While every accident has a cause, and that cause is usually something we did (or neglected to do), the fact is YOU CAN NOT PLAN AWAY EVERY ACCIDENT! People always say things like "respect the tool" and "Be 110% focused at all times," but the fact is, we are humans. And humans make mistakes. EVERY one of us does. That's why we stub our toe even though we've got decades of walking experience, or why we may change lanes without checking our blind spot even though we "respect" what a ton of crashing steel can do. Nobody plans to do these things, but they do happen. Because despite our best intentions, we are still humans.... Everyone's goal should be to be alert and careful at all times in the shop. But THAT IS NOT ENOUGH! We still need blade guards and riving knives and push sticks and all the rest because those are the things that protect us when we have a human moment.... I am fond of telling people that most of the 9-fingered woodworkers I know were professionals with decades of experience and never thought it would happen to them, until they found themselves sitting in a hospital with a biggie full of fingers and ice. NOBODY IS IMMUNE TO A BRAIN FART! Use your safety devices!

@reality150tv

2 жыл бұрын

We might be human but that doesnt mean you cant decrease the risk of an accident or increase it. I know what i did to cause mine and it was avoidable had i did what i knew i should have done to start with which was support the long 1x4 i was ripping and not try to hold it and push it all the way through with no support. So I am a true believer in the term respect the tool, I watch some woodworkers and non woodworkers use some power tools table saw for instance which is hands down the most dangerous in my opinion, and they use it in ways that is dangerous just by watching it. Pushing wood through the blade a half inch away from it etc.. Its not to say an accident cant or wont happen still by not doing that but who has a higher chance of an accident? Take my boy john for instance on here, now experience def helps him reduce an accident doing a lot of the stuff he does that is not safe. I hate seeing some of the stuff he does i have to ffw sometimes. Yes a he prob has less a chance than a amateur having table saw accident simply because of how long he has been doing it , but it can also be a con because you get so comfortable with the tool and your awareness may be lower. In anycase I respect my tools and try to follow some basic self safety tips, like if i am to tired or feel like i might be more accident prone or i done something already accidently no matter what it was with, i will refrain from dangerous tools or take extra precautions. Like i seen ur video on that grinder chainsaw disk thing from harbor freight i think it was, i know they have it. Seeing what it did to ur hand and looking at the blade and thinking about the speed it is turning i dont think it is a tool anyone should be using, I think it should prob be banned. I would like to know how many people have been injured by that tool. I didnt watch that video and be like oh I can use it i just need to grip it tighter and take shallow cuts, no when i seen it and thought about it common sense kicked in.

@yeeaahBUDDY

2 жыл бұрын

Stumps! Been watching your vids recently. Hopefully she doesn't end up with an actual stumpy nub :)

@atomictyler

2 жыл бұрын

@@reality150tv All accidents are avoidable, but that doesn't mean they won't happen, that's why they're called accidents. It's hard to believe you read what Stumpy wrote and didn't get anything from it, but here we are.

@reality150tv

2 жыл бұрын

@@atomictyler Well u seem to be the one with reading comprehension disorder lol, I know exactly what he said and where we differ on our views. When he said People say respect the tool! yes and i always say that, you can use a tool with respect and an understanding that u doing the slightest thing wrong could cost u big, or you could use that same tool with the mindset i just want to be done with this or whatever it is that is going on in ur mind and putting the tool and what you are doing secondary when it should be primary. How about read both again and dont get back with me on it.

@aros007z

2 жыл бұрын

Rollack -Tyler is right!

As a physician and a wood worker I feel for you. Sadly I feel your local ER let you down in a big way. it's not your job as a patient to need to know where to go. The ER should have a protocol for how to handle a finger or limb injury such as yours & KNOW where to send you!

@aaronbrown4088

Жыл бұрын

I had a non-power tool thumb injury, probably two years ago now. I cut one tendon, the FPL (bends the tip), an artery and nerve(s). I first went to Urgent Care n Pasadena. They said we don't attach tendons. I had to go to the ER at the hospital in Los Angeles since Pasadena didn't have an ER. The ER in LA said they don't do tendons, we'll refer you to Orthopedics, don't call them, they'll call you. F that, I went to the ortho department (two days later, on Monday), since I knew where it was. They fit me in to see a PA. First available surgery was five more days. Everything I read said if you don't get that FPL reattached in 24 hours you're not going to have a good result. I tried to talk the surgeon into getting me in sooner. He suggested getting a second opinion the Following week. So, the tendon was reattached, he didn't try to attach the artery, and the nerve damage was worse after the surgery, with a scar about 8 times longer than the original cut. The tendon also adhered to the surrounding tissue. My recommendation is to search till you find someone willing to operate the same day. That joint on my thumb has about 30% range of motion, and half the thumb is both numb and overly sensitive. You don't get a second chance, find someone asap.

@waterbug1135

6 ай бұрын

@@aaronbrown4088Yes, it's really up to the individual to find the right doctor. Many people are employed to schedule with no medical training. Virtually all doctors are good at 1 thing. When you cut off a finger you need someone who primarily reattaches digits...a hand specialist. That's the only person you want to find. Unfortunately Urgent Care and even emergency rooms can't help. It's not unusual for an emergency room doctor to not even know "hand specialists" exist. Yeah, bizarre but can happen. Specialists know time is important and their practice is set up to handle emergencies. Their business depends on good results.

@jvmiller1995

6 ай бұрын

As someone with lots of health issues I will say that most of us have to advocate for our own rights and health!! I have Gastroparesis horrible bad and my gut doctor wanted me to get a feeding tube at age 45 and live life like that for live. I called hundreds of places to find someone that would try a stimulator approach first as this doctor just refused to help and he claimed they do not work. would end up with a feeding tubino matter what I do I found a guy 5 hour away in anther state that paced a stomach stimulator and he took away 85% of all my symptoms.. Sometimes you just have to step up

@PatricesProjects

Ай бұрын

That is what I thought. I was flabbergasted when she described how the doctors reacted, and what they did, which was close to nothing. She is lucky to still have her thumb tip.

@jamesschlueter8285

Ай бұрын

My thoughts exactly. If you are injured on a specific part of the body like a hand get to a specialist in that body part immediately. A bad hand injury requires a hand specialist.

I own one, and I love it. I've owned it for about 2 years now, and just the other night, "it" happened, and the safety feature worked as advertised. Didn't even leave a scratch. Sawstop is a must.

@barryomahony4983

Жыл бұрын

Yup. That's why insurance companies for commercial shops are insisting on them

@1bcordell

Жыл бұрын

I had my accident yesterday. I feel so stupid. I really don't know what happened, but the Sawstop did it's job. Took a nice chunk out of the tip of my index finger, but not enough to go to the ER. I have no idea how bad it could have been.

@pyalot

Жыл бұрын

Fun fact, the majority of table saw accidents are people being hit by wood sent flying from kickback. Sawstop doesnt stop that. It is only half the solution until somebody invents kickbackstop.

