Why PPE is always important! (Warning semi graphic photo)

The lesson today kids is....


Always ware PPE! Even if it's just gloves!

Well, had a little trip to the ER yesterday. I was mowing grass hay yesterday afternoon, mowing was going good, was a beautiful day. I was about done outlining the field, just trimming up around a brush pile and I noticed a piece of metal fence post laying on the ground. Since clearning fence rows last year, this wasn't a shock, but also didn'twant it going in the baler. Heck I had found a few others earlier in the day. I stopped the tractor, shutting off the pto, made sure it was in park and all. I opted not to put gloves on, since it was just a 12-16" chunk of post. Like I've done thousands of times before with scrap wood, wood splits, and countless other items... I carelessly grabbed it and gave it a fling into a brush pile. I have no idea how, but that chunk of post caught my middle finger, on my right hand, and sliced it open. At first I thought oh heck, just a cut, but then it gushed blood. My first reaction was to stick it in my mouth... I know gross, but that's what I did. I felt a chunk of finger flop, and in a split second, my mouth was full of blood. Ok option two wrap it in my shirt. By now my mind had decided I better get to the ER... but I was a 1/4 mile from the house, and my wife was not home. I had the fore thought not to try and walk/run to the house cause if I'm bleeding this bad, I could pass out. So back in the tractor I climb, got the tractor in gear and headed to the house. I called my wife, her mom answers her phone.... ok I need to talk to Jamie.... NOW... I hear another hello... hun, I cut my finger open, I need to get to the ER now... what? My finger has a bad cut, gonna need stiches, gonna need a tetnus shot, I'm bleeding, I need a ride.... ok click. On my drive back up to the house, Lovely Wife calls me back asking a bunch of question.... I'm like I told you all this just get home, I'm at the house... I got inside and up to the bathroom (I knew it would take Lovely Wife 10-15 minutes to get to the house. I was able to get to the house, got the wound flushed out, that stung, got it bandaged and the bleeding stopped... cool, I'll take a shower so I'm not so grimy at the ER. By the look on Lovely Wife's face when she found me in the shower, maybe it wasn't so important to be freshly showered. Our local "hospital" is barely a bandaid stand, so we wenter to the next town over, 30 minute drive, compared to 5 miles.... that's how bad the local one is.

ER was good, hurt like heck them flushing the wound again, and that made me bleed like a stuck hog again... it took a good 30 minutes to get the bleeding slowed so the ER doc could look it over.... he numbed it, that stung, then 11 stiches and my tetanus shot and I was free to go.

Now, if I would have had my good leather gloves at home, and not at the office... and would have had them on like I do 99% of the time.... non of this would have happened.

So... even if it's something you have done thousands of time before, and is a mindless action... you could still end up in the ER!

Yeah, as soon as I got home, I got back to mowing hay....

it's not gonna cut it's self! I finished this morning.... and promptly got 2/10's of rain on it!

 

Oh, and my Lovely Wife calling me back, asking all the questions I had already told her.... well I guess my mother in law was just saying hello again to shoot the breeze with me until Jamie got back to her phone... I told MIL all the info, twice and hung up.... she just told Jamie, get home, Nathan cut his finger, needs to go to the ER. Jamie called back cause all she cold think was "oh cap the disc mower cut OFF a finger"

 

Yeah, I normally have a few pair of leather gloves, and a bunch of cheap gloves... the cheap ones I had in the tractor at the time.... it's a toss up if I would have had the leather gloves, I normally have them on at all times in the tractor... but if I hadn't had them on while mowing... I doubt I would have paused to put them on.... but from now on.... always have them on while working. I know my kids and nieces/ nephews will grow sick of me preaching safety and PPE the rest of there lives!

 

Glad it wasn't to bad. Heal up quick. And good luck with getting the bay up dry.

 

I feel a little funny "liking" this post! I'm glad it wasn't worse and thanks for the reminder!

 

I know what ya mean!

 

Ouch that looks painful!

It always seems to be those stupid little things that injure me. Even if I don't always wear PPE other than eye and ear protection, I'm always super careful around all power tools. But then last fall I sliced my finger wide open being careless with a Corona hand saw.

 

Good luck on the healing. One thing I learned from my father- always have gloves!

 

That finger is going to be numb feeling for a while, Maybe even a long while. be careful.

 

Been there done that...know exactly what your feeling. Funny thing when your tossing loose scraps of stuff. I've been in construction for over 25 years and it's things like tossing scraps into the dumpster and a stray nail catches some fabric or a part of your hand as you release. Sometimes you don't even know you were injured for a minute until you notice the wetness and then the drips.

Heal up soon.

 

Ouch! That's a good one my friend. Hope you heal quickly!

 

Thanks guys.... actually just got back from my Dr. He is worried about infection, the ER didn't put me on any antibiotics right off. I've got alot of drainage and swelling. He gave me a shot of antibiotics and am on oral antibiotics as well. His concern now is that it might not heal correctly and I end up seeing a hand surgeon. Here's hoping I heal correctly!

The funny/odd thing.... it is just shy of a year ago the I found out about my first back surgery! If it wasn't for Independence Day, and my mother's birthday.... I'd really start hating July all together!

 

Well it will be 4 weeks ago this Saturday that I ripped my finger open....

And I think it's looking pretty good!... I think I'll grab an extra set of gloves tonight!

 

The zipper look from your first post is gone, so that's a good sign! Is it past the itching phase?

 

Lookin pretty good
Went out today and cut some poles up then started moving some wood, poked a hole in my thumb, said that's it, I'm going to get some gloves before something worse happens

 

Ya know it never really got itchy, like any other stiches or staples I've had.... but this has alot of nerve damage.... once the pain subsided it has tingled non stop... that might have over ridden the itching?