Here is the situation: when I was born, I had a duplicate thumb on my left hand. I had corrective surgery, but the tip of my left thumb is askew. This has never stopped me from any activity, and I have been this was for 17 years now. However, now that my hands are done growing, I can get cosmetic surgery which would involved fusing the tip and middle bone (sorry I do not know the medical terminology,) and I would no longer be able to bend that portion of my thumb, however it would look "normal." (Not that this would really change anything functionally, but currently, I technically have a joint still there as it is.) I have not found anything that suggests this would be an issue, but if it will be, I will opt not to have the surgery, as I do not want anything to stop me from joining the military.
I have several concerns with my condition. The first of which being that I do not want my thumb to be an issue as it is, even though I am fully functional with it. The second being that I would like to have this surgery if possible, the only issue is that I was not able to have the procedure earlier this year as I will be in Europe soon, and I did not want to be recovering while there. If the surgery would not negatively affect my DoDMERB, I would like to get it, but I have heard I should not have surgery within 6 months of having the physical. I am also wondering if having the surgery between the DoDMERB and what would be Beast Barracks/Plebe Summer etc. is an option. Thanks for any advice.
I have several concerns with my condition. The first of which being that I do not want my thumb to be an issue as it is, even though I am fully functional with it. The second being that I would like to have this surgery if possible, the only issue is that I was not able to have the procedure earlier this year as I will be in Europe soon, and I did not want to be recovering while there. If the surgery would not negatively affect my DoDMERB, I would like to get it, but I have heard I should not have surgery within 6 months of having the physical. I am also wondering if having the surgery between the DoDMERB and what would be Beast Barracks/Plebe Summer etc. is an option. Thanks for any advice.