Jumping with stitches in finger??

[jrcolo 0]

I was planning on going jumping this coming weekend but i got cut tuesday at work. Ive received four stitches on my left pointer finger on the bottom side. The cut runs parallel with my finger basically below the knuckle. Im obviously going to call my dropzone and the doctor and ask them what they think but i would like to hear what others opinions might be??

[BIGUN 1,483]

See what the Doctor has to say. The sky will be there when you're ready,

Nobody has time to listen; because they're desperately chasing the need of being heard.

[AggieDave 6]

Can you bend it? Could you grip your rear riser in an emergency turn to avoid a collision on opening? Could you grip your reserve handle quickly and properly? Is it painful if you bump it?

Don't you think the sky will be there next weekend? Don't you think you could grab a case of beer and take it to the DZ for after sunset? Maybe take the time to hang around the DZ and lend a hand while watching and listening from the rest of the up jumpers?

My point is if you're asking here and asking the DZ and going to call your doctor, then it sounds like you're not real confident that you should be jumping. If you're not confident that you'll be ok, then why chance it when you could wait for just a few more days? Its not like the DZO will kill a family of eight with a BAR if you don't jump this weekend.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[Stuntbabex 0]

If your jump numbers in your profile is correct then I would advise against it.

[jrcolo 0]

im asking here because im curious what others would do? as far as rear riser turns,reserve handle pulls,bending it,and bumping it goes, not a problem. i work with my hands physically everday (its not on a keyboard either).

[skydemon2 0]

I would jump, now and when I had your jump number. But Im sure you can decide for yourself what you are going to do!

Beauty is only skin deep, but ugly goes clean to the bone!

I like to start my day off with a little Ray of Soulshine™!!

[billvon 3,111]

If you are concerned, don't do it.

[jrcolo 0]

Of course im concerned for my safety, everyone should be. Im just looking for opinions on here. I have nothing but confidence in my ablility as long as those above agree with me. If jumpers with HIGH numbers tell me not to do it, obviously Im not going to.

[freeflyimpaired 0]

Last year I recieved a bad cut on the palm of my hand that required stiches. I could use my hand with some pain to do any of the necessary emergency procedures and felt confident that I wouldn't have any problems that I couldn't handle. I made a couple of jumps the following weekend and of course I had a fast landing in which I fell forward onto my hands. Along with the excrusiating pain I ripped open the cut on my hand. I didn't jump for a few weeks after that as my hand was now worse than it was after recieving the cut. Your situation may not be the same as mine but if I could go back I would have waited a few weeks.

Hope that helps with your decision.

"Human beings, who are almost unique in having the ability to learn from the experience of others, are also remarkable for their apparent disinclination to do so."

[davelepka 4]

This is an easy one - You may need your hands to save youe life. If you feel that your injury could limit your ability to do that, then maybe don't jump.

There's also the idea (as sombody mentioned) of furthering the injury, which would put you off of jumping even longer, and from the sounds of it, off of work as well.

[sonomatommy 0]

whats the rush. like others have said the sky isn't going anywhere. i to am injured(motorcycle accident) and it is killing me not to jump. i was supposed to do my 100th last weekend...didn't happen. was thinking this weekend but my right hand is still pretty weak, and with a wife and 2 kids i'm not getting on the plane unless i'm sure i can pull all my handles with no problem. but i'll be at the dz on sun. just to hang out, which is also hard...sort of like being at the biggest candy store in the world with no money in your pocket. let it heal bro

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

If jumpers with HIGH numbers tell me not to do it, obviously Im not going to.

How many jumps does someone have to have. You've had a handful of people from over 1000 jumps to over 5500 jumps tell you and imply that it would probably be a good idea to wait.

--"When I die, may I be surrounded by scattered chrome and burning gasoline."

[GLIDEANGLE 1]

There is only one tiny problem with asking your doctor for a reccomendation about this.... rare is the doctor who understands the specific demands of skydiving. Without knowing what you need to do, it is hard for the doctor to say that you can do it safely with your injury.

Here are a few things to fill your non-jumping weekend at the DZ (remember to bring ).

--Hang out with the riggers & packers and learn more about gear.

--Sit in the shade and STUDY jumpers' approaches and landings.

--Sit through the FJC again. (I bet that you hear things that you missed the first time.)

--Spend time in the training harness.

--Chat up the pilot about spotting.

--Hang out with the experienced jumpers and LISTEN.

--Visualize (in detail) your next jumps and the skills that you need to improve.

--If your hand tolerates it... practice packing.

--Flirt

--Pet the DZ dog.
--Live to jump another day.

The choices we make have consequences, for us & for others!

[riggerrob 643]

Tape your wound, put on gloves, then do a series of push-ups, chin-ups, play baseball, etc.
If you do all those well - without significant pain - then you are ready to skydive again.

[SkyJeaux 0]

I jumped with stitches 1 day after I received them. At about 10,000 feet, I started bleeding thru the bandage. Once I got to the ground, the bleeding stopped.

The morale of the story was that I was told later that it's not only the tightness of the stitches that keeps the wound closed initially, it's also the air pressure keeping the blood in until it clots completely.

Be careful jumping with a new stitched wound, you might just leak.