OK... It's official.... I'm an IDIOT and my left thumb is almost a 1/2" shorter to prove it. This happened last Saturday, March 11.
What was I thinking when I was....
- running a tablesaw when my mind was pre-occupied on another matter. (Biggest Mistake!!!!!)
- running a tablesaw without my blade gaurd in place
- running a tablesaw without using my push sticks.
Answer: I wasn't thinking at all.
Anyway.. not paying attention, I reached for the cut off material and put my thumb right into the blade. Cut the tip off instantly. Calmly shut everything down, walked upstairs squeezing my thumb and told my wife we had to go to the hospital. After her initial shock when I told her not to look at it and just get me a clean wet rag, we headed for the hospital.
I received great treatment by 2 orthapedic surgeons (one was in training). They took x-rays, saw that I cut a through the tip of the bone and also cracked it. After they numbed me up, we were all joking about it as they went to work. Snip some bone here, fold some skin there, put some stitches here... I was all patched up.
The Doc asked my wife how much she was selling my tablesaw for and she told him it was free... and to come get it if he was interested. Obviously, I failed to see the humor in that.
Anyway, the moral of the story is to have your mind on your work and tools and use common sense... which... obviously... I lack.
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