@Jimmy-Legs

7 ай бұрын

@@pyalot. Half is better than nothing when it’s your fingers.

@mando6497

6 ай бұрын

It is criminal saw stop does not license this technology. They actively stop other manufactures from producing similar products.

This is a very scary story. I was shocked that the first ER doctor was so lackadaisical about something so time-sensitive.

70 year old carpenter I remember when I was 14 working with a old carpenter , he showed me a table saw and said ,son this is the dumbest piece of machinery in the world , it can’t tell the difference in a 2x4 and your hand , treat it as such, I still have all fingers and thumbs.

@ErichHayner

Ай бұрын

I worked a a sweatshop cutting MDF in an appalling factory in Chicago in the early 1980s. I was trying very hard to be safe, but the shop manager was furious at me for being slow. He shoved my aside grabbed the sheet I was cutting with disdain, and with an angry sneer, pushed his hand through the moving blade. Startled, he turned off saw, picked up his finger, and walked straight out of the shop. He was a very angry man.

@Zawazuki

Ай бұрын

@@ErichHayner wth lol

@malcolmw513

Ай бұрын

@@ErichHayner I briefly worked out in the oilfield as a teenager, and the one thing you heard everyone say is that the good companies are safe and do things by the rules and the bad companies aren't. On a day-to-day basis, you think the OSHA rules are stupid and that they get in the way, and why do we have to have this useless morning safety meeting and constantly organize the lockout-tagout keys and do every part of these dumb procedures every time? It's just slowing us down and stopping us from getting work done. But the companies that took the morning safety meetings seriously and ran the safety check proceedures *every time*, they were the ones that were still in business pumping oil when the other ones went out of business, and everyone who was any good at their job wanted to work for for those companies.

@pleaseusernamework

Ай бұрын

I’m a beginner seriously considering getting a table saw. Reading this I am reconsidering thinking a miter is better? Which saws know the different? 😅

@heknows5418

Ай бұрын

@@pleaseusernamework just remember operator error is what causes most injuries, saws are like airplanes operator error causes 85-90 percent of crashes

Your attitude and ability to tell this difficult story are admirable. Thank you for helping others learn from your experience. I hope your recovery has gone well.

@geotj58

Ай бұрын

I lost a finger nail twenty years ago, hell i wish youtube was available then, I could have made a 60 minute video going by this post

This is, easily, one of the most useful KZread videos I've ever watched. I'm not quite sure why it popped up, but I'm so glad to have watched it. Now that it's been two years, I hope your surgery went well. I'm glad that you've chosen to share this important story. It really helps people, and, now, I'll have a plan. I live and work alone, in a rural area. I, also, work with power tools sometimes. I'm not sure I would have thought much about something like this, until I watched your video. I truly am grateful for this information, and I hope your thumb's as good as it can be.

Exact same thing happened to me yesterday. Im still at the hospital while typing thing with one hand. My thumb was in two pieces!!! You described the delayed panic, adrenaline, experience perfectly to a T. Thousands of bevel rip cuts and autopilot mode while in my little garage workshop later, and irony is real. Thinking i wasn’t “dumb” or “careless” enough for this to happen to me. I will no longer be listening to podcasts in my headphones in the workshop 🙃🥸🤡

@Techreux

Жыл бұрын

Sorry it happened to you as well! Viciously FAST, and no mercy shown! Hope you recover! Yeah, my rule has always been that I only turn on the music when NOT doing cutting or nailing of any kind (and never directly in ears). And, before the saw or router table goes on, I "zone in" to each machine exclusively and walk through the steps in my mind before I even turn on the power. As I said to @A butterfly house, none of us are 100% safe. Treat it like it's a loaded weapon.. lots of deliberate thought, care, and respect. Hope you are able to get back in the saddle again..

@ModMINI

Жыл бұрын

Yikes. Does the blade even slow down? I hope you have the best possible recovery and are at full health soon. I try to be careful as well but we all get complacent at times.

@linkincnt

Ай бұрын

Yep, I've been using tablesaws for 20 year now (mold maker), no big accidents so far; I listen to music while working too, when i get close to any machine I instantly take the ear pods out.

@williamwarning-kf2ym

Ай бұрын

Stuck my finger in a router making doors. Was listening to the radio with my headphones and did not hear the router still on. The bit spins so fast you can't see it. I'm posting this to perhaps help someone else. I went to the E.R. and the doctor on duty happened to be a hand surgen. He said if I could hang in there and wait a while he would operate and try and save the end of my finger. I said sure and waited about 4 hours and he finely got to me. He was great and my finger tip was 95 percent saved. I was very lucky. When it first happened I did not think it was saveable and almost snipped it off myself. I never listened to music or podcast again while working. Just me and the machine. Total concentration and not thinking of anything other then the job at hand till the machine is turned off. When the button goes on no thoughts other then me and the blade. 30 years on no power tool accidents. One tablesaw tip I was taught by the man I trained under was keeping the blade no higher then you have to make the cut every single time no exceptions. This has served me well. Another tip is while cutting new lumber is to cut a little past half the thickness then flip the board end to end and pass it thru a second time.This seems to eliminate kickback and the blade is never higher then the board. I always do this when cutting anything thicker the .75 of an inch or so depending on the stock. This seems to neutralize any stress that's in the board. Never had kickback.

I just found you on KZread. You are exceedingly brave and compassionate to others for making this video. My deepest gratitude. You are awesome. Best regards, your newest subscriber, Claire

@geotj58

Ай бұрын

Did she lose an arm?

Omg-I'm so glad you found a real doctor. I hope you heal well.

It’s amazing to me how extremely long it takes to tell the story about an event that literally happened in a few thousands of a second. I’ve recently cut a finger on my table saw very badly, and explaining that event pretty much takes a discussion over coffee. I’m glad to here someone tell there story similar to mine. Hoping and praying for you that you have a complete recovery. Best of luck.

@accuratealloys

Жыл бұрын

I accidentally shoved my left hand into a bandsaw. I cut off 3 fingers. Good insurance and a good surgeon put them back on. The end.

@LadderMover

Жыл бұрын

@@accuratealloys I'm sorry for your accident, but enjoyed your sense of humor by showing us the condensed version of your story.

@paulmccullough7352

Ай бұрын

Thats all well and good, but she could have coughed up the info about the "hand specialist on call in what areas thing" at the start instead of taking 20mins to do so when most viewer would have already clicked off the video.

Different hospitals have different capabilities. I'm an emergency physician. Hand surgeons are notoriously difficult to have available, but would likely be available through my hospital network. We appreciate your story. Stories like this always help me out as a physician. Good to know your final recommendation is to get a Sawstop. That's the bottom line that I was looking for.

Great job on the video Lindsay! I still can't believe you managed to continue making all these videos and project with one hand 💪 and kept smiling with a positive attitude!

@AButterflyHouse

3 жыл бұрын

Aww thanks, Natalie!

