health and safety - be careful

chris · Post by **chris** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 12:08 pm

Ironic isn't it?
I spend the last 3 weeks at work conducting a massive health and safety audit of the departmental wood and metal workshops, studios and equipment. I make sure everything is up to spec, safe, maintained and generally spot on.

I get into discussions here about safe riding techniques, reflective clothing, helmet colours etc.

At home I clean out plastic containers and tin cans to recycle and on Wednesday night I stick my hand on top of the stuff in the green bin to squash it down to get a little more in and get what feels like an electric shock...as the edge of the tin can I didn't see slices my index finger to the bone cutting through the artery and nerve in one quick go.

I know I've cut the nerve and in A&E I tell them over and over BUT the casualty consultant maintains that there's no nerve damage despite my insisting I have no feeling there, stitches me up and sends me home.

Today I decide to go back for a second opinion and am told that there's nerve damage (no sh*t Sherlock

) and that it's probably too late to repair it now. If only they spotted it on Wednesday they could have done it so please accept our apologies...bugger...

Post by **Boxer** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:15 pm

Ouch!
I did something similar once...at home. Shoving the trash down by hand and did not know one of the kids had placed a broken juice jar in the trash. I rammed my hand down on the jagged edges and you can visualize the rest.
I should have gotten stitches, but didn't. No ligaments cut nor nerve damage, but it hurt like hell.
Now I never shove trash doen by hand.

chris · Post by **chris** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 3:59 pm

Nasty! I don't think I'll be doing it again...

Have to be assessed tomorrow but it's not looking good.

I rode to work today, uncomfortable with the finger sticking straight out but manageable.

Post by **DJ Downunder** » Mon Oct 23, 2006 5:30 pm

Chris..sorry to hear about your injury..ouch..just wondering..is it the middle finger...is it sticking out straight and all taped up..do you have to walk around with your hand up in the air to stop it thobbing...just trying the get a visual of what that must look like..

....others must be thinking that you're giving them the finger at first glance..

..just kidding..

I work in a hospital...I've seen what it's like in A&E...some doctors rush and others are a bit over the top with checking and doing tests..it's a shame you got a bad one.

DJ

chris · Post by **chris** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 3:29 am

Hi DJ
it's the index finger...but it did look a bit like I was giving it to everyone on the way to the hospital with it up in the car window!
I have found a benefit to this today tho.
That finger doesn't feel the cold anymore...

Post by **GypsyRR** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:40 am

Sorry to hear of your accident, Chris. Is it the index finger on your writing hand? That will make it really difficult to write anymore. However, you do seem to be still typing okay????

I hope they can restore the finger to almost as good as new. By the way, what does A&E stand for? I'm assuming it is your emergency room which we call an ER.

Post by **Boxer** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 8:42 am

Look on the bright side Chris. You now can use that finger to stir your coffee with each morning.

chris · Post by **chris** » Tue Oct 24, 2006 2:01 pm

Hi Gypsy, A&E is accident and emergency must be same as ER. I can type OK, I just use the other fingers as the left index is a bit clumsy at the mo.
Phil...that's one way to look at it...already noticed it was the only warm finger on the way in to work tday!

Saw the consultant today anyway and the plan is to open the finger in a big zig zag (apparently a straight cut causes problems with movement later on) and try to stitch the nerves (tiny mothers) back together. God knows how they do it. Like to see a video afterwards.
So that's Tuesday taken care of next week, no guarantees apart from a huge scar but here's hoping!