As friends on Facebook have already found out, I managed to mistake my left thumb for a piece of pine while chopping firewood a couple of weeks ago. Quite a silly mistake really (and not one I should have made after about 20 years of wood-chopping experience) but these things happen when the brain is idling out of gear. Still don’t know yet how I managed to do it, but somehow I managed to split it longitudinally in two. Right through the nail, the bone, and out the other side. It opened up like a banana. I should have taken photos and sent them off for a cash prize to one of those guys-grossing-out-on-injuries type websites …
A quick (well, not so quick – there was a lot of waiting around) trip to Arganil medical centre and 10 stitches later, I looked like something out of a Tom & Jerry cartoon. Huge thanks to Rick & Sarah for ferrying and accompanying.
The stitches came out last Wednesday and the dressings this Monday, two weeks to the day I did it. It’s healing very well, but has somewhat curtailed my abilities to get on with stuff. Frustrating. Helen and Oonagh have been stars. Thanks also are due to the staff at Coja medical centre for the redressing that was required 3 times a week.
Lesson? Do not wield axes while brain is out of gear. Don’t think I’ll be forgetting that one in a hurry …
fraser cairns March 12, 2010
Hi Wendy,
Sorry to hear you been out of action but a nail splitting story is worth the cause, nest pas?
Keep on trucking,
Ive just bought a chain saw so will work with respect,
Cheers
Fras
Jane March 20, 2010
Oh dear Wendy! You should know to keep your brain in gear! Glad you got all bandaged up ok and hope that healing will be quick and straighforward. If I were German, I’d be saying ‘Ich druecke Dir den Daumen” for a good recovery, which is their way of saying good luck. However, given that, literally taken, that would mean ‘I press your thumbs’, you might not appreciate that approach right now! So I’ll stick to “get better soon”.
This is the first opportunity I’ve had to read your blog, I’m afraid (head down studying again/still … just more of the same). It all sounds fascinating, amusing, exciting … hard work. I hope to read more, and more often. I imagine you do get immense satisfaction, as you have said, from the hard labour … even if you sometimes still get the Scottish weather.
The sun is out here today – spring seems finally to be arriving. I want to get out to the garden, but I need to practice some music – Innerleithen opera next week, Beauty and the Beast. I’m leading the band, so I must make some attempt to prepare so that I give some semblance of knowing what I’m doing at next Saturday’s band call. Eek!