Caption: Even though my hand doctor assures me the image of a
skull in my MRI is an optical illusion, the Punisher icon is
apropos considering what this injury put me through in 2021.
Cartoonist J. P. (Jape) Trostle has “trigger finger,”
which presents a major problem with his drawing hand.
My index finger and thumb would lock up, unable to bend or straighten — and then suddenly, loudly, pop back into place without warning.
This went on for months, and reached a point where I could barely use my dominant hand. Typing and texting were extremely unpleasant, and drawing or using a mouse was out of the question. The hand became swollen and sensitive, and I didn’t dare lift anything remotely heavy or fragile thanks to a weakened grip.
Due to an uncaring insurance system he had to wait months to get corrective surgery this month,
but that presents another problem:
The delay forced on us by the insurance company has cost me months of being able to work. The strength and acuity in my right hand has degenerated to the point where I can only use it for short periods (an hour at best some days) and undercuts my ability to make a living — as an artist, or at all. Plus, it really #@#$%! hurts.
So now he has started a GoFundMe page.
During this season of giving maybe swing a few bucks Jape’s way if you can.
I am a CMI, a certified Medical Illustrator and an erstwhile editorial cartoonist. I could have fun with the radiology images there.