Bit O' Scarfing

[Willie B]

You are not going to feel blessed anytime soon. If you got enough pain killer on board, you might be amused:

Fourth generation owner of the local farm store was not regarded as being sharp like earlier generations of his family.
He had a friend with a perfect place to set off fireworks. For a number of years he sponsored a keg & a fireworks display on July 4.
One year it rained. The show went on. A number of rockets were duds, too wet to go off. He picked them up & put several in his pocket.
As he set others off, he carried a lit propane torch.

Some sort of mishap took place. Without a word, he left.
The homeowner sensed something very wrong, followed him home. Found him undressed, severely burned where you don't want to show.

I've never known the full details. He commuted to Burlington months for debridement.

As time passed, my son grew up. The burn victim, I'll call Bob was one to find a sensitive subject & bring it up WAY too often. Seth was involved with the girl he is now married to. Bob was getting too personal in his comments about young love & what he presumed to be the sexual component of it. Seth was getting angry about it.
Once Bob said to me: "I'm really getting under his skin about it aren't I?" I answered: "Yes you are, you are getting under mine! SHUT UP ABOUT IT!"

Bob did not shut up. Soon Seth started referring to him as ElBeardo, The Peckerless Pirate, to his face. Bob felt this was disrespectful, spoke to me about it. I answered: "You been poking him with a pointy stick years now. Did you imagine he wouldn't sharpen his own stick?"

[farmersammm]

I'm not one qualified to give safety advice. A week ago Thursday I wanted to cut a grade 70 chain. Shoes I was wearing wouldn't do well with plasma or torch, I chose a cut off disc. I mounted it on the grinder, safety glasses, check, face shield, check, Gloves...30 feet away, I only got one chain link to cut.

I held the grinder away from my face, squeezed the trigger. 1/4 second later, BANG! Disc disintegrated! I looked at my left hand, blood everywhere!

6 hours later, I had 11 stitches, a disjointed group of people had tweezered out 1000 bits of disc debris. finger is broken.
No mention of treatment of the broken bone, the concern was infection from the tiny fragments they didn't get out.

Here's a picture Friday morning a week + later. swelling still significant.

Attachment 1740448

ER was a circus midday Thursday. They didn't have a room for me, only a gurney in the hall. I'll estimate 20 employees, 35 if I count security. Only one had a nametag said MD. Only a few said RN. endless variety of name tags.

Geeeeeez, that's TERRIBLE.

I think they're rightly concerned about infection. Infection changes the whole ballgame. Nothing will heal properly, and infections can become systemic.

I've done the gloveless grinder thing too. Something fast, and supposedly simple, that needed doing. Hell, I'm thinking we've all done it a time or two.

I think, after viewing many webinars on wounds lately, the big thing to look for on your hand, is redness extending outwards from the wound, coupled with local fever in the area, or some sort of redness progressing up the arm from that area. Not to mention the obvious pus that can occur.

Thank God they did a decent job at the ER. You could lose a hand from that crap.

[farmersammm]

Good golly Samm! So sorry to hear (see) your misfortune and hoping for as quick and uncomplicated a recovery as possible.

That said, Judy, RN says that as much as the Doc and Miss Rainbow deserve words of commendation, Nurse Cratchet and her "trainer" should be reported as she (Judy) is convinced they didn't follow protocol prior to, during and following treatment with regard to pain management. She (again, Judy) practically stood over my shoulder while typing this to make sure I told you how she feels about the matter.

Heal quickly.

It's a bit of a mess Duane

K'kins is getting pretty convinced that we should switch this entire thing from Hillcrest in Tulsa.........over to SSM in OKC.

I actually gave it some thought. And I'm on the fence, leaning K'kins way.

My cancer treatment has been handled by SSM. We've been to see a Pulmonologist, and Oncologist, from that outfit during the entire process. All imaging, and Cyberknife, work has been done by this institution. We've been handled with nothing but respect, and I feel, competency. I had ultimate say in the pain management for the biopsy.........choosing a local over a stronger IV drug requiring being placed on the O2 system. They gladly switched methods with no argument.

Hillcrest has handled the heart problem, and this burn. We've been happy with neither. K'kins had to go to war with the heart guy last visit to get some explanation of the actual state of affairs as to my condition. We're looking at what appears to be an endless parade of additional imaging. Bottom line........the initial nuclear stress test, and MRI, showed a less than 70% arterial blockage WITH 90% CERTAINTY. Guy wants more CT imaging to verify..........while filling me with blood thinners(which I've discontinued due to the fierce headaches), a beta blocker to deal with the headaches(which prescription I still haven't filled), and a cholesterol med to keep the plaque from dislodging.

K'kins rant AMAZINGLY brought out a disclosure of possible valve problems. FIRST TIME I'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS IN THE TIME WE'VE BEEN SEEING THIS GUY. I mean GEEZ.

We're reasonably intelligent people, and neither of us seems to have a full idea of just what's going on. We never had that feeling when dealing with SSM.

Say hello to Judy, and the both of you.......keep well.

I will say.................the burn thing has introduced me to a bunch of good webinars, presented by good institutions, dealing with wound treatment.

Our current concern is discriminating/identifying the difference between slough, and what might be epithelization, during the home wound cleaning process. We'd hate to be furiously scrubbing off good tissue.

[Willie B]

Geeeeeez, that's TERRIBLE.

I think they're rightly concerned about infection. Infection changes the whole ballgame. Nothing will heal properly, and infections can become systemic.

