Finger amputation need a hand hold.

[jmh740]

My cat bit me in August when I was trying to medicate her. Ive been on antibiotics since 28.8 but it was still badly infected. On Tuesday they told me the bone was infected and the surgeon wouldnt know how much unti he opened it up. I went into surgery for it to be cleaned out (for the 4th time) on Thursday. They hand is well bandaged and it looks like they have amputated between the first and second knuckle.
It was a real sock and I'm struggling to cope with the pain. Does anyone know what the future looks like for me?

How long will it take to heal?
What will I still be able to do?
What wont I be able to do?
Any tips and hints to aid recovery?

Im having the dressing changed tomorrow and a bit nervous to see it.

No they asked what I had at home, I still had codeine from when I was last admitted 2 weeks ago, and I take naproxen for neuropathic pain. I still have 2 weeks of antibiotics so they didnt give me any of those either.

Saying that a consultant anaesthetist friend of mine says nail polish makes no difference to sats probe readings

Your friend is correct.

I'm glad it wasn't just me.

I'm holding the other hand, obv.

She’d had surgery to remove a part of her finger, she can be as ‘hysterical” as she likes.

OP, I think you’re a lovely person to still love your cat and keep them. I’m sorry this happened to you and I hope you can knit and crochet as much as before.

Is there some sort of bite proof gloves you can wear in future to protect yourself?

This Pasteurella multocida sounds awful. Can humans get it from kissing their cat near their mouth or letting cats lick them on the face?

That's a really very unhelpful post. Why bother, if you can't be kind?

OP, in the end, whatever they have done they will have needed to have done to possibly save your life.

My friend was bitten by her cat, got sepsis and almost didn’t make it.

Sorry, OP. This sounds horrible and I'm sure extremely painful.
I imagine you'll be able to do nearly everything normally after some recovery time and physio.
I hope puss is feeling suitably contrite.

So many shocked that the surgeon didn’t talk to OP after to debrief.

DH had non scheduled surgery and ended up needing a bowel resection. Whilst in there the surgeon removed his appendix because there was a mass on it. DH was not informed of this at all, or indeed had any feedback post surgery.

DH found out 3 months later in another appointment with another speciality consultant who saw the notes but didn’t realise DH didn’t know so when she mentioned it she ended up being the person that told him. Very embarrassing for both of them.

A lot of people aren’t reading your (admittedly not very legible) notes. The tip of your finger has been amputated. I see diabetes is also mentioned. You seem to have been fully informed.

This is all very unfortunate and you have our sympathy. The lack of a fingertip will make very little difference to your everyday capabilities. Do keep the diabetes under control though, and see if there’s any lifestyle changes you could usefully consider.

She wont come anywhere near me.

I think you'll be find without your finger tip. Once you have a working thumb, common hand functions can be adapted.

How come you were allowed to keep your nail polish on? I had a 15min ga to have a quick surgical procedure and the hoops I had to jump through! Pre op, no fake nails, no polish, ins and outs of a ducks arse!

forgot to add hope you feel better soon!

I understand the shock, I had most of a finger amputated last year and was horrified at the start. Almost a year on and I notice very little functional difference (and it’s my dominant hand) but do follow the advice of physio, it will help. Also may be luck, but I have very little pain. I know it feels disastrous just now, but it will be okay.

Aside from everything going on with your hand .. what medication does your cat need? Tablets or liquid? I’ve had cats all my life, and there’s definitely a knack to giving them medication without them biting you.

they nicked the skin when trying and it became infected

I came on here to say this.

A well-known Scottish accordionist lost his right index finger as a result of working on his farm and he was able to get back to playing.

I'm sorry that you've had this shock @jmh740 .

they did but nicked the skin and it got infected

I’m 60, I have spent 1 night in hospital and had 1 operation in my whole life & both cat bite related!
The first time a neighbours cat bit my hand, I had no idea cat bites were so dangerous, left it overnight & then the redness started tracking up my arm, in hospital overnight on intravenous antibiotics, luckily that fixed it.
2nd time I trapped my cats tail in the toilet seat & she bit my shin, lost a lot of it due to infection & had to have a skin graft. I have a large chunk of my shin missing!

I understand how you feel OP, it’s a shock. My surgeon spent ages telling me about where they would take the skin for my graft and how they would take it from as high up my leg as they could but at no point did anyone tell me I would be left with a huge hole in my shin!

I’ve got my head round it now but I was really traumatised, I couldn’t look at it for months.

Take it steady & look after yourself.

Oh wow, I laughed at the toilet seat, but not at the rest. Poor you. Blimey!

I just wanted to say what a lovely message you wrote OP and all the best to as well.

I found the toilet seat thing bizarre and potentially upsetting. Like: why? What on earth were you doing with the cat near the toilet?

Exactly @JanuaryLove I had an emergency op once and the team applied acetone to get my toenail varnish off as they need to see your nail colour
@jmh740 where in the world are you?

I knew there was a reason I don't like cats apart from the fact they kill all the little birds in the garden,sorry about your finger, I wouldn't keep a cat if you paid me.

Lancashire

I assume the cat just wandered in right while she was finishing up in the toilet and its
tail got in the way when she was putting the toilet seat down .

Another reason I wouldn’t have a cat, I don’t like how they just creep around so silently. I would definitely trip over them, trap them in doors etc. it wouldn’t be a good experience for either of us

What does the original picture look like? This one has AI generated content, so its harder to advise when we don’t have the original image.

I almost had part of a finger removed due to a biking accident, I had to consent to surgery 1 which included the amount to the nearest mm, if any more needed removing it was made clear they were not allowed to do so as I had not consented, so I would be woken and it would be completed another time.