I was fixing a commercial kitchen appliance today, replacing a burnt cord on a proofer/warmer, and the owner just wanted me to cut the cord and splice a new one on it, instead of tearing into the electrical module to disco the cord from the circuit board stuff (the right way). I was cutting the age hardened 3/4" diameter cord with a pair of poultry shears, since my dykes wouldn't open that far, and the stinkin' handle broke on me, at maximum squeeze, of course. The broken end of the handle got me in the web between thumb and index finger, and tore a hole in a cross shape, 1"x1"x1/2"deep. I did this about noon, and had to finish the stinkin' job to get the machine back in production for a huge catering job by 3pm. Luckily, it didn't bleed much, but the first aid kit only had a gauze eye patch and some stinkin' paper adhexive tape and a betadine swab. I used half a roll of electrical tape to hold that mess in place and got it fixed, and it took 15 stitches to close it up this evening when I finally admitted it was too big and deep for butterfly tapes. Glad I went in. The ER MD showed me the nerve bundle draped across the hole, and did extensive tactile and movement tests to make sure I didn't have any nerve damage.

The moral of this story is:

Don't let the idjits tell you how to do the job...

I'm glad you're not seriously injured. We need carnage pics!

I can do without the "carnage" pics on that one!!!!

It would bring back long suppressed memories of a similar incident leaving an inch plus scar on my knuckle!!!!

Moral: Use the correct tool for the job!!!

And, I have a lot of tools seldom used....

Ouch!! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/scared.gif" alt="" /> I hate stuff like that. Most of the time it's not the injury that's really bothersome (although clearly was in this case) but the inconvenience of having a less able hand.

I would've stitched that up for ya Eddy <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" /> I was doing a bunch of surgery on mice the other day. I got in to it and realized I was out of wound stables (they are tiny). Everyone else in the vivarium had gone home <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" /> and all office doors locked. I had to suture every last one of them! Took me hours <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/baby.gif" alt="" /> Got lots of practice though <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/lol.gif" alt="" />

Glad you made it ok with no nerve damage. Pics would be nice... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/ignore.gif" alt="" />

Reminds me of the time I cut my knuckles on the lid of a chili can when I worked at the Buick dealership in San Leandro.

I bandaged the cuts and got back to work. A few days later, during a smog class, I noticed one knuckle was pretty inflamed-looking. I started messing with it and it broke open. Puss squirted a good 8 inches out of my hand straight up into the air. I couldn't believe how much there was. Had to be a couple tablespoons or more. I wiped up the mess and continued my studies. Never had a problem since.

Any pics would probably have been obscured by puke. I was stitched up by an obese Tarzan, assited by a rather fetching Jane (unfortunately NOT the one in the underwater swimming scene). It turns out that I have some kind of allergy to Lidocaine, and made heavy use of the emesis tray.

The closed wound is not very impressive. It was a real gaper until the 4-0 silk went in. AND my stinkin' shoulder has a bad case of tetanus shot hammer effect...

And it messed up my pool game...

Good one ! After I had my stitches from the Jig Saw fight I noticed my finger was very sensitive to metal after it healed. That went on for two years but now it's back to normal. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/patriot.gif" alt="" />

What's the going rate per stitch now days? I only need four and it's was $384 and change at the "doc in the box"

Glad that was just a flesh wound Eddy. Had a friend show up at my house one day wanting me to dress an ACP slide bite- was playin' Calamity Jane or some crap with her left hand. Told her she needed stitches; butterfly wasn't enough. Also mentioned possible nerve damage.

Wouldn't have none of it, so made a helluva a field duty dressing, as they were going hunting the next day.

Took about 2 years for her to regain full strength in the dang thing. <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/rolleyes.gif" alt="" />

Oh that is going to be one useless hand for awhile. That sucks. Glad to hear it did not get into the nerves to bad.