03's here, I'm ticked!!!!!!!!

[smartineau]

After 11 very long weeks my 03' dually HO MANUAL TRANS (yes I'm yelling) has arrived and is in my driveway.



Everything I wanted was on my ordered truck no scratches, dings or dents. The truck is the way that it is suppose to be.









I'm ticked off that I am unable to drive the thing (other than about 100 yards) a couple days ago I broke a small bone in my wrist that allows you to use your thumb. So into a cast up past my elbow my right arm went and will remain for at LEAST 8 weeks!!



I can't reach the darn gear shifter, the push and pull thing on the finger stubs sticking out won't allow the bone to heal. So no driving for me, I kind of need that opposable thumb.



On the bright side several friends have called to offer to take me for a ride or to break in MY truck.



Steve

 

[SS]

My truck has been sitting since October - can't put any weight on clutch foot in a cast. So I know about how you feel. :{



It will be over soon enough - good luck!

 

[Pit Bull]

Bummer Only positive I can think of is it keeps the miles down on the new trucks. Sorry, I will keep trying to think of something better.

 

[smartineau]

DTW, and pit bull,



thanks for the sympathy votes. DTW hopefully you can start driving soon.



My boss said look on the bright side you might be the first guy in america to run out of time before you run out of miles. My reply was NOT, when I'm better I'll make a drive to Alaska or Maine just because.



steve

 

[DiTrani]

Well, if you're like me, you'll get the hack saw out in about a week and cut off just enough so that you can drive. BTDT.

 

[Dean Upson]

There's gotta be a way! Some of the mechanics and engineers on this forum should be able to come up with something, perhaps an extension so you could shift with your teeth? Seriously, Steve, I hope you are a fast healer.



Dean

 

[ladyjaine]

Shifting

Dontcha have friends, a girlfriend or wife? Sheesh! I learned how to shift by shifting lefty while Daddy ran the clutch. Later, when snuggling with the BF, it really came in handy. Nudge, nudge, wink wink!



But seriously, those tiny hand bones need really odd shaped support when healing. Go find an Occupational Therapist and have her make you a custom splint. It will be thinner than a cast, removable (shhh!!!) and you might be able to shift while wearing it. Navicular bone, right?



Jean

 

[smartineau]

ladyjaine,



You are right the navicular bone!!! (as I understand it the scaphoid bone and it is the 'navicular' is a part of the scaphoid and that is what that broke)



The boss lady says no driving my new toy, she took me for a ride today so we could weigh it. A friend broke his navicular bone and it never healed right due to the pushing and pulling on the gear shift (his story, it could have been something else). He had to have a piece of hip removed and placed in his wrist and he has lost a large amount strength and movement in his hand. Another guy I know broke his navicular bone, did as ordered sat at home no driving or using his hand, he recovered well with no long term deficits.



The doctor said after I'm out of this huge arm cast then I see the occupational therapist. As much as it tears me up too wear this thing if I get to keep the use of my thumb I guess I need to do as I'm told. both by the hand surgeon and especially the boss lady.



Steve



PS ladyjaine, how do you know about this silly little bone?

 

[HEYBOSS]

Dam it seems like you guys should've gotten automatics Well hope you all heel soon to enjoy those new rides, I hear their quiet and also ride better than the older gens.

 

[MidwestMotorman]

using other parts

I am surprised no one has mentioned shifting with the left hand. You can steer with your knees or with the left elbow while shifting. You have to hug the steering wheel a little bit closer though. Keep off the Viagra to avoid any hang-ups.

 

[Fireman]

Methinks ladyjane is an orthipedic nurse... ... ... or MD ?



Fireman

 

[ladyjaine]

Saddle joints

I'm an Occupation Therapist by training, but I got tired of working wiht very sick people and jumped over to computers. I was in the 'scary' units of hospitals, the oncology, coronary care, critical care and intensive care units... It's draining.



The bones of the thumb are really tricky. There are 8 tiny carpal bones in the wrist, the navicular, lunate, triquetium psiform, greater and lesser multangular, capatate and hamate. Because the wrist bones are interdependent and closely hooked together, breaking one can affect placement of all of them. Add in the fact that most men who use their hands for work have a lot of muscle that can pull the bones out of alignment as well as hold the bones in place at times and you have a touchy situation. The joint between the thumb and the wrist is saddle shaped, to allow for all the directions of movement the thumb has. It's hard to keep that saddle the correct shape and alignment. Your friend didn't lose muscle mass, he lost the ability to use the muscle effectively. After a while, because he couldn't use the muscles, they got weak.



I'm glad to hear that you are following the doctor's orders, but don't forget that it's ok to ask the doctor to adjust what he's doing. There are often several ways to get the same effect; if one isn't working for you, trying a different one might help. Thats why I suggested a custom splint. It might do the same stability job but be smaller and allow you to grasp and shift. OTOH, splints for big guys are difficult to fabricate strong enough. You break the splints a lot.



Jean

 

[smartineau]

ladyjaine,



By big guy (kid) I think I resemble that comment. I'm 6'1" and weigh in at 250. Hopefully not much more by time I go back to work, I had just got back to work 6 weeks before breaking this silly bone. I was off all summer no playing though had shoulder surgery yet again. I gained 15-20 lbs then. I believe play hard at work and at home.



steve

 

[WadePatton]

Well I believe I'd just have to fab me up a device of some sort to grip the shifter without using my fingers.



Inverted cup on ball/socket sounds good.



If you can't get that worked out--DUCT TAPE that cast to the shifter! and keep a cutter handy to get out.



And yes, I've had the lady folks shift for me when they're sittin' up close. (little more to the right)