There are two elementary things that are nearly impossible to do without your left thumb. The first is buttoning up your pants. Now, if I had cut 2/9 of an inch off of my right thumb, I might not dread dropping my pants nearly as much. However, as it stands now, every time I have to button my pants, I have to push and pull with my other fingers to get the button out or into the loop. I'm sure you can imagine the close calls I've had because nobody has to pee worse then when they are in the bathroom trying to get their pants undone. The second is tying shoe laces in bows. For some reason, I tie my shoes in such a manner that it is crucial that my left thumb creates the loop of the tie and then pulls out of the loop smoothly. However, I have been bandaging my thumb whenever I do anything active and it just follows that if shoes are going to be tied on, that I am doing something active and therefore, have bandaged my thumb. The bandaid gets caught on the shoe lace and my hand gets stuck in a knot tied to my feet and now I'm walking around trying to find the nearest bathroom so I can somehow get my pants unbuttoned and pee! I guess, I'll just have to boycott pants and tie my shoes in knots.
What elementary things do you have problems executing or could imagine being difficult if a body part was damaged or missing?