UPDATE RE. “IT FINALLY HAPPENED”
I have been simply blown away by the huge wave of support, good healing wishes and offers of help that has swept over me. Don’t let anyone ever tell you that the artist community is not one very large extended family and I find myself being graced and blessed by support from that wonderful family. I am truly blessed and humbled. I feel quite embarrassed to do this, but SO many people have asked if I have pay pal account. The account is arcsmith@ctc.net which is our non-business email account. The account is in my wife, rose’s name, but she is busy trying to add my name. PLEASE UNDERSTAND THAT THIS UPDATE IS NOT A SOLISITATION FOR HELP.
About my situation – I am doing well. I went back to the doctor last wed. for the first time since surgery. My hand was not a pretty sight to anyone but me and the doctor seemed to be pleased, but he really “threw a bucket of ice water” on me when he said that I was far from being out “out of the woods” with the hand. He said that the next couple of months were critical and that if I did not take good care of the hand and let it heal properly then it was quite possible and even probable that I would lose the two fingers that he had reattached. (as soon as I got back home I canceled all of my shows –and a much anticipated fishing trip- until late oct. there is a good chance that I will have to cancel my shows for the rest of the year. That would be hard to do, but not as hard as losing the two reattached fingers.
(those with a weak stomach might wish to skip this part, but for those who are interested, will tell you what the good doctor did in the surgery.) the saw blade apparently skipped across the hand – hit some of the knuckles where the fingers are attached to the hand, it mangled the little finger but did not cut all the way through the bone. The worst cut was the one that cut all the way through the first knuckle beyond the hand on all three of the inside fingers. The middle finger was pretty well shattered and the doctor removed it at the hand. For the ring and index fingers the doctor removed the shattered knuckles, pulled the two ends of the bone together and fastened them with metal strips and screws, fusing them. On the index finger the saw had ripped all of the flesh off of the top of the finger, so he filled it in with artificial collagen. Next wed. back into surgery for a skin graft on that finger.
One interesting sideline on this –both my son and I have always been interested in biology. – he teaches biology in a community college. So when this happened, we decided to document the whole thing, because, I told him, I certainly had no intention of doing it again. Anyway, I took photos of the hand before surgery and then about a week and a half after surgery. I also got my pre and post x rays. They are really fascinating. –my wife thinks that we both are nuts. Anyway, for his anatomy and physiology class, he is going to do a unit on the hand featuring his father’s hand. Most of his students are nursing students so they should find it interesting. Fyi, if any of you find this interesting, as I do, will be glad to send you photos and x rays. (did I tell you that my wife thinks that I’m nuts?)
Words simply have not been invented yet that will adaquatly reflect my appreciation for all of the kind and encouraging notes and support which you, my artist family, have offered me. Thank you sounds so very inadequate, but I don’t know what else to say. THANK YOU!
Archie Smith
Archie Smith Instruments
6590 hwy 73 E
Mt. Pleasant, NC 28124
704 436 8477 home
704 796 8309 cell
Comments
I too saw the pictures and really because I work a glass saw with NO guard on it, I was wondering what that type of damage looked like. Either way, Karen is right. The surgeon did an awesome job. Can't wait to see the healing. Good question, too, on the pain meds. LOL! I was even thinking of taking the pics to my hand doc and get his take on the situation. One can never been too careful. Ouch! Hope all is well, Archie.
Well, Archie indulged my voyeuristic interest and emailed his hand photos and x-rays to me. Wow. That must hurt -- still hurt -- like hell, Arch. Sensitivity alert: stop reading now if you'd rather avoid the details.
For some reason I was surprised, but shouldn't have been now that I think about it, when I saw the damage. Apparently the saw skipped across the bones and took a wild turn, because the entire area around the largest "finger knuckles" were laid open in quite large wounds PLUS there was a separate line of cutting across the knuckles on the body of the hand. I guess a vibrating table saw isn't content to make one delicate little slice when it hits fertile ground. Ouch.
The surgeon did a tidy job of stitching stuff back together; the swelling is testament to all the trauma the hand, and its owner no doubt, was experiencing.
You're a brave man, Archie. To be talking the very next day about your creative plans for the future says a lot about you.
I believe you returned to the surgeon a couple of days ago for some additional work, right? Let us know how you're doing. (And, btw, what kind of pain pills do they have you on? It's always good to know about these things.)
Your Doc is correct - heed his advise. Your hands are your most important tool!! Either get helpers for the rest of your seasons schedule- and become the DIRECTOR, or cancel em!! You need that hand!
Thanks for letting us know how you're going Archie - do keep us in the loop. I love your positive attitude!!
Hi Archie,
So sorry to hear about your accident, and a major one at that. You must be quite a guy to have such a wonderful attitude about it. I wish you all the luck & blessings in the world for your speedy recovery and hope that you can still make the crafts you have always done.
Carole
Archie, I sprained my ankle this weekend and am having lots of trouble getting around. I can't believe how hard it would be to adjust to a mangled right hand. Are you right handed?
Archie, thanks so much for the update. I didn't weigh in after your first "It Finally Happened" because we don't know each other, but rest assured that I was sending positive thoughts your way. I still remember, back when I was a little kid, when my father shouted out to my mother to "find my fingers" in the sawdust pile and get him to the hospital. His cuts were just at the end past the last knuckles, though, so you definitely hold the record for gruesome sawing events in the quest for art. (fyi, I'm having a little trouble typing this because of the current deep cut on my left middle finger that I acquired in my glass studio over the weekend; ha!)
Anyway, in my previous life I worked in a hospital and would also love to see your before and after shots. I totally get your and your son's fascination. I'm at kholtkamp@fuse.net. Thanks for sharing!
I vote for canceling all your shows for the year to avoid an accidental injury UNLESS you can get people to do ALL your set-up and teardown and selling for you while you just sit there looking pleased with yourself. Hang in there (but not by your right hand).
Karen
Archie, I may be nutz too but would love to see the pictures. I work with a large glass saw that has NO guards, why I don't know and is loud and messy. I'm always, always afraid my fingers would not be happy to meet this beast. It works too well to not use it, altho very carefully. So I'd love to see the before and after. As artists our hands are our gift. Here's to a fast, fun? recovery!
Thanks for the update, Archie. I just got home from the St. Louis Art Fair and talked to many of your friends, in particular the woodworkers, but after all your years in the business your are well known and well-loved by many. We shared "Archie" stories. I heard more grisly stories than I ever want to hear. Did you know Patrick McDaniel used to work in a furniture factory in N. Carolina? Probably you did. His stories were so bad I had to leave his booth, and he's not doing so well either, broke his leg and hobbling around all summer, and he's one of the younger guys! And someone told me a story about how a friend lost his thumb, he went to the Duke Hospital and they replaced it with his big toe. People showed each other their scars from saws -- yikes!
Even I had an ugly encounter with a circular saw and I remember the doctor saying the nerves in the hand grow 1/4 inch a year, and years later I believe him.
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