Dibs-h
Established Member
I've always been super careful with power tools, chisels and most tools. So imagine my annoyance at a spell in hospital at not paying attention when using a handsaw. Normally cutting something - the piece being cut off is to the right of the saw (being mainly right handed).
This time - not! It was to the left and my left hand wasn't out of the way - so when I gave the saw a good old push, the blade jumped out of the cut and into the left hand! In the palm, behind the 1st knuckle and relatively deep, but not to the bone. Blood and cussing for bit then, grabbed the keys, phone, pulled the door shut and stomped up to the house. Mrs took me to A&E. Very impressed with them.
Xrays done in an hour & seen by the nurse practitioner an hour after that. Thankfully no tendon damage - but I'd cut the nurve that gave sensation to the outer edge of the finger. So off to Plastics. An hour later seen by an SHO in plastics that confirmed the nerve would need re-attaching.
Bit blurry - but you get the idea,
Went back in the following morning (yesterday) at 08:00, saw the consultant, and got wheeled down at 16:00 and back an hour later with my left hand all bandaged up and throbbing like hell. Discharged just after 22:00, although in fairness they did say I could stay - but the only reason I had a General Anaesthetic was that they had to apply a tourniquet to the arm to slow the blood down whilst the re-attached the nerve. Here's the after,
There were 2 other chaps there - 1 who'd had an accident with a circular saw (just a fraction of a finger tip) and the other chap who stumbled at the outfeed end of a t\s and put his hand down on the spinning blade- it sort of cut his little finger in 2 lengthwise! He was having painkillers via IV - so I kind of got off lightly!
So sod all will be happening for the next week or 2 - it's hard enough getting dressed 1 handed! Mind you after I came back from hospital yesterday - I did finish laying the joists down in the 2nd bay and get some insulation down - 1 handed weren't to bad!
Dibs
This time - not! It was to the left and my left hand wasn't out of the way - so when I gave the saw a good old push, the blade jumped out of the cut and into the left hand! In the palm, behind the 1st knuckle and relatively deep, but not to the bone. Blood and cussing for bit then, grabbed the keys, phone, pulled the door shut and stomped up to the house. Mrs took me to A&E. Very impressed with them.
Xrays done in an hour & seen by the nurse practitioner an hour after that. Thankfully no tendon damage - but I'd cut the nurve that gave sensation to the outer edge of the finger. So off to Plastics. An hour later seen by an SHO in plastics that confirmed the nerve would need re-attaching.
Bit blurry - but you get the idea,
Went back in the following morning (yesterday) at 08:00, saw the consultant, and got wheeled down at 16:00 and back an hour later with my left hand all bandaged up and throbbing like hell. Discharged just after 22:00, although in fairness they did say I could stay - but the only reason I had a General Anaesthetic was that they had to apply a tourniquet to the arm to slow the blood down whilst the re-attached the nerve. Here's the after,
There were 2 other chaps there - 1 who'd had an accident with a circular saw (just a fraction of a finger tip) and the other chap who stumbled at the outfeed end of a t\s and put his hand down on the spinning blade- it sort of cut his little finger in 2 lengthwise! He was having painkillers via IV - so I kind of got off lightly!
So sod all will be happening for the next week or 2 - it's hard enough getting dressed 1 handed! Mind you after I came back from hospital yesterday - I did finish laying the joists down in the 2nd bay and get some insulation down - 1 handed weren't to bad!
Dibs