One Year Out (external link)

In mid April last year my dog (Sherman) was doing a few of his expressly forbidden sprints along our neighbor's fence - chasing and keeping pace with the dog there. I work hard - probably too hard - to keep him from doing this. Sherman had been tied up to our swingset so he was wearing his halter for leash attachment. I reached out with my left hand and my ring finger somehow slipped into a metal ring on the halter. With Sherman running full speed, my finger snapped back hard and one of my tendons popped clean off its preferred bone.

I waited a few weeks to go see a doctor - which is classic. The day after the visit I was in surgery. That was May 7, 2020 - just over a year ago today. It was still early on in the Pandemic. It felt like the surgery centers and hand specialists and physical therapists were open just for me. Everyone was still figuring out how to live in the new normal.

My finger keeps improving day to day. It will never again be fully straight, but I have regained much flex and strength, which is more important to me as a guitarist. 2020 overall was a simultaneous blurring of 3 disorienting experiences: the pandemic & my finger injury and rehab & caring for a small child.

Here in mid 2021, it finally feels like I can begin to move forward in life.