So sorry about your accident! Stay positive and I wish you the best on the upcoming surgery/recovery. As a cabinetmaker I took your advice and checked where a local hand trauma specialist is in my area. Thank you...

Thank you so much for sharing this story. People need to hear stories like yours to be reminded how much respect tools and equipment deserve.

Thanks for having the courage to share you're journey! Look at all the lives you've already touched and they in turn... much respect and admiration for you!

Thank You for sharing your story. I would hope to remain safe while working in my shop, I’m 70, however I understand accidents happen. Twelve years ago I had a ruptured brain aneurysm. I was in Canada and was airlifted to the hospital in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Like you I did my best to overcome my incident. My wife stopped working for three months to work on my deficits 6-8 hours per day. I was lucky to go to the hospital in Halifax, that my wife was a nurse and that she was willing to help me non stop, I have overcome 99% of my deficits. I can still have problems working on a project that requires flipping items or working upside down. Luck plays a part but your attitude makes a huge difference. Keep your head up. I have already thought of the hospital that has the hand surgeons in my area due to your video. I hope your recovery continues and that you gain function in your thumb. Best of luck to you. Greetings from Maine.

Thank you for making this video. I think it was pretty brave of you to do. I am very sorry to hear about your accident. I watched it all and kept wondering if I’d handle it as well as you. I’m also glad to hear you are now getting a saw stop. You won’t regret it, I love mine.

Love your honesty. I've had my awesome wood shop for six years now. The left side of my body has been 90% paralyzed for over 45 years. Having only one good hand I can not afford even the slightest mistake. At the table saw I always make one cut only, then turn off the saw. For sure it takes a lot more time, especially on repetitive pieces, but it's a rule I stick to. I never try to clear the cut off material. Admittedly, only having one useful hand insures "no auto pilot". I've also made every conceivable sled, jig, push stick and riving knife setup to decrease my chances for injury. My entire shop is adapted so I can enjoy the beauty of working with wood. Once again, thank you for sharing! Since this happened to you awhile back, what was your outcome? Chazz deMeyer Working Hand

@bbirdiebirdie

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you also, for sharing your story. Congrats on the awesome shop!

@workinghand5768

2 жыл бұрын

@Bamboo Training When I was a young man I made a poor decision while driving which resulted in my present condition, an incomplete quad. Been this way for 46 years. However, I am living a life full of love and accomplishments. Oh yeah, I have a very nice wood shop.

I can't thank you enough for telling your story. As a new woodworker who was on the fence about whether the money for a Sawstop was worth it, you convinced me. And the link to the map of hospitals with on-call hand trauma surgeons was priceless. It's been 8 months since you posted this, I don't see that you've done a dedicated follow-up, so I hope things have turned out the best way possible for you.

@robertballerstedt5688

2 жыл бұрын

Yep. The $1000 premium for a sawstop far outweighs the cost of injury

@thenmathhappens2829

Жыл бұрын

Sawstop doesn't have a nine-finger discount (I asked.) My extra investment would have been better made when I first bought a saw.

@kenblack4258

Жыл бұрын

2

@GrayRaceCat

Жыл бұрын

@@robertballerstedt5688 I think you've got that backward, the injury is in many ways, far more costly, including financially.

@mandowarrior123

Ай бұрын

​@@thenmathhappens2829 what happens once can happen again. Now your remaining fingers are more valuable if you think about it, though it would be nice if they offered a little something.

Those are normal feelings you’re having. It’s totally understandable. It’s your thumb, it’s part of you. You did good sharing your story, it’s part of the healing process. Very brave of you! Don’t blame your self, these things happen. It was an accident.

Thank you for sharing your story. I'm sorry it happened to you and I wish you the very best in your recovery.

This is such a great video, thanks for the bravery to make it and be so honest. Great information regarding having a plan of where to go if something happens. Huge hugs and wishing you all the best with your recovery, keep us posted!

Can we get a thupdate video? The algorithm sent me here and I wanna know how the healing process is going

Just making this video shows how awesome you are! I don’t know if I could have done that? I grew up in a forklift shop. My dear old Dad use to say once you get comfortable with a machine that is when it will bite you. Believe me you can’t be a mechanic without hurting yourself! I will spare you the stories. I just wanted to add my third table saw is a SawStop! I remember the day I so proudly showed it to a friend. He looked at me and said you paid how much for that thing? I looked back at him and said how much are your fingers worth? You will LOVE it when you get it. And I respect it as much as I did all those machines growing up! Please follow up this video!

Thanks for sharing your story. I’m amazed you got to the hospital by yourself. I totaled my car a couple of months ago and it was completely my fault. I did something stupid. I replay it constantly, thinking of what I could have done differently.

"I thought it was unnecessary until it actually happened to me." That quote pretty much says it all! Thanks very much for posting this compelling (albeit non-graphic) account of your accident. I am a SawStop owner and have occasional gotten into brief debates in comments to various related videos. Fortunately I've not been bitten seriously by any woodworking equipment, but I've had some close calls with kickback (with a radial arm saw back in the day when I'd never even heard of "kick back") and stationary belt sander rash. I do still have some finger tip numbness from a fireworks incident 20 years ago, learned a lesson there. But when I finally saved up enough to buy a "real" table saw to finally replace the 2nd hand Craftsman contractors saw that I had bought 25 years previously, I had to survey the field. By then, the Delta Unisaw (my dream saw for literally decades) was no longer made in USA. That and a deep dive into SawStop history and performance led me to the conclusion that the SawStop units are quite competitive in terms of features, materials, fit, and finish compared to other saws in the same general price range--even if you don't consider the blade brake technology. Throw that consideration in, and for me it was a no-brainer. As a medical student 30+ years ago, I did see some amputation injuries with a variety of outcomes. I did wince internally during the early part of your account with the rather blasé attitude you observed in your initial care. I was very glad when you decided to make that first drive to Mayo! I try to gently encourage people to realize that no one is immune to accidents. That's why they're called accidents. To be sure, there are things you can do, and not do, that increase or decrease risk, but I shake my head when I read, "that could never happen to me, I'm too careful, too well-trained, or (the worst) too professional. Sure statistically, most of those people will never have a life-altering injury, but some will. As you described, using a guard as much as possible is a good idea. But there will be times when it comes off. And reading about the injury accounts, it's clear that blade contact injury *after* making a cut is about as common as during a cut. Good thing SawStop's brake technology remains active even after the motor is turned off and continuing until the blade is no longer spinning. Finally, I do have to comment that some of your thoughts on brain energy consumption as a function of "thinking" are at most very minor effects., When compared to total brain metabolism, let alone total body metabolism, any energy saving from becoming less attentive is unlikely to have driven inattention as an energy conserving strategy from an evolutionary standpoint.

I would appreciate you doing a follow up to tell us how well your thumb is doing and what had to be done after the first video to stabilize it. Thanks for creating this video. I need these reminders from time to time. I have always had two fears, meat slicers and table saws.

