lefty

Back in the beginning of March, I almost cut my right index finger off using a table saw. I'm not new to power tools and have used them since the early 1980's. I simply got overconfident and as I took my eyes off the project at hand for just a second or two, things could have been much worse. I suppose that my age had something to do with it as well and the concentration is just not there any longer.


Here's what I wrote on a music site blog after it happened: I had a run in with a brute yesterday. In his defense for 30+ yrs I've been manipulating him for my own selfish goals. Ever since the brute started getting older and older like myself and as my old friend also started breaking down with age and use, many a strong word had been said. Yesterday was no exception, I was using my friend, again for personal gain as I had been for so many years and when things just didn't go my way, out came some very harsh negative words and apparently my old friend just got pissed off and gave me an upper cut where it mattered.

Well, I have to say that there was a lot of blood involved and I had to seek medical attention, not that I'm that weak or frail. I'm sure that eventually the bleeding would have stopped. Perhaps had I not have taunted my old friend and push it to it's limits, things may have been a little different.

Unfortunately, picking a fight with a power tool such as a table saw while it was running as in my case, was a poor choice. I'm in no pain and seem to feel okay after the incident but came to a conclusion that wiping my ass now is going to be quite challenging.

The finger is healed up and the nail has regrown back to about 99%. There are no scars on the finger even tho I lost most of the skin and some meat from the finger. Half of the nail had been ripped out. Oddly, I was never in any pain until I bumped my finger or used it for anything. I had a feeling that there might be some damage to the nerves since two years earlier I had a situation where I almost cut my middle finger of my left hand off using a hack saw. There is definitely some nerve damage in that finger and playing guitar or keys has been a bit challenging in that respect.

In using the index finger of my right hand, I'm having the same problems as with my middle finger of my left hand so I can assume that it too has some definite nerve damage. There is a very strong pricking feeling at the tip of the fingers as I touch anything so even tho they are healed the severe pain has begun.

But you know me, it won't stop me from trying to play nor will it stop me from my woodworking projects. I try to work around it and move ahead. As a matter of fact the flugelhorn/trumpet's coming along nicely and another woodworking project has been completed.