what do you do when you injure your dominant hand?

Shelley James 0

slipped on ice. still want to feel productive. might do svs courses but note taking will be slow...

Blitz55

You know, I've started trying to do things with my non dominant hand just to build up a bit more dexterity with it in case I run into this. Simple things like brushing my teeth with it instead of my dominant hand.

But in your case that doesn't help. You can certainly watch courses but you may find a desire to work along with them or take notes. Depending on how long it's injured, this could be a good time for just some good old fashion day dreaming, internal concepting and brain storming on any projects you might have or haven't had time to put much thought into. I think there is a real value to taking a bit of time to just day dream, but focused day dreaming on things.

All in all, that's a rough spot to be in and I don't envy you. Get well soon!

NessIllustration

@Shelley-James-0 Rest it as much as possible, or you can lengthen your recovery! I suggest using voice-to-text (on an ipad or iphone) to take notes on a Google doc. This way you don't have to use your hand.

Frogpunzel

@Shelley-James-0 @AngelinaKizz is an amazing example of using a non-dominant hand... Any tips or ideas?

Shelley James 0

i decided to be productive by doing something I have really needed to do but been putting off. file organizing,

von_Nimmermehr

@Shelley-James-0 you could also listen to some podcasts.
i have some i listen to and i always learn something new.

you should take really good care of your hand and also start to make some excersices to strenghten you muscles of your hand. but slowly and not push to much and injure your hand more.

AngelinaKizz

@Shelley-James-0
hi!
I’m sorry to hear about your fall. I hope that you’ll heal up quickly and be back to your old self in no time.

I had an accident in Feb 2020, it’s honestly really hard to believe that this has been 3 years of my life. In that accident, and the ensuing pandemic, I’ve since lost the use of my dominant hand. I was casted a week late, 3 weeks after the accident I’d had another X-ray which determined I’d broke my scaphoid and my radius, and I was recasted with referrals for ct and mri to determine if there were additional injuries. The world shut down a week later, and I lost all access to medical care. where I live, you were only seen if you were dying. I was in a cast for 6 months before anyone would remove it. And then everything went downhill for me from there. I lost the ability to move my thumb, my hand was swollen to the point it looked like plastic, the joint was hot. Drs refused to X-ray me again since the accident was in Feb. After 20 months of fighting, my gp returned from his leave of absence and took over my care and fought for me to be seen by more specialists than I can count. The damage was missed (a third broken bone that required surgery and a ruptured ligament that required surgery), it’s permanent and the only surgical option now that it’s been 3 years would leave me in worse mobility than I currently have. I will have to wear a prosthetic sleeve (custom made by a prosthetist and insanely expensive) over my dominant hand and arm that has hinges to allow me to function some what normally (play with my kids, hold a fork, cook, get dressed etc) for the rest of my life. I could get into a ton more detail, but it’s a saga and a half.

My accident left me in a hard place, it was both grief and intense anger, rolled up with bitterness. I won’t say it was easy, because it was hard AF. I spent plenty of time crying and grieving the loss of my art career ( I was doing photorealistic portraiture full time before I lost my hand). I’m also a classically trained concert pianist, and grieved the dream of playing duets with my daughter. I was angry at everyone who wouldn’t help me. I begged drs for help. I hated the system that failed me. I struggled hard… especially since the one thing that bring me peace during stress was taken away from me. It really has taken the entire 3 years to not feel like I’m being held back. I do still have days that I can’t pick up a pencil, because it reminds me how much shit I’ve been through and sometime the grief comes back in waves. The ripples are getting smaller though.

When I was initially casted, I started sketching with my left hand. I also did a ton of crossword puzzles to keep writing with my left. I knew lockdowns weren’t going to be an easy 2 weeks, and had a feeling it would be a while before I was able to actually see a Dr. I’m not a person who can go without art. So I drew daily with my left. I can honestly say that it changed my creative process, and I think it opened up more creative pathways in my brain, than I had before. I found my work wasn’t as boring, and had more energy to it. I also felt some sense of liberation, since I wasn’t really trying to make anything specific, I just needed to get pencil to paper.

If you’re in the mood to draw, I really do encourage you to give it a go with your non dominant, Be gentle with yourself it won’t be fantastic, but it’ll be satisfying.

I’m now a fully non-dominant handed artist, and feel really proud of how far I’ve come in the last 3 years. I’ve even managed to get in a few portraits with colored pencil. I’m not yet where I want to be, but I’m not letting anything stand in my way.

You’ve got this!

Jeremiah D

I’ve been there, I broke my hand a few years back and couldn’t hold a pencil or even brush my teeth with that hand. But time passed and my hand recovered. These things can feel heartbreaking at times, but know there just speed bumps along your creative journey. Good luck with the recovery ️‍🩹

GabeRobinson

@AngelinaKizz Oh my God, that is so messed up. I am really impressed that you have gained the perspective you have. Thank you for sharing your story.

Shelley James 0

decided to get x-rays. It's broken, in multiple places. Practicing with my offhand and working on editing and uploading already-made art for prints.

AngelinaKizz

@Shelley-James-0 oh boy.... speedy recovery to you do you need surgery?

Shelley James 0

@AngelinaKizz urgent care said they are not a wrist specialist, but they think I will. hoping they are wrong, ill find out next week

AngelinaKizz

@Shelley-James-0 awe man, I'm so sorry. If you need an ear to vent to, or have broken dominant hand questions, feel free to reach out. I'd be happy to send you my number and we can whatsapp. No one really understood what I was going through, and the struggle of it being my dominant hand and not being able to do what I love. So I'm here, with an empathetic ear if you need it.