@ModMINI

Жыл бұрын

Yes, please do. This video kept me riveted. What was going to happen next? Would she get the best possible outcome?

@JohnSmith-uz3dt

Ай бұрын

A Radial arm saw got 2 of my fingers.

@Sunnbuzz

Ай бұрын

@@JohnSmith-uz3dt those saws belong in a horror movie scene it's no wonder they were banded/recalled. I'm so sorry about your accident I hope it hasn't impeded you too much, just today John Malacki did a video on a 16-inch radial arm saw. what a terrifying machine

Thanks for sharing this story. I hope your thumb recovers. Many years ago, in high school shop class, I watched my teacher slip and shove his hand into a dado set. He mutilated three fingers. I have had table saw PTSD ever since. Dreading every time I had to make a cut on my saw. As an avid wood worked the table saw can't be avoided. To make matters worse, I'm a guitar and keyboard player. About six years ago I couldn't take the anxiety any longer and bought a SawStop. I'm still fanatical about safety, but the anxiety is gone. Thank you for sharing your story.

Same exact thing happened to me... Unfortunately. I can tell you something for sure! You'll be fine! Stay strong and optimistic! Wish you the best

Thank you for sharing your story in such a calm, personal and informative way. I hope get the best possible outcome going forward.

I appreciate you sharing this and the others that share their horror stories. I make myself watch these accounts to hopefully keep my mind right when in the shop. Thank you

Thank you so much for doing this video! First of all, you're a total badass. Secondly, I love how you've taken this opportunity to share what you might have done differently and give advice about having a plan. I genuinely feel like this will make the difference for somebody, somewhere who sees it 💖

@AButterflyHouse

3 жыл бұрын

Aww, thank you!!

@EricK-tb2dn

2 жыл бұрын

@@AButterflyHouse I just wanted to add something, have a well organized first aid kit with the turnequit out of the package and ready to be put on with a single pull(incase you have a hand incapacitated.). Also keep your phone close when working alone.

@shpensive

Жыл бұрын

Thank you @A Butterfly House

@johnwilbanks3885

Жыл бұрын

I am another veteran of a traumatic event and I was close to your age. The “take away” is: #*it happens and #*it can happen to you. You’ll very likely become much more sensitive to potential dangers…I sure did.

@vashon100

Жыл бұрын

@@EricK-tb2dn tourniquet vs turnequit

Dear God, how terrifying.I am scared senseless of table saws. Which is sad because I know how useful they are. The number of persons this has happened to shows that that drift thing happens to many people. You are amazing for driving yourself to the hospital (an ambulance would have just added more time to wait). Kudos also for not just going with doctor wait and see and contacting the Mayo Clinic. I appreciate your honest and the very useful resource you shared. Prayers for you and your thumb. :)

@ugaladh

2 жыл бұрын

I was an ER physician before I ever started woodworking, I had decided already that I would never own a table saw. And that's probably the main thing that lead me to being primarily a hand tool user rather than using machines.

@alanmumford8806

2 жыл бұрын

@@ugaladh I bought a bench-top table saw about 4 years ago. I tried it out a couple of times, then it went back into its original packaging. It's still there. The quality of the thing was so poor that I deemed a kickback event was almost inevitable. I can't even bring myself to give it away for free. Like you, I now also use hand tools instead, though I have relented and got myself a bandsaw, which I find to be really useful.

@ugaladh

2 жыл бұрын

@@alanmumford8806 yes, i have a bandsaw and thickness planer and thats it.

@mandowarrior123

Ай бұрын

​@@alanmumford8806you might be able to sell or repurpose the motor I suppose.

May God bless you and a good recovery to your thumb ! Thank you for sharing precious experience ! Get well soon and more videos on thumb developments please !

Excellent story of warning. We all need to hear this. I'm sorry you had to go through this. I hope you're ok.

This is the second video of yours that I have seen and I'm already in love. As a 25 year veteran of furniture and woodworking I know all too well that the dangers of power tools are very real. I nipped one of mine on a jointer and have helped some other people get to the hospital as well. The unexpected dangers are the worst ones to have happen. My finisher lost a finger when the buffer he was working with picked up an air line and spun it into his hand a few times. Go figure. My best wishes for you young lady, but try not to break it later cause you can't feel it like I did.

Thank you for the video Lindsey, I hope that you are doing well. I also live in the Twin Cities and have a nephew who wants to learn more about woodworking. I have been thinking about how I should teach him to respect the power tools and to share with him how easily and how fast mistakes can happen. I think that I will show him your video. This is a great teaching moment for all of us. A teachable moment from a awesome teacher, you.

Thank you for the info on the Hand Trauma Hospital, I never thought of that. A year ago, while completing some very repetitive cuts on my table saw, I put the tip of my left pointer into the blade. I was VERY lucky in that I didn’t hit the bone and basically had a very bad flesh wound. I had it stitched up and was back on the saw in a couple of weeks. I also ordered a SawStop the next day. A year later, I am still numb on the tip of that finger, but will take it as a lesson learned. I do a LOT of work on my table saw, and what became evident to me was when you use the table saw that much, it’s not IF you have an accident, it’s WHEN. Good luck in your recovery.

Thanks for posting about such a traumatic incident. Fortunately, I am reasonably near a hand trauma hospital although I hope neither I nor any of my family will need it. Thanks for making me find that out. Best wishes on you adapting to your new way of life.

Detailed, thorough, professionally taught classes on operating any piece of equipment from table saws, to drill presses, welders, you name it are INVALUABLE! And remembering those "MUST DO's" and "MUST NOT DO's" must be practices to live by. I operate multi-million dollar aircraft, and I have to be TOTALLY on my game, be well rested, and totally concentrate on the task at hand. Any distraction or letting my guard down can be life or limb for me or my passengers. Same with operating any piece of equipment that can harm you. Glad you are okay and it wasn't worse.

@luthiermatt

Ай бұрын

When I operate my table saw, jointer, etc., with the same mindset that I take on at the pistol range. A mental checklist of the rules and techniques, no distractions and total respect for the situation.

I did something very similar, at the hospital, as the Dr. reattached my thumb, I became fascinated as to how he was making those tiny knots, leaning in for a closer look, he pushed my head out of his way, stopped sewing and remarked..."You seem to be taking this very well." My reply was that it had been numbed and didn't hurt, it was pretty far from my heart and not life-threatening, and it's "so cool how you're making those knots!" Like you, I was told I'd never hold scissors with it....pfffff shows what they know, no problem at all! Best wishes for an equally successful recovery!

@mandowarrior123

Ай бұрын

Its to not get your hopes up, a lot of chance and rehab goes into regaining function. It's difficult to predict how able it will be.

Great story telling. I like your upbeat attitude. I can tell you're probably a great teacher. Stay positive.

I am further commenting that I am really impressed with you and your takeaway section. You are totally admitting your faults publicly. That's really amazing and helpful. You earned my sub just because of this. Also, you remind me so much of a fairy and I hope that one day (if you like to dress up) you have a wonderful fairy Halloween costume cause you would totally be perfect in the most beautiful and awesome way!

