George: Table Saw Disaster

I was in my Dad’s woodworking shop cutting some boards. I was in a hurry. I forgot to lower the sawblade on his table saw. In a moment of stupidity and forgetfulness, I reached over the blade with my right hand and made contact with my thumb and pointer finger on the blade.

I immediately grabbed my thumb and closed my hand around. At this moment I didn’t realize I had nicked my pointer finger as I had cut the nerve at the first joint. I went to wife and showed her what I had done, she panicked.

Being a Paramedic in my state for several years at the time, I sent my kids to the car for 4×4’s and cling wrap. I wrapped my thumb in a pressure bandage and my wife took me to the hospital.

When I got to the hospital, the nurses were amazed that I had wrapped my own injury and stopped the bleeding. In the emergency room I found out that I had cut the nerve in my finger and could only feel half my finger. Thanks to a fantastic Surgeon though, I still have all my digits and feeling back in finger. I still have the scars, but have good use on my hand and fingers still. Advice I would give is to slow down, think about what you are doing, and work safe!