Hand saw - lapse of concentration

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Dibs-h

Established Member
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23 Jul 2007
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Location
Bradford, West Yorkshire
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,

hand1.jpg


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 ****. 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,

after.jpg


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
 
my sympathies dibs you have a good rest and put on your supervisors hat then set the missus to work finishing the insulation for you :D :) :D
 
Sorry to hear that but thanks for sharing - these stories always make me more careful for a while

hopefully it's the while that I would've had the accident in

luckily your beer hand is ok

Pete
 
Sorry to hear about your bad luck Dibs, it looks pretty sore. Hope it all gets better soon so you can get back to chopping the right things...
 
Hi, Dibs

Ouch!

I have a zig-zag scar on the heel of my left thumb shaped saw teeth from a saw sliping and munching on my hand, done when I was a lad some 35 years ago!

Get well soon

Pete
 
Strangely enough Dibs I did a similar thing just last week at the timber merchants. Luckily for me all I got was a relatively minor cut to my left hand and thumb. I usually cut myself with stanley blades or knives never any power tools 'touch wood'. Hope you have a speedy recovery mate.
 
WOW Dibs! So sorry to see that you have done so much damage with a handsaw! Amazing how these things happen!

Don't go anywhere near sandpaper for a while...not until you master it!

:D :D :D

Jim
 
oooh nasty!
Hope it all knits itself back together nice and quick.
Thanks for sharing, always good to have a reminder.
T
 
Hi Dibs, it is good to see that they sorted you out quick.

I hope your back in the shop soon with two hands working.

Cheers

Mike
 
No old tyme dancing for a while either by the look of it.

Thats two of us out of action for a while in projects.

Wish you a speedy recovery.
 
Huge amount of sympathies to you Dibs, you must post the hospitals name.
Seems you got proper attention.
I live 8 minutes walk from my local hospital, (A Major A&E) and based on my experience there,
you'd have been lucky to have been given a plaster for the wound and even then that's after a 4 hour wait .:cry:

John. B
 
John. B":rd8wav2b said:
Huge amount of sympathies to you Dibs, you must post the hospitals name.
Seems you got proper attention.
I live 8 minutes walk from my local hospital, (A Major A&E) and based on my experience there,
you'd have been lucky to have been given a plaster for the wound and even then that's after a 4 hour wait .:cry:

John. B

Chaps thanks for the kind words!

Getting dressed is hard work one handed! Thankfully the pain is diminishing as time goes - I'm only on Paracetamol, trying to be sparing with the Codeine - as those who've never been prescribed it - it bungs you up! :oops:

In rush hour we're better off going to Airedale (just outside Keighley) or Bradford Royal Infirmary otherwise. With it being School Hols - the roads were quiet as was Bradford's A&E thankfully.

I suspect I'll be back in the shop 1 handed before too long :wink:

Dibs
 
Bloody **** mate.

Sorry to hear about this. If you need a hand with anything please just give me a call.
 
Dibs - that looks painful, hope you're able to get back soon, who'd have thought a hand saw.

I promise to be more alert, thanks for making us aware.

Take it easy for a while

Dave
 
Commiserations Dibs, I routed my left thumb many years ago, but got lucky as there was a plastic surgeon on duty, so I too have a zig zag patina down the thumb as a permanent reminder ......Get well soon

Dick.
 

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