About a year ago at work the tip of my middle finger on my right hand was pinched off by a chain gear. Everything you said in this video is how I felt and reacted at my trauma. The time frame the awareness of the injury, my complacency around my machine, My emotions after that were the same. You are smarter and braver in that situation than you think. Do not hate your self or beat your self up. They were not able save the tip. Looking at the damage I was distraught mentally that I was even looking on line for some kind of finger tip prosthetic. After talking with the Dr. And learning my finger will heal over, I was relieved. All of your emotions are all justified. God bless you.

@bobbygetsbanned6049

Ай бұрын

Agh shit a pinched off finger tip would hurt like hell.

@Ed-fb7zn

Ай бұрын

@@bobbygetsbanned6049 It honestly happened so fast that it felt no different than if you were to quickly pinch your own skin with your own fingers.

It's the simplest of accident on a table saw. I lost half my hand on a simple straight cut. The board Kicked back and trapped my hand under it on top of the blade. Not a clean cut, but chewed my hand into ground beef. I could see through my palm... It's the simplest of mistakes that gets you... So glad you are doing well!

@a.w.thompson4001

13 күн бұрын

I'm so sorry for your accident, Christopher.

I watched the whole video, not just the beginning. Thank you for sharing your trauma so that others might not be in the same position. Blade guard, riving knife etc are good tips, along with finding out where to go BEFORE you are in that position. Listening to your story could well stop someone from doing the same thing. Good luck in the future. Terry from Australia.

I gave this video a thumbs up…oh sorry…

I have been trying to decide what table saw to buy to start woodworking. I am now 100% confident that I will purchase a SawStop. I really hope you get better soon and that you had a 100% recovery. Thank you for sharing your story.

@steadyeddie7453

2 жыл бұрын

Since you may be new to using a table saw here's a few things to consider to keep safe: - Choose the correct blade for the job. There are many types. Learn ripping vs crosscut blades and basic blade geometry. - Keep the blade sharp. Forcing wood through a dull saw blade will lead to an accident. - Use a splitter to keep the kerf open. Otherwise the wood may curl back into the spinning blade. See more below ** - Keep the fence properly adjusted. I keep my fences far end slightly skewed to the right, away from the blade. It still allows for an accurate cut while giving me a little more insurance against kickback. - Beware of knots. Cutting through them is always a gamble. Avoid them if at all possible. - Use the blade guard. It can be a pain sometimes, but is ther for a reason. ** If you use or make a zero clearance insert you will lose the factory splitter on most tablesaws. I have found the Micro Jig Splitter to be very effective. You install it directly behind the blade for best results. The splitter inserts have fine adjustments for perfect pressure on the stock. I do not get compensated for the endorsement. I just like to pass on info on tools I find useful. Have fun with woodworking, and if it feels like what you are doing is unsafe, it probably is.

@tresgarcia1725

2 жыл бұрын

@@steadyeddie7453 thank you!

@donlee7545

Ай бұрын

Go on KZread. Lots of good videos showing safe techniques and how a kick back happens in slo mo and why it takes off fingers

Praying for you and a full recovery. ❤️🙏🏼

Thank you so much for sharing your story! I hope your recovery is going well.

Very brave. God bless you and thank you for Sharing with us your experience. Praying for total restoration and healing of your thumb.

Thank you for posting this. We are all capable of a short lapse of attention like you had. I dodged something similar to this a few years ago on a router table but mine was only a scratch. Now I flinch anytime I watch a video and see someone brushing sawdust out of the way on a router table while the router is still on. They can't sew back on what a router takes off. I hope you kept your thumb. God bless.

@boccabr

2 жыл бұрын

Me too, just removed a few layers skin and a warning ⚠️ sign… Sometimes one needs these moments to keep one’s bodily parts intact by reminding us to stay focused. It will happen to all who use power tools. Always stay 100% focused on that machine. Never go on “Autopilot” when using power tools.. Biggest mistake people make is assuming they can concentrate on two things at once. We can all “Multitask” but nobody on this Earth can concentrate on two things at once, unless they’ve two Left sides of the brain..

Thank you for telling your story... I feel more cautious and prepared now should anything happen. I've looked up my local ASSH location!

@AButterflyHouse

3 жыл бұрын

Yes!!

Thank you for sharing. I did something similar 18 months ago. I tore through the pad of my index finger and the tip of my middle finger clearing the waste piece after a cut on my table saw in my basement. My brain was on auto pilot doing something I had done 100's of times, and it just happened. I was very lucky that I didn't cut through any bone and only required 15 stitches between the 2 fingers. But the best advice you gave in this video was to have a plan incase of injury. Again thanks for sharing, and hope your healing is going well.

What a scare and frustrating experience! I wish you all the best and progressive recovery. Thanks for sharing! It’s a good warning for all of us to be extra careful when we work around power tools. You are definitely not an idiot, because that could have happened to anyone. That’s why it’s called an “accident.” Stay positive and strong! God Bless You Always!!!

As someone who has been using saws since age 18, and today at age 56 I’ve never injured myself with a saw. The main thing is that when using saws, you are never on auto pilot. You need to be constantly thinking to yourself, “I could get cut really bad today.” And that keeps you careful.

@donlee7545

Ай бұрын

I've been using table saws since I was 16 and am now 73. They are called accidents and that's why I bought a sawstop.

@jimmybobhere

Ай бұрын

I am quite careful while using my table saw. My mantra is "fear the beast". But, this approach sometimes makes me overthink. I will pause to check workpiece and hand placement. I could shift something while evaluating the situation. Shifting leads to disaster. Moral of the story is, be careful and respect the machine. But no one is immune to a mistake. Mistakes happen. Happy woodworking all you woodworkers. Be safe out there.

@patrickday4206

Ай бұрын

That's what I realized at about 22 driving 😂 I'm a finish carpenter and haven't had anything happen yet thank goodness

@mercuryshadow09

Ай бұрын

Same, 53 now and other than a few kickbacks etc, nothing major. It's usually my own complacency though, like putting the cupped side of a 2x6 down on a miter saw and pinching the blade, that one did hurt and I learned my lesson.

@brianhawes3115

Ай бұрын

I use body” English” to stay away from blades, I make it physically impossible to put my hand in the blade, and I’m always extremely deliberate when at the saw, every move is planned out, and after 43 years I know I’ll never be in her situation 😅

I know it's not graphic but you've done such a good job describing the whole incident, i had no problem squeamishly visualizing the whole thing. Yikes!

I just stumbled across your channel. Thank you for sharing such valuable information and hopefully I'll never have to need the resources you provided in your video! I definitely will make a note of them!! All the best to you moving forward.

