June 30, 2007
1. DON'T. DO. IT. Just…don't.
2. If you slam the door hard enough, you actually have to open it to get your fingers out.
3. You can be in so much pain that you can't make a noise, and thus your nine-year-old son, who is sitting in the back of the van–a mere two feet away–and wholly engrossed in The Goblet of Fire, is completely oblivious to the fact that you are trying hard not to vomit and/or faint as you sit on the edge of the open door.
4. The top segments of the first two fingers of your right hand–the miscreants that got in the way of that car door–won't stop throbbing for at least an hour and a half. And then they'll start to tingle in a horribly painful way for another thirty minutes after that. And then any time you bump them or brush against anything, a new shot of pain goes through you.
5. You'll likely lose the two black and purple nails of those digits. Just in time for a big writers conference you'll be attending in a couple of weeks.
6. The cut on one of them bleeds through your Band-Aid, so it gets on the first page of your manuscript (your vampire one, coincidentally enough) that has all the copyeditor's notes on it…the same one that already got wet because you left it in your car with the windows open during a horrible rainstorm…the same one that you have to send back to your publisher Monday. Wrinkled, crinkly, and smeared with blood. Just the impression you want to make.
7. As long as you're careful, you can actually type with those fingers, a fact which is quite a relief to someone who spends as much time at the keyboard as anyone who's reading this does. But you're thankful you're not a piano player or guitarist, because that much pressure would be agony.
8. In fact, you can't even open the snaps on your jeans or push down the button for the electronic window of your car with those fingers, which makes it not only awkward in the bathroom, but also a bit steamy in the car. And we won't even talk about trying to turn your vehicle's ignition, opening a bottle of water, or lather-rinse-repeating.
9. You're particularly glad that you're a southpaw when it's the right hand that's the handicap.
10. Crying to your mom (a nurse) about your injury magically helps even when you're 40, but kisses and loving from your three kids is even more miraculously healing.
June 30th, 2007 at 12:03 pm
Colleen! That’s awful. How did you manage to not break them? And don’t fret about RWA — I’ve seen people at conferences on crutches.
June 30th, 2007 at 12:11 pm
OUCH! I am sorry that this happened to you! I understand the bathroom part. I had a compound fracture on my arm last year. Had to have HELP pulling up my pants for about 6 weeks. Ya just never realize how much you value being able to perform such a simple function until you can’t anymore.
Hope it feels better soon!
June 30th, 2007 at 12:32 pm
Oh no! That’s horrible before. I’ve actually done something similar before with the front door to my house…It somehow closed ALL THE WAY with my fingers still in it…It hurts! I hope they get better soon Colleen!
June 30th, 2007 at 1:05 pm
I’m so sorry Colleen. Wow. But let me tell you it’s even worse when you do it to your child. He was coming out the side of the van by swinging (I don’t know how to describe it but I guess his fingers were wrapped around the part that separates the side door from the driver’s door) and I had already started the motion to swing my door shut before I realized what he was doing. He cried. I cried. Ugh.
June 30th, 2007 at 4:09 pm
Yikes..feel better!
June 30th, 2007 at 4:29 pm
THIS is why minivans are evil.
Seriously. I am writhing in pain with you. And my skin’s crawling.
I’m too damn empathic…
June 30th, 2007 at 8:20 pm
Oh, ouch, ouch, ouch!!! I did the exact same thing when I was about 8 years old and believe me, I still remember the throbbing well.
BTW, interview is delayed till August issue of Estella. I’ll be in touch, when I’m recovered from having a husband on the other side of the world.
June 30th, 2007 at 8:21 pm
I forgot to say I hope your fingers heal quickly!!!
June 30th, 2007 at 11:03 pm
I did that! My mother couldn’t believe how calm I was afterwards. Different scenerio, though, I was younger and my brother slammed the door on my fingers. It was pretty brutal, my mother wanted to take me to the doctors, but I just put them in ice.
June 30th, 2007 at 11:28 pm
Holy Moley! I take it nothing’s broken, then? I’ve broken/sprained many a finger playing softball, but never damaged the entire hand. I was just thinking the other day though, if I broke my left hand it would suck, since the whole guitar playing thing brings in 90% of my income most of the year.
I hope your hand feels better! Maybe you can grab a movie to take your mind off it? I reccomend 1408 or DIE HARD, both were awesome.
July 1st, 2007 at 10:57 am
ouchies is right. My shivers to you and your fingers. I know all about how much it hurts to lose your fingers for a brief time and your right, its always a little better that it is the weaker hand.
July 1st, 2007 at 2:09 pm
when i was 9, my older brother slammed my fingers in the sliding door of our pimped-out van. I FEEL YOUR PAIN, and that pain just SUCKS.
i waved on friday. did you see me?
my beach reading so far is finishing “the rest falls away.” hopefully i’ll be able to order, receive, and read “rises the night” before harry comes to visit. harry potter that is, but i’m sure you got it. anyhow, i’m already dying to know what becomes of your characters. thank you!
July 2nd, 2007 at 8:26 am
YEOWCH!!!!
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:20 am
Those are 10 lessons I sincerely hope I never have to learn first hand, pardon the pun.
Hope your recovery is a quick one!
July 2nd, 2007 at 9:22 am
I’m sorry! That sucks, and definitely hurts. I’ve done it before myself.
I hope your fingers feel better soon!
July 2nd, 2007 at 1:38 pm
Oh lord I’ve done that before! HUGS! I hope you are feeling better soon.
May 16th, 2008 at 10:48 am
That stinks alot, but it was a funny story.