Thank you guys for the replies. The doc said it was up to me if I wanted to return to work or not. I decided to go for it. I called the boss and told him I wanted to come back but that there were a few things I would not be able to do for a while. So anyway Ill be back at it but I know it will take a while before I don't have to baby it. I'll have you know though that I have never been so dam scared in my life. I ruptured a disk in my back, tore tendons in both knees, shattered a finger bone, fractured a jaw.......... but when it came time to possably say goodbye to my thumb I was scared as heck. I have never been so paranoid about infection ever before. It is also very ebarasing and humiliating to admit I did it. Im sure to catch heck at work for a while.
Anyway, I have decided to still make my equipment. I am going to be very careful and take my good old time. Nothing is so important to warrant rushing an losing any body parts or a trip to the E.R. From the looks of it after insurance my bill is about 1200.00 and then all my doctor visits. My short term disability is only 67% so I lost 32% of my wages while off work as well. All in all I will probably never save enough money making my own equipment to pay it off but dont care, after all I'm bee-nuts. Oh, as long as my thumb is numb I have a place to build up immunity to stings without much pain now.