@lpmikey66 Welcome to Mayo Clinic Connect. I am wondering why they want to do a partial amputation, rather than removal of the nail bed and melanoma? Have they staged the melanoma to tell you what it is, yet? Have you considered a second opinion? Losing part of a digit on your dominant hand could be quite a challenge!

When I had the melanoma surgery on my right forearm, I chose to not do sentinel lymph node biopsy, based on the opinion of my surgeon. I had asked him if I was his sister, what he would have recommended.
Ginger