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It's only a flesh wound
I had a bad encounter with a saw blade.
A few days ago while moving lumber around, I accidentally rammed my hand into the unshielded miter saw blade. Fortunately, the saw was not running. But the blade is still extremely sharp. Sadly, a while back the shield on the saw broke and after searching all over the place, I have yet to find a replacement shield.
The blade sliced across three fingers, taking the middle finger all the way to the bone. There was a lot of blood.
I was able to apply pressure and get the blood to stop flowing. I was able to bandage it up and thought it would be fine. But the next day things were still bleeding slightly. So a trip into town was required.
The visit to the clinic went well. The doctor cleaned the wounds and trimmed off some of the ragged skin. Because I waited a day, stitches are normally not an option due to the risk of infection. But the middle finger was deep enough and still bleeding enough that she decided I needed one stitch to hold things together. If you are wondering, we do not have insurance and pay out of pocket. The total bill including medication, fresh bandages, and all that the clinic did only cost $110. Far less than a trip to the urgent care back in the US.
I spent most of the day bandaged with all my fingers bonded together, but then at home I had to change to Steri-Strips. I also used bracing sticks to prevent my fingers from bending so as not to rip the wounds open. This bracing is especially important at night so as not to cause harm while I sleep.
After five days, I am spending some time with no bandages or braces as long I'm not doing any grabbing or lifting. It will probably take a few weeks for full mobility to return, but for the most part it is doing well.
| The caiman whisperer Published 05-May-2026 |
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