (monster’s) neck. Yuck yuck yuck.

Any words of wisdom, pointers, advice appreciated.

No advice...but some sympathy! I'm currently hauled up at home and off work for several weeks due to a broken leg and a couple of other injuries. It's horrible. I can't drive or get about on my own. I'm a work-a-holic and I can't do any work! I can't collect kids form school etc.. and even making dinner is a huge huge task.

I'm thinking of you OP! But we'll get through it!

Love being off sick with fracture. But maybe I’m strange.

Opioids, everyone has to be nice to you and a zillion box sets to watch. And loads of books to read.

I really make the most of it and drag it out for as long as possible.

Hope you heal quickly OP and I really hope you get your pay sorted. Maybe once you know that’s okay you’ll be able to relax a bit and wallow in the joy of doing nothing and letting yourself heal.

@SoreAndFedUpToday

Thanks. I think a broken leg trumps a broken finger.

My sympathies to you as well.

@Basketofkittens

Thanks. I suppose I could view it as a little vacation. But I do need to know i’ll be paid!

I’ve already watched several series from Animal Planet about gorillas and chimps. I find gorillas are much nicer.

Having worked in disability insurance I'd be astonished if you don't get short term disability for the 6 weeks. Is there a history of your company's insurer not paying up?

@HoldMyLobster

Good to know.

Not sure if there’s history, but I have a seven day wait with employer before std even could kick in. I neeeeed my paycheck and would just sleep better if I had approval ticked off.

Also, doesn’t help that surgeon thought I’d be fine going back to work 5 days later; assured me I should be able to don gloves and do usual lab work.

Which turns out to be false—does he not know what kind of splints his own surgery requires? Does he not know the nature of lab work?—did get surgeon’s office to OK me for another week at least until my follow up appt in a few days. But that’s all coming out of vacation time.