I was working with a jointer in the wood shop, unfortunately it's a tool I'm not too familiar with and i managed to touch the blades with left hand index fingertip. God did I ever feel stupid, in 40 years of working with heavy machinery this was my first injury needing more than a bandaid.
Of course it was on the last cuts of the day and fatigue played a part. I managed to get it washed out and bandaged before shock set in and then it was 15 minutes on the floor, then in a chair before I could stand without getting queasy. A long time to go struggling to maintain consciousness. Called my gf for a ride - fortunately she was nearby. By then I was feeling well enough to collect the work, clean up and check in with campus medical who said to come in over.
Happily, due to a snow storm, things are quiet, the doc wanted me to head to the ER so that it could be X-rayed to rule out any direct injury to the bone. So off we went, I did the driving bc I'm better at handling snow and again happily the ER was quiet and there was little waiting. Stitched up by a really nice butchy PA, and I was out in just under 2 hours.
Damage: split fingernail and an irregular slice across fingertip. The finger nail bed was unaffected so will grow back fine -- it will just take time. 7 very close stitches in the wound and a tetanus shot. It could have been far worse, nothing was cut off.
Emotionally wrenching and I think the shock was due to a combination of being a finer injury there are a ton of nerve endings and it's been a pretty awful month and so I was starting from a pretty vulnerable place. [Sigh] still feeling pretty stupid.
On the bright side I can be glad that the work came out really well and can be finished up on Monday, it's something I've been needing to get to for a while.
