Well it had to happen sometime - I'd do something stupid which resulted in
more than a few days of pain and a couple of stitches.
Around May last year I was drilling holes at either end of small strips of
aluminium. For reasons not altogether clear to me now, I switched hands and
held the drill with my left (non dominant) and the piece with my right. Of
course I didn't bother with a vise or a clamp - not me - I was too smart for
that.
The obvious happened and the aluminium spun around at high speed whacking
the knuckle on my little finger several tiimes before the pain signal was
processed in my brain and I moved my finger away.
The knuckle swelled up and after it didn't go down in a week or so, I went
to the GP figuring I had a break somewhere. The xrays showed no break so a
couple of packs of anti-inflammatories was reccomended. 7 months later and
the finger was still sore hurting whenever it was bumped. So I went off to
see the orthapedic surgeon. He xrayed again and injected cortisone in
between the bones of the knuckle. (not reccomended unless you really enjoy
pain) The diagnosis was that the whack set off premature arthritis and if
the cortisone didn't work surgery to fuse the knuckle was the next step.
It didn't so last week I checked into the hospital. I woke up with three
wires sticking out of my little finger tip, my hand and forearm in plaster
and the whole lot tied to a drip stand above my head. The pain wouldn't
settle down so they kept me in for 2 nights (it was planned to be day
surgery) injecting me with pethedine every 6 hours or so.
Now I am home with my hand still in plaster I am not allowed to drive for 2
weeks, the workshop has been placed out of bounds by SWMBO, typing is a real
effort and I'm learning to use a mouse with my left hand.
To make matters worse, I have just had a significant win on the stock market
and was going to shout myself a bandsaw and a drill press. But I can't drive
to shop for them and SWMBO is working anytime the stores open (even if she
was minded to help me buy more tools to hurt myself with) - so here I am
reminding myself and anyone that needs to hear it -
Use a 'kn clamp!
Mekon
Mekon wrote:
> Well it had to happen sometime - I'd do something stupid which resulted in
> more than a few days of pain and a couple of stitches.
snippage of tale of woe and sumpin' we've all done;
> Use a 'kn clamp!
Sorry you grabbed the short end of the stick. With luck you'll be
able to use the hand properly in a bit. I've been there, 4
knuckles with 5 fingers, you'll learn to work around it. Remind
me to tell you why you put the wick into the mold before pouring
the wax rather than drill out the hole afterwards because you
forgot. Can you say, stigmata? I knew you could. %-)
Dave in Fairfax
--
Dave Leader
reply-to doesn't work
use:
daveldr at att dot net
American Association of Woodturners
http://www.woodturner.org
Capital Area Woodturners
http://www.capwoodturners.org/
PATINA
http://www.Patinatools.org/
Well, I hope you heal up ok. Sooner or later we all do something stupid.
Luckily all my mistakes have been ones where I just sit there and say to
myself: "Self, you could have been really hurt. That was STUPID!". Now,
if you can type that message you can surf the web so go order some dang
tools.
--
Jeff P.
"A ship carrying blue paint collided with a ship carrying red paint. The
crew are believed to be marooned."
Check out my woodshop at: www.sawdustcentral.com
"Mekon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well it had to happen sometime - I'd do something stupid which resulted in
> more than a few days of pain and a couple of stitches.
>
> Around May last year I was drilling holes at either end of small strips of
> aluminium. For reasons not altogether clear to me now, I switched hands
and
> held the drill with my left (non dominant) and the piece with my right. Of
> course I didn't bother with a vise or a clamp - not me - I was too smart
for
> that.
> The obvious happened and the aluminium spun around at high speed whacking
> the knuckle on my little finger several tiimes before the pain signal was
> processed in my brain and I moved my finger away.
>
> The knuckle swelled up and after it didn't go down in a week or so, I went
> to the GP figuring I had a break somewhere. The xrays showed no break so a
> couple of packs of anti-inflammatories was reccomended. 7 months later and
> the finger was still sore hurting whenever it was bumped. So I went off to
> see the orthapedic surgeon. He xrayed again and injected cortisone in
> between the bones of the knuckle. (not reccomended unless you really enjoy
> pain) The diagnosis was that the whack set off premature arthritis and if
> the cortisone didn't work surgery to fuse the knuckle was the next step.
> It didn't so last week I checked into the hospital. I woke up with three
> wires sticking out of my little finger tip, my hand and forearm in plaster
> and the whole lot tied to a drip stand above my head. The pain wouldn't
> settle down so they kept me in for 2 nights (it was planned to be day
> surgery) injecting me with pethedine every 6 hours or so.
> Now I am home with my hand still in plaster I am not allowed to drive for
2
> weeks, the workshop has been placed out of bounds by SWMBO, typing is a
real
> effort and I'm learning to use a mouse with my left hand.
> To make matters worse, I have just had a significant win on the stock
market
> and was going to shout myself a bandsaw and a drill press. But I can't
drive
> to shop for them and SWMBO is working anytime the stores open (even if she
> was minded to help me buy more tools to hurt myself with) - so here I am
> reminding myself and anyone that needs to hear it -
>
> Use a 'kn clamp!
>
> Mekon
>
>
You got off lucky, I cut my middle finger off on my table saw because I was
too stupid and lazy to use a push stick, trying to groove out a piece of red
oak stock, blade caught it and shot it out from under my hand hence loosing
my first joint of my middle finger lucky the DR's. at Vanderbilt Hospital
was able to save the finger but I can no longer bend the tip of my finger
because there is no joint there , just a cold steel pin. another lesson to
all woodworkers from someone with a great deal of experience to take the
time and use the proper safety equipment
"Mekon" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Well it had to happen sometime - I'd do something stupid which resulted in
> more than a few days of pain and a couple of stitches.
>
> Around May last year I was drilling holes at either end of small strips of
> aluminium. For reasons not altogether clear to me now, I switched hands
> and
> held the drill with my left (non dominant) and the piece with my right. Of
> course I didn't bother with a vise or a clamp - not me - I was too smart
> for
> that.
> The obvious happened and the aluminium spun around at high speed whacking
> the knuckle on my little finger several tiimes before the pain signal was
> processed in my brain and I moved my finger away.
>
> The knuckle swelled up and after it didn't go down in a week or so, I went
> to the GP figuring I had a break somewhere. The xrays showed no break so a
> couple of packs of anti-inflammatories was reccomended. 7 months later and
> the finger was still sore hurting whenever it was bumped. So I went off to
> see the orthapedic surgeon. He xrayed again and injected cortisone in
> between the bones of the knuckle. (not reccomended unless you really enjoy
> pain) The diagnosis was that the whack set off premature arthritis and if
> the cortisone didn't work surgery to fuse the knuckle was the next step.
> It didn't so last week I checked into the hospital. I woke up with three
> wires sticking out of my little finger tip, my hand and forearm in plaster
> and the whole lot tied to a drip stand above my head. The pain wouldn't
> settle down so they kept me in for 2 nights (it was planned to be day
> surgery) injecting me with pethedine every 6 hours or so.
> Now I am home with my hand still in plaster I am not allowed to drive for
> 2
> weeks, the workshop has been placed out of bounds by SWMBO, typing is a
> real
> effort and I'm learning to use a mouse with my left hand.
> To make matters worse, I have just had a significant win on the stock
> market
> and was going to shout myself a bandsaw and a drill press. But I can't
> drive
> to shop for them and SWMBO is working anytime the stores open (even if she
> was minded to help me buy more tools to hurt myself with) - so here I am
> reminding myself and anyone that needs to hear it -
>
> Use a 'kn clamp!
>
> Mekon
>
>