Recovering from frostbite - Advice?

[Vern Humphrey]

The pictures remind me of Army training films from the late '50s and early '60s of frostbite in the Korean War.

My advice is to wear gloves. Your doctor can probably advise you on something like Benzoin, which toughens the skin and may help.

 

[MrCleanOK]

9mmepiphany's recommendations were spot on.

1. For racking and releasing the slide, the support hand over the top of the slide, thumb pointed back at your face, is the way to go. It's a strong, positive manual of arms that works on almost any pistol (some of the mouse/pocket guns don't get along with it).

2. Alternately, you can drop the slide via the slide release with your support hand thumb before reassembling your grip. An extended slide release may help with this. I'm not a Glock guy, so I'll let others make recommendations on which one, but there are many available.

3. As far as the magazine release goes, if you don't have a 4th gen Glock, the Vicker's extended magazine release may be a good option for you. It sticks out further than the factory button, but isn't as aggressive as other extended buttons, which may ease the pain some.

4. This may be a good opportunity to practice up on alternate means of racking the slide. Using the belt or pants pocket, or the edge of a table

 

[Torian]

Severe frostbite can often result in amputation of all affected appendages. You are very lucky that the color returned to all of your fingers. Count your blessings!

 

[The_Next_Generation]

I won't be able to get to the range until next weekend, but I'll definitely let you guys know how the tips work out. I'm picking up some new gloves tomorrow and I'll call my doc about the duoderm stuff.

And Torian, I wouldn't describe it as the color "returning" to my fingers. All of the discolored tissue sloughed (fell/peeled) off over the course of several months while new tissue was formed underneath.

- TNG

 

[hemiram]

Good luck with your recovery. I've only had really minor frostbite, but at the senior discount stage, my hands are seriously messed up. One thing really did a number on them. I was at Irwindale drag strip in 1977, and it was cold for the SOCAL area. I was sitting in the front row of the bleachers, and held onto the railing in front of me for so long, it pulled the heat out of my hands. By the time the races were done, I could barely move my fingers. My hands were pretty much snow white. The heater in my car made my hands hurt very badly. When I got back to our hotel, they were bright red, and ached in time with my pulse. It took all night with them under the covers to get them anywhere close to "normal". They really haven't ever been the same since, and the fights I had as a bouncer, and working on cars and guns over the years have added arthritis to the cold sensitivity. They hurt anytime they get cold at all, and I do a lot of putting my hands in my pockets, causing more than a few people to think I'm "Weird". I am weird, but the hands in pockets is just to keep them warm and mostly pain free. A friend who had frostbite similar to yours does the same thing and wears gloves a lot to keep the heat in his hands. My next car will have a heated steering wheel, and I've had a remote starter for years as it prevents my hands from killing me on cold mornings. The minor pain I have in my hands is just an annoyance, it's a hassle, but no big deal, unless I do something dumb, like mess with snow on my car without gloves. Do NOT shoot outside in cold weather without heavy gloves, if you do, you will pay for it. At least I'm shake free, unlike a lot of friends about my age.

 

[ObsidianOne]

Is wearing some light but rough gloves (maybe like the Mechanix line) an option? Might give you some protection and make your hands less sensitive, while not being too intrusive.

Sent from my PC36100 using Tapatalk 2

 

[phonesysphonesys]

As a few others have mentioned, I would recommend going to a revolver for the time being and learn to shoot it left handed I also would not go higher than a .38 special. That way you can let your hands heal properly. As far as reloads, carry two revolvers. Best of luck. You are really lucky.

 

[flyingfeathers]

Reminds me of the terrible stories of winter warfare in Korea and Europe, frostbite crippled armies almost more than anything else. You neednt tell me, but I am curious how you managed to get it. bad clothing? I thought of using a revolver instead too.

 

[stonecoldy]

Perhaps finger cots would help? They can be found at CVS, Walgreens, etc.
Sometimes I get skin splits around my fingernails in cold, dry weather, hurts like the devil. I have used finger cots to help bandaids dry or after applying lotion to keep clean. Just a thought. Best of luck, hope your recovery continues well.

 

[LJ-MosinFreak-Buck]

Thanks for the tips and support folks, it's really helpful!

climbnjump: The doc cleared me for using my fingers like I normally would. He said any damage that would have occurred from my exposure has already been done, things will just be sensitive for a while.

Orionengnr: The only medication I took was aspirin to open up my blood vessels so the blood could work it's way back into my fingers as much as possible. So far, time (and perhaps the Father..) has been the biggest healer and I am sure it will continue to be that way. I did sustain frostbite injuries with my left-hand, but they were only 1st and 2nd degree so I was still able to grip my phone as a camera. HOWEVER, the touch-screen couldn't detect them (frostbite makes your skin very waxy and dead...mostly because it's dead..) so I had to tap the screen with my nose to take most of those pictures. And yes, I am pretty young I suppose (Up until last July I couldn't buy my own ammo.........).

