Tulsa Man Making 'Miraculous' Progress After Hand Re-Attachment Surgery

A Tulsa man who lost his hand in an accident thought he’d never do many things ever again, but surgeons changed all that.

Now, he is working hard to get back to where he used to be.

For 20 months, five days a week, Stan Lindley has come to Tulsa Hand Therapy to work on getting function back in his left hand.

Lindley was at work operating a saw, and, in an instant, his hand was severed at the wrist.

"Six surgeons and 14 hours - they had it back on and I was home in six days," he said.

The scarring's beginning to fade, but the damage was severe; the wrist had to be re-built, there were skin grafts and all blood vessels and nerves had to be re-attached.

But all the work is paying off.

"He has to use his eyes constantly until the nerves regenerate," said Lisa Rhinehart with Tulsa Hand Therapy.

Slowly re-opening the pathways from his brain to his hand, and it is working. Rhinehart said the progress is miraculous.

"Muscle memory, neuro-reeducation, but, also, it's making him work," she said.

What he's working hardest at is holding a drumstick. Lindley was a drummer with lots of bands over the years. He loved it, and his goal is to play again.

"Hopefully, my mind will remember the position and I'll be able to hold the stick and have some fun, at least have some fun," he said.

Lindley has to go back to the doctor in October to determine if he needs more surgeries.