TB

Date of amputation: 10 February 1997
Time post amputation: 7 months
Age 23: Male
Explosion of home made firework in hand
No previous damage to arm

I was making my own fireworks: bangers & different items and as I was putting one together it detonated. The resulting blast broke my right hand and there wasn't a lot left of my left to reconstruct, so when they gave me a choice of amputation or reconstruction I chose amputation. I was expecting my wrist to be sore where they had actually removed to. I wasn't expecting sensation in my hand that was no longer there. They have been trying to control it at the pain clinic, with no success so far. The pain starts in the palm of my hand and it radiates in a pins & needles feeling out towards my finger tips. Then it seems to sit under my finger nails. The only thing that removes the phantom is going to sleep. From waking up to going to sleep it is constantly in the back of my mind saying 'I am here: something is wrong and it hurts'.

Its a long wrist amputation, so I can move the guiders for the fingers and when I think I am moving my thumb I can actually feel it moving. I can hold my stump and think that I am touching my hand. Its annoying because I know its not there, but my brain won't listen to what I am trying to tell it. I suppose I do regard it as part of myself, although I would rather get rid of it.