Ouch!!

Ouch,you were lucky it got a finger and not another sensitive body part.

That thing won't heal fast !!  Good time to take up something like Dobro for a few months....

I lost every finger nail when was a diesel mechanic, and some toe nails too! I feel your pain. Ice might help?

That's exactly what happened to the ring finger on my right hand.  I broke the middle finger with the same stroke, but didn't now it because the ring finger smarted so badly.  I was playing bass then, but couldn't fret a note for about four weeks. I hope your recover is quicker.

Thanks for all the sympathy and kind sentiments everyone.

The finger was unwrapped today and after cutting away dead skin its about 1/8" shorter than it was.  Good news is that the nerve endings were damaged so I'm not really feeling much pain.  I heal quickly according to the doctors that have treated a multitude of injuries I've incurred over the years from doing stupid things so I expect it shouldn't be but 2-3 weeks before I can use it.  Right now I'm having fun trying to figure out alternate ways to form chords with my other fingers.  I can pretty much play anything that only has 3 chords and is in the keys of A or D although the chord changes are a little slow.

DE