Did what you say? Well, I nearly named this thread "Looks like Christmas holiday came early this year", maybe that'll help you guess? In any case, I guess I should warn you that the following isn't very pleasant reading.

Yes, I've hurt myself pretty bad at work again. Funny, considering that it isn't long since last time it happened. Did it better too this time. To make a long story short, my right thumb is now shortened by about the length of the fingernail, and a tablesaw was involved. And same as last time, it was nobody's fault but my own. Yesterday I was splitting some boards on the saw, and was about to remove one of the pieces I'd cut off. It caught on the still spinning blade, and pulled my hand back sharply sending the thumb across the blade. It cut just at the root of the nail and into the bone, so not all the way through. However once I got to the emergency room it was clear that saw blades don't make very clean cuts. They generally make a mess of it to put it mildly. It had ruined the whole area from the middle of the nail and almost down to the joint. So while the fingertip was still largely whole minus the fingernail that had gone, the damaged area itself just didn't have anything left to fix. In the end the doctor cut some of the bone and finger away and simply used the tip to fold it back over the damaged area and stitched it on there, shortening the finger by that much. And that's really all there was to it.

Here is where I feel I have learned something about pain. I thought I knew about pain, but oh was I wrong. There actually wasn't much of it right after the accident, and once at the hospital I got local anaesthetics and a shot of morphine so didn't have a care in the world at that point. It was later in the evening, back at the rented cabin I was staying at. I'd been warned that it was going to ache a lot, due to having damaged the bone. And yes, the thing was aching something fierce, but I'd been given som painkillers to take. The box said 'no more than 4 per day'. At 3am, still awake due to to the finger's infernal throbbing, I was taking the ninth.

But today was even worse. I hadn't been allowed to drive home yesterday due to being on morphine, and the painkillers as well were too strong making it illegal to drive after taking them. So, if I wanted to get home today, that meant no more painkillers today before I get home. And I do not wish that trip on my worst enemy, seriously. The entire final hour the finger felt like it had been dipped in burning napalm. It is by far the worst pain I ever had to sit through. But, at least I'm home again now, and am munching painkillers and antibiotics and am thinking oh well, at least I have a few weeks leave coming.

So, aren't you guys wishing you had my job yet?
[Reply]

OMG! Was this the same finger you has sown back on last time?

That is pretty bad, although it could have easily been even worse. You could of lost your whole hand or more. I can't imagine how much that must of hurt/is still hurting. I hope it starts to hurt less real soon.

Soon you are going to be charged danger money before being allowed anywhere near a construction site!

And this is seriously going to effect you game playing abilities! And just as all the good games are starting to be released on the PS3 too!
[Reply]

No, that was the index finger. Same hand though. Pretty crazy still, isn't it.

Definitely. Everyone is pretty much in agreement that once it happened, it actually couldn't have gone much better. As I said earlier, there is no such thing as a clean cut with a saw, if it's more than a scratch then it is always going to be fairly bad. So it went pretty well in the end when all things are considered.

Well that is one of our greatest fears isn't it. Having a hand so damaged you can't operate a controller properly anymore. But once this has healed, I think there's plenty of thumb left so it shouldn't be a problem. But these first few weeks it seems there won't be too much gaming for me, I guess you're right about that.
[Reply]

Hearing from you every 3-4 month, I think I'll keep mine, worst thing that could happen, is falling off the chair.

But this one was already a pain to read, I can only imagine the pain you had, and still have, but still, it's quite imaginable.

I hope the painkillers will do their job and you'll get better soon. As Harrison mentioned, this is a very bad injury if you plan to play some games.

But as Asami (Audition) already said: "Words can create lies, but pain can be trusted." Ah, that's sooo true.
[Reply]

At least it was your right thumb, so you can still use the directional controls fine and could use your fingers for the buttons in most games. So your "prolonged" Christmas shouldn't go completely to waste.

Get well soon mate. And don't do it again!!! Seen the Pot Noodle advert?
[Reply]

Dude, you ought to audition for the next Hostel or (pardon the pun) Saw movie. Just reading your story made me feel the pain. Maybe you should consider wearing steel gloves at work?

Get better soon.
[Reply]

Damn man....Seriously, I was wincing for you...that sounds absolutely terrible. I think maybe a change of job would be the best solution?
[Reply]

OMG
Just to think about the finger and the saw....

I hope you're better now.
Can you work with gloves, or you dont have the same ability with them?
[Reply]

Sounds Nasty. I hope it gets better soon.
[Reply]

I'm a newbie here so please forgive the question but Teho, is cutting off fingers a regular thing?? If so it sounds like a change of career is advised before you have to change your name to Stumpy or Lefty. It sounds a bit of an extreme way to get some time of work. Hope everything gets better including your luck.
[Reply]