Thank you so much for this video! I lost half a middle finger, disfigured a pointer finger, and shortened a thumb on my left hand from a table saw accident this past winter and had to really kind of beg the surgeon to consider trying to save the index finger. He was used to dealing with saw accidents all the time, but they were mostly Amish men (in construction) and had a very different priority from mine. They want to get back to work as soon as possible which means amputation. As a 50 yo woman woodworker, I wanted my finger whole and intact!! I totally understand wanting to go to every length possible to keep the tip. Good on you for advocating for yourself and taking responsibility for the decision and getting the help you needed. Good luck with the extended recovery.

My dad chopped off 4 fingers fixing a lawnmower. Took him 6 months to feel like life was worth living again. He felt so stupid. Hindsight is 20-20. Just happy your sunny disposition survived. You're really badass. 🤗

@pyalot

Ай бұрын

How do you do that? Gas-mowers dont start by themselves and electric mowers all have features against unintended activation…

@erlinglorentsen4262

Ай бұрын

@pyalot HI there. The short answer is habitual negligence. For about 25 years Dad had a garage repair shop for bicycles and gardening utensils. As in lawnmowers, garden tillers, chain saws etc. It was his shop, and apart from us kids, he was the only employee. Lawn tractors were usually lifted up with a couple of ropes and a hoist. If he'd been working on anything power related e.g. belts, pulleys, engine, he'd usually do a test run with the tractor still hanging a meter/3 feet up in the air. Much easier to fix any bugs if you didn't have to lower/raise the thing every time. Dangerous? Oh yes. But he'd been doing it for decades without an issue. On this particular day, however. Dad - now 90 years of age - and not as agile as he used to be, came too close to the tractor running flat out. Lawnmowers generate a slight vacuum when they run. He didn't react quickly enough and the rest... Basically an accident waiting to happen for 25 years. We were used to see repairs been carried out in this way and were just as blinded by habit as Dad.

@kickpublishing

Ай бұрын

@@pyalotgas mowers can indeed start by themselves, well sort of, a common accident is the blade jams and the motor stalls, the person then slips the mower sees a grass or stone jam then un jams the blades and often in doing so rotates the blades manually which can kickstart a warm engine very easily - and it happens so fast you have no hope of getting your hand out in time. It’s quite common. Half a rotation is all it takes. Always disconnect the spark plug before playing with mower blades.

You need an attorney. That doctor has given you all wrong information. You needed to be operated on the day it happened. That’s malpractice for sure. So sorry. I went thru this same thing. First doctor told me sorry nothing we can do and then I told him I don’t believe you and or a second opinion and the second doctor operated on me 28 hours after it happened and save all 3 of my fingers.

Thank you for sharing your accident and experience. Brave people like yourself sharing your experience is needed in this world.

You are a great person! Don’t let it you down! Thanks for sharing this with us!

Similarly, I sawed my left middle finger in half 5 or 6 years ago, so your experience hit home for me. You'd think I would have learned from that experience to start using the blade guard. Thanks for this video. It sorta slapped me in the face and said "Blade guard! Ya gettin the message yet dude?"

Circular saws (table, handheld, etc) really get my attention, for the same reason you unfortunately found out. Good to see you talking about it. Having said that, knives are my weak spot safety wise. Tried to cut my thumb off with a chisel once too. So easy to not think about it and, bam, ouch.

Thank you for the mention of the hand trauma network! Though I have never had a serious accident in my shop so far, I am going to have the closest member hospital's information on a printout in my shop from now on.

Thank you for sharing and thank you for sharing the information about the hand trauma doctors! I hope the surgery went well ~ I will follow your videos to see how everything turned out! Much Love to you!

this whole time i'm thinking, glad to know doctors in a big town like yours are as lousy as a smaller town that i live in. knowing how close you are to the best hospital around, it seems like a no brainer for the emergency room to get on the phone and work something out. instead, like many i know, it's up to you to get stuff done because doctors seem too arrogant to ask for help. sorry about the rant, it's just so frustrating seeing how the medical community treats people (covid has been a real eye opener too as far as that goes).

@emostorm7

2 жыл бұрын

This

@MB-xw1tu

2 жыл бұрын

I agree that when the ER knew they couldn't handle her case they should have suggested she go to Mayo, and not wait there. But I also wanted to add an additional point of view (on ER docs and Doctors in general). My husband is a doctor (the kind that works in a hospital other than in ER). I would say at least once a week he is dealing with a patient who was mismanaged by an ER. Either being admitted and consulted for a bunch of things without the ER attempting any sort of testing to see if they really needed to be admitted. Or attributing symptoms to the wrong cause without doing any testing to rule out really obvious explanations. Problems with patient treatment in the ER comes from two main things. First, some (not all) people choose Emergency Medicine (and Ortho) because they like a little adrenaline and are pretty Self-Confident... sometimes egotistical. Complicate that with the fact that, Long before covid, ERs have been overburdened and were relied upon to provide general medical care to people without doctors. But ER doctors aren't trained in "medicine" they are trained in Emergency Medicine and they are good at that. Stabilizing people so other doctors can treat them (and her ER doc did that.. it was the ortho who should have called for someone who specializes in hands). Asking them to do more is asking for trouble... AND leaving them without the time to do things like find the best doctor to call for a consult. On a weekend, or an evening there isn't going to be a surgeon there... like you said, they should have told her not to wait and go to Mayo. Also, a young woman is often going to be given the discouraging vibe from many doctors (mostly male) that they know what they are doing and don't need any guff. Kind of like how she would get treated by a mechanic or a contractor. So you are going to feel like you CAN'T question what you are being told. Having a little information to be armed with can make you feel more confident when requesting a referral or suggesting you need a different level of care. This video provides people with a cautionary tale and some information to arm themselves with, just in case!

Your thumb has proved that is a SURVIVOR! I wouldn’t sweat stabilization after what it’s been through. I’m a 60 year old male, and would be horrified to lose part of my body like that. If it’s vanity, at least you’re not alone. I don’t know if this habit has helped me, but it feels safer. I always lock my eyes on the spinning blade when I turn my saw off, until it stops. I’ve had some woodworking incidents that could have been serious, but they just reinforced my respect for what power tools can do in a heartbeat. I like that you owned responsibility for the accident, but please don’t put yourself down for it. People have accidents - we just try to reduce them, like you’re doing with the Saw Stop. Thanks for sharing, because I didn’t know about hand trauma centers, but am looking them up right after this post!

Well done. Making yourself vulnerable and giving us this resource of your story is amazing and appreciated. It looks like this happened quite a while ago so I hope things turned out well. Thank you for sharing your story.

Very interesting discussion, and THANK YOU for the helpful hand trauma link. I pray the stabilization goes very well.

Just wanted to say that the reason it didn't bleed as much as you would expect is because the human body has a natural defense against injuries like this. The body's natural instinct is to instantly clot a deep clean cut like that. Only reason I know this so well is I just finished a research paper on it for my emt class lol. Hope you heal soon

As a former cabinetmaker, this was always my biggest fear. Part of it came from the stories of my instructor. He had the same accident, although his forefinger was lost at the first joint. I fell out of the business a few years later, after moving out of state. Honestly, I'm kinda glad I did fall out of it, I didn't really enjoy having that at the forefront of my mind every time I turned on the table saw.

Thanks for making this discussion public. I know it's hard. Such an important lesson for all of us.

Thank you so much for sharing your story. I've been working wood for 40 years and have been lucky. I'm checking into Saw Stops and now know where I can find an emergency hand surgeon in my area.

This is the third of your videos that I've watched. First: good luck with that thumb. Second: I just looked up the hospital that's got the hand surgeon on call. There's one in the next town. Thank you! PS: I'm sure this channel's going to start blowing up. You've got good stuff!

@AButterflyHouse

2 жыл бұрын

Thank you so much! I'm glad you found it helpful!

I hope this never happens to me, but if it does, this is probably the most valuable KZread video I've ever watched. The closest hand trauma center/ER to me is a 50 minute drive. There's no way I would have known to go there if not for this video. That clinic is now saved in both my and my wife's GPS as "hand emergency." Thank you so much for sharing your story.

@sukhoifockewulf9371

Ай бұрын

If you hurt your hand and had never seen this video, you wouldn't know to see a hand specialist to... Ya know... Fix your hand?

I'm sorry for your injury and thank you so much for sharing. I know that my mind drifts regularly and mistakes have obviously happened throughout my life. I own a 1958 Shopsmith I purchased from I neighbor in 2007 who cut a couple fingertips off, but it has hardly been used because of that (the newer Shopsmith have more safety features built in). Approaching retirement, I have just set up my fantastic shop in my garage and did purchase a Sawstop. I absolutely use the sawguard. I appreciate you sharing your story because concerning safety, it is very easy to become complacent and lose focus.

Wow, I hope everything comes out for the best from this for you and I want to thank you for taking the time to remind all of us to avoid similar incidents. Accidents are just that, accidents and you never know when it will be your turn.

Always have a plan in mind for what to do after an accident. Jumping in the car and driving to the nearest hospital is the natural thing to do but not necessarily the correct thing. Community hospitals are good at treating minor things like cuts, scrapes and broken bones but not so good at treating traumatic injuries such as amputation. If you have a hospital with a level 1 trauma center within driving distance, that is where you want to go for any traumatic injury. A level 1 trauma center will have the medical specialists and surgical facilities immediately available to treat the injury. The initial treatment you described early in the vid borders on medical incompetence.

@colinmartin9797

Жыл бұрын

Medic here. Can confirm 100%. Most major cities will have a level 1 or 2 trauma center (level 1 means neurosurgery on site, so any level 2 should be okay)

@bruce-le-smith

Жыл бұрын

Yeah driving while in shock is adding a lot of danger to oneself and others on the road, including pedestrians. Best to call 911.

@CONEHEADDK

Жыл бұрын

@@bruce-le-smith I "know" a guy, who got his lower jaw shot off with a shot gun (the news said), and drove about a mile to the hospital in his car.. Pretty fookin' tuff guy..

Thanks for sharing your experience. Hope you get back to 100%. Yes, you do have to turn off your mind's autopilot if possible but at least unlike driving you don't have to worry about other drivers. Perhaps repeating "focus, focus, focus" before turning on the saw would help. Do you now have a blade guard or does the Saw Stop make that unnecessary?

@AButterflyHouse

3 жыл бұрын

I haven't actually purchased the Sawstop yet - I'm waiting for my thumb to heal a bit more before I do. I imagine, though, that a blade guard will still be useful. Sawstop is definitely a safer saw, but it's not impossible to injure yourself on it.

I’m so glad you talked about this, I hope everything is going ok still.

Had a similar experience a few months ago. It's amazing how a momentary lapse of concentration for a fraction of second can have a permanent impact. My sympathies.

I suffered a similar accident on my thumb on 1/23 on my table saw. Lost the tip of mine ripping a board. It all happened so quick. Everything you said is legit how I felt too..

Lindsay, we can rebuild you. We'll make you bigger, stronger, faster, better :D

@AButterflyHouse

3 жыл бұрын

LOL, thanks!!

@jbratt

2 жыл бұрын

Lee Majors was married to a girl that lived on my street. I won’t name drop but her initials were FF.

@mariano_353

Жыл бұрын

It's "harder better faster stronger"

@rogermiller2159

Жыл бұрын

And never die

@rogermiller2159

Жыл бұрын

@@jbratt Fanny farmer?

Thank you so much for sharing this humbling experience. I guess that your emotions are fairly raw after such an event - fair enough. I have nothing but respect. I hope all is well. I also want n to say i have never commented on a KZread video before in my life - i'm over 40- but your story, your earnestness, truth, eloquence, tragedy is way off the richter scale. Wishing you all the best in all your endeavours.

Thank you for sharing. I tell my kids all the time that power tools are machines without feelings, they can hurt them if used improperly. Even under the best circumstances something could happen. My table saw incident happened about within 6 weeks of getting my sawstop in 2021 (after 10 years of hobby woodworking). I was dialing in a half lap joints with scrap 2x4 and the blade fully extended. My hand contacted the blade and the scrap I was using kicked back into my face. My finger had a nick, my right eye swelled shut. I went to the er for my eye. Fortunately I made a full recovery with no lasting damage. I went out and picked up some impact resistant goggles to go over my glasses.

Thank you for sharing you experience. I am 70 yrs. old and have "brain drift" quite often. I'm going to sell my favorite Grizzly G1023 and order a Saw Stop. Even though I'm old it appears vanity doesn't never changes. Good luck and I hope all turns out well.

@daveawb

Жыл бұрын

Just out of curiosity Dave, are from Reading or are you reading all the time? I live in Reading, UK and share your namesake and would dearly love a sawstop but getting them in the UK seems like a massive challenge due to the differences in regulations on the devices sold here and the US.

@davidreading1016

Жыл бұрын

@@daveawb Hey there. Family traced from Reading, England. I live near Princeton, NJ, but born in Pennsylvania. Lots of Readings there. The is a city not far from Philadelphia by that name and of course the Reading Railroad . Cull blimey it's a small world 🌎

@daveawb

Жыл бұрын

@@davidreading1016 it really is, KZread has a habit of throwing people together like that. I did love the cor blimey, reminds me of my late father 😀

You need to develop good habits like wait until the blade stops completely. I use a band-saw regularly and have several rules around that. Unplug a power tool before doing anything with a blade or bit. Never have any body part moving in line with the blade. I would really hate to have to go without an opposing digit on either hand. I hope your thumb survives with no more than a sexy scar.

thank you for sharing your experience...it will save lives and hands. Much, and deeply appreciated.

Lindsay, Thanks for sharing your experience. I hope that you're healing up nicely. There are so many similar stories with saws. I've recently returned to woodworking after several years. My table saw is the tool that I "respect" the most. There's a SawStop in my future. Many years ago I had a slip up with a chain saw. At the time I was cutting line for geophysical surveying (many miles away from medical attention of any sort). I had just finished cutting some brush when I set my saw on my leg to clear away the cutting. Even though the saw had a very fast brake, the chain hadn't stopped moving. Fortunately, I was wearing cutters pants. The front of the pants have about 1/2" of tightly woven fibreglass intended to stop the chain. In my case, the pants did their job. All I ended up with were a nice straight line of small 1/4" long shallow nicks in my leg. One of my co-workers wasn't so lucky when he did the same thing (with my saw) a couple of weeks later - he was cut deep for many stitches and never did return to the job. Lesson learned - I watched the chain stop from that point on before setting it anywhere. All the best, Wayne

I think a good track saw is safer than a table saw. You hold the tool, you hold the trigger, you move the tool, and the track keeps it under control. It is harder to drift off in your mind because you must engage with the tool, not just the wood.

@daveawb

Жыл бұрын

To an extent... or you could just use the blade guard on your saw.

@ModMINI

Жыл бұрын

You would think that... My dad cut his index finger off with a track saw. I remember him running out of the garage with his hand in a shop rag, our neighbor jumping in the car fast and getting out of there. He only cut off the tip, so they just sewed it back on, just 1/8" shorter than before. it's on crooked though, so he scares my kids with it, lol. He was doing some sort of repeated cross cut and bang.

@dc6233

Жыл бұрын

BUT, she never explained exactly what she did so we're all at a complete loss as to how it happened...

@daveawb

Жыл бұрын

@@dc6233 she did explain it, watch again my man.

@daveawb

Жыл бұрын

@@dc6233 you’re right that she doesn’t go into detail but it’s relatively easy to see what happened. Leaning down to the right with the workpiece to place it and uses her left hand to remove the off cut from the left side of the blade and catches her thumb on it while her focus is elsewhere. A blade guard may have prevented this.

In a good man’s heart is a desire to protect women and children. I honestly feel that your first step should have been to make a video asking us guys and gals to GoFund you a Sawstop as your began your woodworking journey. The technology is here to make these catastrophic injuries (due to table saws) a thing of the past.

@chuckgrumble5440

10 ай бұрын

not as long as festool owns the patent

Thanks for sharing your story! It's nice to see another teacher/woodworker. :)

Thank you for sharing your story. I have been going back and forth on buying a Sawstop wondering if the added cost was worth it. Your video is what convinced me that I should absolutely get the safest tool that I can, so Sawstop here I come!

About 15 years ago I was in Montreal, and the sidewalks look like they've been shelled. It was raining and I was pushing a friend in a wheelchair when a it fell down into a hole I hadn't seen because it was full of water. The chair fell backwards, I fell forwards, and the handle came down right on my finger, completely shattering it. The nail was torn off, large chunks of flesh were ripped out, and fragments of shattered bone were exposed. The cop who showed up took one glance at my finger, then turned his back and refused to look. I ended up in the hospital emergency room and waited for more than _twelve hours_ to be seen. Once an hour the nurses would call me up and ask me for my pain level -- a solid eight out of ten -- then add another layer of bandage on top of what had already soaked through and send me back out to cool my heels without so much as an aspirin. When I finally got to see a doctor, he scolded me for waiting so long, telling me that as a diabetic, waiting this long to deal with an injury of this sort means a guaranteed infection, and that he'd need to put me on exotic, expensive antibiotics. I told him I didn't think I had a choice and he explained that the nurses doing triage aren't really listening to what you say, they're judging you based on your emotional reaction. I wasn't crying or howling or demanding to be seen, so they just kept putting me at the end of the line. I practice stoicism as a personal philosophy, and aapparently this meant they didn't take me seriously. My finger never healed properly, which means I can't bend it right, it's crooked and misshapen, and it aches with arthritis when it gets cold or rainy. I suspect you were too calm for your own good. If you'd made a huge scene, shrieking and crying and panicking, I think they'd have been much more likely to take you seriously and give you proper medical care.

@martino8114

2 жыл бұрын

Wow… you are a patient person lol

@NoJusticeNoPeace

2 жыл бұрын

@@martino8114 It's part of the practice of stoicism, something called prohairesis. It means living in the world as it is and not as you wish it to be. The fact that bad things are happening and you aren't experiencing your preferred outcome is immaterial; the world is what it is, so we cultivate serenity by accepting the world regardless of our desires.

@bertveldhuizen8699

Жыл бұрын

Waiting more then twelve hours in the emergency room?? Damn!

@CONEHEADDK

Жыл бұрын

"The squeaky wheel gets the oil". Be loud.!

Yeeouch! The things that can happen in an instant - things we never imagined doing to ourselves. Ugh! Power tools are no joke. Despite being acutely aware of this after a career as a paramedic, I've still had a share of incidents that shouldn't have happened, but fortunately nothing I couldn't recover from. (No lost digits, or in your case, a digit at risk.) In most of these cases, we're doing something so routine and comfortable that we drop our guard. Two other primary factors are being in a hurry and fatigue. For example, I'd already nailed up a couple of dozen rafters with an air nailer, so what changed that out-of-the-blue I decided to shoot a nail through the ridge board into my index finger instead of the rafter? Actually, classic causes: After a couple of dozen rafters it was 'routine' and I wasn't particularly mindful. It was starting to get dark so I got in a 'hurry.' And at that point in the day I was definitely 'fatigued.' Being unfamiliar with your area, EMS system and facilities, it's hard to say if your treatment outcome might have been different if you had entered through the 911 system. In some circumstances, depending on area hospitals, travel time and protocols, a paramedic would have described the nature of your injury to an MICN or physician, and the base hospital would direct transport to the most appropriate facility, transferring communications or alerting them to your inbound status directly - not that vascular hand surgeons are easy to come by at a moment's notice, but maybe? In any case, it's good to have a plan. I live in a rural area now with one destination for EMS units, and having been to that ER twice there's zero chance I'd let them pull a tick out of my dog much less see me as a patient. There's a very good University Hospital roughly an hour from me, and I've made it clear that I'd rather take the chance of dying trying to make that trip than walk into certain death, loss of limb or whatever just 15 minutes away. 😄 Very sorry this happened to you and hoping for the best possible outcome!

@AButterflyHouse

3 жыл бұрын

Thank you! And you bring up a really good point - I cut myself on my second-to-last cut of the day. I was almost done, and exhausted after a full day of working on the countertop, and I'm sure that played a part.

@RICDirector

Жыл бұрын

The 'I'd rather crawl to the border of the next hospital's care zone with my teeth rather than use what's here' is TOTALLY familiar to most people in my area. Know where you need to go; have someone you can tag instantly to get you there, and NEVER be afraid to insist on a reasonable standard of care.

Best KZread video I've ever seen. Thank you. I hope your cat is doing well.

Thanks for sharing the network of hand trauma surgeons! It will be a permanent link on my phone. I'll also be putting that blade guard back on every time!