At times, it may seem like life is just too much to handle. In actuality, though, it’s important to realize that we take a lot for granted. The opposability of our thumbs, for instance. Just imagine your life missing a thumb. It’s a frightening possibility, right? For Ashenafi Arega, a member of the men’s track and field team here at Mississippi State, this possibility nearly became reality. To fully comprehend his plight, I asked Ashenafi a few questions.Robert: Could you describe the accident in brief?
Ashenafi: I was in my woods and polymers class, trying to cut this 2-by-4 wood down the middle using a saw table. As I was cutting it, a piece of wood flew out. I twitched, and my left thumb accidentally touched the saw.
Robert: What was going through your head from then until surgery?
Ashenafi: I was in shock because my finger was barely hanging on. I wasn’t in pain, but 10 to 15 minutes later in the emergency room, I started to feel it. I was told by the doctor that I had a 50-50 chance of recovering the thumb. That’s when I got really nervous, and I started to pray.
Robert: Has this put things in perspective for you?
Ashenafi: Yes, a little bit. I had a very tough week before this. I had some problems that I was going through, and I was stressed out. After the surgery, I saw my finger put together, and it made me feel a lot better. I realized that my problems had not been that serious compared to losing a finger. I had never really considered the value of my thumb, how important it is.
Robert: What is the prognosis?
Ashenafi: So far, they expect that I should get full function back. I assume that it will take at least a few weeks or a month.
Robert: So thumbs up, basically?
Ashenafi: Yeah. I can’t do that right now with the cast, but thumbs up.
Robert: Would you be offended if you were frequently tossed a thumbs-up signal in remembrance of this?
Ashenafi: Let me think about this … it won’t be as bad now that I got my thumb back. Had I lost it, I might have been a little perturbed by the thumbs up. I’m just happy that I got it back.
Robert: Do you expect to make a full Playstation recovery?
Ashenafi: That’s gonna take a long time. I’m going to have to adjust my video game habits. I might have to start playing the Wii where I can just hold the controller with my right hand.
Robert: You were born in Ethiopia. How long did you live there?
Ashenafi: I lived in Ethiopia until I was nearly 12. I lived in Holland for three years and then moved to America.
Robert: Does the thumb have any special significance in Ethiopian culture?
Ashenafi: Not really.
Robert: Are you sure?
Ashenafi: There might be something in some other tribes, but not in my tribe.
So the next time you’re feeling down, think of Ashenafi and his almost entirely severed thumb. If it doesn’t put things in perspective for you, then I don’t know what will.