I've done the gloveless grinder thing too. Something fast, and supposedly simple, that needed doing. Hell, I'm thinking we've all done it a time or two.

I think, after viewing many webinars on wounds lately, the big thing to look for on your hand, is redness extending outwards from the wound, coupled with local fever in the area, or some sort of redness progressing up the arm from that area. Not to mention the obvious pus that can occur.

Thank God they did a decent job at the ER. You could lose a hand from that crap.

So far so good...if I can keep it out of reach of Mrs. B. She finds a way to inadvertently bang it way too often. Backing up with a shopping cart in the supermarket without looking she got me dead center of the broken bone with her elbow yesterday.

[duaneb55]

Having met and spent some time with you both, I can attest that you are both intelligent folks and Judy says if you think you should make a change then chances are you probably should. Sometimes you just have to e your own patient advocate.

Having done battle with breast cancer Judy says thank God for K'kins that she is there to help see you through all this. Thank you K'kins!

[farmersammm]

Having met and spent some time with you both, I can attest that you are both intelligent folks and Judy says if you think you should make a change then chances are you probably should. Sometimes you just have to e your own patient advocate.

Having done battle with breast cancer Judy says thank God for K'kins that she is there to help see you through all this. Thank you K'kins!

Mom survived breast cancer when the treatment was Medieval. I hope women are faring better today.

K'kins is a keystone. She keeps everything from falling apart. Still fashionably late, but stout as an oak

[Willie B]

Mom survived breast cancer when the treatment was Medieval. I hope women are faring better today.

K'kins is a keystone. She keeps everything from falling apart. Still fashionably late, but stout as an oak

My mother was a chain smoker from age 13 to ?68?. Born 1927, she had ovarian cancer 1968, had a total hysterectomy. Her personality was the only thing that didn't survive.

In very private conversations, my father believed it was pivotal to her personality. She survived cancer, but was a VERY unpleasant person thereafter. Later she had a couple breast tumors, had lumpectomies.

She admitted to four packs a day much of her life. At one point father was buying her 28 packs a week, it was quite the local joke she also was going to the store for more. Her ration of four packs a day wasn't enough.

She never did get lung cancer. She did get COPD (Emphysema). Doctor called it "end stage". She needed oxygen at all times. She moved to assisted living. She was supposed to use oxygen even on bathroom trips. She never did. One night she failed to put the oxygen back on after. she got back in bed without it. They found her dead. Made it to 88.

I suspect she chose her time. I have no memory in my adult life of her being pleasant. She could always turn a thank you into an insult. Nothing was ever good enough. Nancy & I visited her the afternoon before she died, she didn't have an unpleasant thing to say. I looked at Mrs. B in the parking lot, "She didn't tell me off once!"

[shortfuse]

OUCH!!!! Looks like you won't be picking yer nose with that hand for a while. At least you still have your fingers attached.

[farmersammm]

My mother was a chain smoker from age 13 to ?68?. Born 1927, she had ovarian cancer 1968, had a total hysterectomy. Her personality was the only thing that didn't survive.

In very private conversations, my father believed it was pivotal to her personality. She survived cancer, but was a VERY unpleasant person thereafter. Later she had a couple breast tumors, had lumpectomies.

She admitted to four packs a day much of her life. At one point father was buying her 28 packs a week, it was quite the local joke she also was going to the store for more. Her ration of four packs a day wasn't enough.

She never did get lung cancer. She did get COPD (Emphysema). Doctor called it "end stage". She needed oxygen at all times. She moved to assisted living. She was supposed to use oxygen even on bathroom trips. She never did. One night she failed to put the oxygen back on after. she got back in bed without it. They found her dead. Made it to 88.

I suspect she chose her time. I have no memory in my adult life of her being pleasant. She could always turn a thank you into an insult. Nothing was ever good enough. Nancy & I visited her the afternoon before she died, she didn't have an unpleasant thing to say. I looked at Mrs. B in the parking lot, "She didn't tell me off once!"

My Grandmother turned combative in her late years, so did Mom to some degree. It's not unusual. Aging is a damn cruel thing. Dad got a bit combative, but mostly entered a depressive state.

I sometimes wonder if Alzheimers isn't a protective cocoon for the mind...............like a coma protects us from unbearable pain.

I hope personality change doesn't happen to me. We really have no control over it as we age, despite all the TV Doc quacks who sell you BS to change the eventual collapse of the mind. I fully expect to be a burden if I live long enough, no matter how hard I try to fight it. I dread it for K'kins.

Also............losing what could be said to be the essence of ones sexuality, due to surgery, has to be devastating to some people. I'd not be surprised to see a negative impact on behavior. It's just a stinkin' thing that these things happen.

[Willie B]

My Grandmother turned combative in her late years, so did Mom to some degree. It's not unusual. Aging is a damn cruel thing. Dad got a bit combative, but mostly entered a depressive state.

I sometimes wonder if Alzheimers isn't a protective cocoon for the mind...............like a coma protects us from unbearable pain.

I hope personality change doesn't happen to me. We really have no control over it as we age, despite all the TV Doc quacks who sell you BS to change the eventual collapse of the mind. I fully expect to be a burden if I live long enough, no matter how hard I try to fight it. I dread it for K'kins.

Also............losing what could be said to be the essence of ones sexuality, due to surgery, has to be devastating to some people. I'd not be surprised to see a negative impact on behavior. It's just a stinkin' thing that these things happen.

Both sisters had it also with radical? hysterectomy. