Have You Ever Heard of #Syndactyly? Read Stephen Bell’s
Experience with This Condition on Disability.Blog.
Being born with a rare visible difference/disability can be
an extremely interesting experience. I was born with a limb malformation
condition on my right-hand called Syndactyly (pronounced syn-dac-ty-ly). All
four of my fingers were fused together and I have since had the index finger
separated after many skin graft and plastic surgery operations. Skin was taken
from both the groin and the upper arm area to use for the skin graft and
plastic surgery. I then had to wear a skin-tight, and very itchy, custom-made
silicone glove day and night for six months in order to compress and heal the
scarring. I have more flexibility and grip with the index finger since the
surgery. The other three fingers share the same bone, so if more separations
were to take place, one finger would be useable (like my index finger) and the
other two fingers would be floppy, limp and useless.
My personal experience of having Syndactyly has been
generally really positive; from an early age, my family taught, encouraged and
helped me to be comfortable in my own skin. I guess nobody is 100 percent
perfect. I have never ever tried to hide my fingers and hand, as this would
only cause unnecessary attention. Some people never even notice but I am always
more than happy to explain this unique condition and answer any questions. As
with a lot of situations in life, it is often a case of assessing the situation
and going with the flow. I let these conversations progress naturally, as I do
not want to force anyone in to learning about my condition. If someone starts
staring or glaring, then I will very politely just ask them, “Have we met
before?” The majority of reactions I get when asked about my fingers is
respectful, positive and encouraging. For as many years as I can remember, I
have worn plain silver jewelry on both hands, like a watch, rings and
bracelets. Perhaps this a subconscious was of both distracting and deflecting
people from noticing my fingers. Like all other human beings, I learn coping
strategies and mechanisms and this method works for me.
To read more on this story, click here: My ExperienceLiving with Syndactyly: Fusion of Fingers
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