Nick in better times.
One of my friends nearly died today.
His name is Nick. He’s one of the best, most durable friends, and occasional lovers, I’ve ever had, and given that in real life I’m pretty much just the same as I am on this site, you can imagine the kind of patience it takes to put up with me for more than a few minutes, much less being my friend for ten years, like he has.
He was on his way from Seattle to Las Vegas when the car he was in flipped. One of the other people in the car was killed. Nick had his arm outside the window, and apparently a good portion of the car landed on it. Somehow his other arm was hurt as well. The end result? It sounds like they were able to re-attach the pinky and ring-finger on his left hand. The thumb there was ok, but the other two fingers are gone. Same with the middle finger, ring-finger and pinky on his right hand, though again, the thumb (and index finger), on that hand are ok. From what I understand most of the soft-tissue on both hands was destroyed. If that means muscle and skin, as I suspect it does, this means he probably won’t be able to use his hands ever again.
He’s currently at a hospital in Las Vegas and has, from what I understand, four more surguries coming up. To say he’s not in the best of shape would be an understatement, though at least he’s still alive and kicking.
I’m concerned about my friend and certainly hope he comes out of everything ok, though realistically, being minus half your fingers and probably not being able to use your hands again implies a certain lack of “ok”. I hope to visit him next week, assuming I can get the money together.
But despite my concern, there’s a part of me that’s very surprised that I haven’t at any point, even considered praying to some diety to make it all better. All I’ve done is hope he has the best medical care science can provide, which is always a lot more than prayer can provide (anyhow, prayer for the purpose of requesting anything logically can’t work).
Many years ago, I read some stuff about Gene Roddenberry, the creator of Star Trek. He was a pilot, among other things, and was flying a Pan Am aircraft in 1947 which crashed in the desert. What I remember most vividly about his re-telling of the story in the book, is that he said he never once felt the need to ask for the help of any gods. He was an atheist before it was cool, his comments about that stayed with me.
Anyhow, thanks for putting up with this little mini-rant. Everyone deals with their stress and concerns in their own ways. Mine apparently involves theraputic blogging. 
Get well soon, my friend!
July 3, 2008 at 7:10 am
You know, on a side note, this brings up the question of what I’m supposed to do when someone says, “I’ll pray for you”, on a context such as this, or if someone asks me to pray for someone who is injured. What’s the right way to handle those two things? Clearly with the first, I just say, “Well, I appreciate your concern”, but the second is trickier.
July 3, 2008 at 1:56 pm
@Chris:
I think the first case yo’ure right, just thank them for their concern. It’s never a bad idea to turn down help, even if you’re not completely convinced that that help will actually, well, help.
In the second instance why not just say something to the effect of “I certainly hope they will be okay?” Best not to further upset somone going through a hard time by attacking their beliefs, you know?
@Chris: I’m glad to hear your friend made it through the accident. Better to be banged up than dead. My prayers will be with him, whether or not you or he belives it’ll do any good
July 3, 2008 at 4:51 pm
Seems like a good thought, so in response to your last sentence; thank you for your concern.
And, yeah, at least he’s alive. I’m hoping to get up to Vegas to see him next weekend. Not, admitedly, the way I’d planned to have my first-ever weekend in Vegas…
July 4, 2008 at 6:52 pm
Well, some slight good news. Apparently my friend is concious and talking (at least as much as he can through the morphine). Also, it sounds like the damage to his left hand wasn’t as bad as previously reported. The ring-finger and pinky were both servered and have been reattached. The rest of the fingers on that hand weren’t harmed. We’re still waiting to hear if he’ll be able to use what fingers he has, and to hear if the reattachment of the severed fingers will take.
July 9, 2008 at 7:48 pm
Good news!
July 9, 2008 at 9:24 pm
Yeah, the most recent news is that my friend is going back up to Seattle today, which is way too early. He should stay in Vegas to continue with the doctors he’s already had, since he needs more surgery. But, oh, well. On the plus side, it sounds like the reattached fingers are doing fine, the swelling he had is way down and he’s actually getting the chance to get a shower today, which he hasn’t had since he’s been so messed up.
On the other hand, he’s still minus three fingers on his right hand, which blows, but you know what? Given that we can already do face and arm transplants, I give it only a matter of a few years before one way or another he has functioning fingers on that hand.
August 12, 2008 at 2:16 am
For the curious, my friend Nick is back up in the Seattle area. His hands are both doing much better. He’s had a couple more surgeries and I believe has at least one more to go. Looks as though the reattachment of the two fingers on the left hand has taken, so they should be ok. The right hand is still a mess, and will be until finger transplants are invented.
Still and all, he’s doing quite well, despite now being burried under probably about $400,000 in medical bills. Gotta love health care in this country.