Kernel: I will certainly look into the DuoDerm product. This is the first time I've heard of it but it sounds like a great thing!

Al Thompson: I've been carrying my pocketknife (no firearms allowed on campus at GATech...yet.) on my left side, and it feels perfectly normal now. In fact, using my right hand to do most daily tasks still feels a little weird. Next time I get to the range, I'll try going full-lefty and see how it goes (dang, I should've bought the 4th gen after all!)

I think I'm going to try a better pair of gloves, probably leather. The ones that I tried are a little loose-fitting and my thumb slides around in them when I try and hit a release.

What I would have suggested if you had a gen 4 is to have someone else change the mag release around. I had a tricky time just switching it around with one half-dead finger, versus your really sensitive fingers. But once it's changed, it's easy-peasy.


~On The Road Again...~

 

[U-235]

Can you get Physical Therapy through your medical insurance? It will probably help with specific actions that you are trying to get your hands/fingers to do.

 

[Lex Luthier]

Sorry for your experience, but it surely made you stronger. Grateful you have made such an outstanding recovery. I have always had a fascination with triage and medicine, so thanks for that also. Good luck.

I have an area on my left ear that got frostbitten many years ago and still bothers me some very cold days.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

I think the problem was that my synthetic gloves weren't tight enough or thick enough. I tried some tighter and thicker leather gloves (I look like I'm about to fight somebody) and they really seem to help. Pushing on the mag release doesn't hurt nearly as bad, but I will probably stick with using my support hand to release the magazine for now while my thumb toughens up.

 

[surferdaddy]

Ouch...

The advice about the mag loaders is great, they really make things easier. I have an M&P which RELIABLY auto forwards; all I have to do is insert the mag with a little gusto and snap goes the slide, chambering a round. I've heard of other pistols doing this, but the m&p is the only one that I have heard that the factory acknowledges. Could be a great option for you.

SurferD

 

[The_Next_Generation]

Hmmmm...I like the idea of an "auto-forwarding" gun. I put up an ad offering my Gen 3 for a Gen 4, maybe I should change that to include the M&P pistols since I think they also have reversible magazine releases.

 

[surferdaddy]

Well, aside from their slam charge "trick", there are a whole slew of reasons to consider an M&P. Simply astounding firearms.

 

[Leanwolf]

As for residual effects of frostbite, in 1985, in Los Angeles, we had our kitchen completely remodeled. After the entire job was over, I was talking with the contractor, making out the last check, etc. Asked him if he'd like a drink? Sure. So we had a drink and talked a while. He was at that time in his mid-60s.

He'd mentioned previously that he was originally from Missouri. I asked him how he ended up in California? He said he really liked the warm weather in Southern California because he had gotten his feet frostbitten and the cold winters in Missouri made his feet hurt constantly. I asked him how he got frostbitten feet?

He said, "Well, I was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne Div. and was at the Battle of the Bulge. It was a terrible winter and we didn't have the proper clothing or boots, or much of anything else. So, my feet ended up with frostbite, but mine wasn't as bad as some of the other troopers. After the war, I spent one winter in north Missouri, feet hurting all the time no matter how many wool socks I wore. I was miserable as I could be, so then in the Spring, drove to Los Angeles. I never went back to Missouri except in the hottest part of August to see my mother and dad."

I said, "Well, I suppose you don't go camping up in the Sierra."

He laughed and said, "I do my camping by the pool with a cold beer and the sun on my feet."

That was in 1985 when we talked. Forty years had gone by and cold still bothered his feet.

L.W.

 

[The_Next_Generation]

I really enjoy mountaineering and skiing (preferably at the same time ) as well as backpacking and hunting. Hopefully it will be tolerable during the colder parts of my excursions.

I went backpacking on the AT 3 weeks ago and as long as I had some light gloves on, the cold and wind didn't bother them. The coldest it got was ~20F, so I'll have to wait until this winter to see how things fair at cooler temperatures. I think as long as I can take up (down?) to a -20F windchill with mitts I think I'll be ok for the rest of my climbing "career".

Of course, as I age I may become less-tolerant for pain due to cold..
- TNG

 

[gym]

I use a "lidocaine" patch that can be cut into any shape, and it is for pain. It may help give you relief while you are actually shooting. They are prescription, and really work on any sore areas. They also come off easily, but stick pretty good. It's the same stuff they use when the dentist or doctor give you a shot to dull the area.

 

[CGT80]

Competitive shooters use "slide rackers" to work the slide, especially with open guns which have red dots mounted over the slide. My mom's XD has a racker that clamps to the serrations on the slide and extends to the rear. It is basically a finger ring to grab onto. It works great for her, but her hands are not sensitive. She doesn't have as strong of a grip as some. Others use a racker that mounts in the dovetail from the rear sight which has been removed.

Obviously you would have to look into it more to see if it will work for carry use. Gunsmiths who work on competition guns will know of many upgrades for the controls of a pistol.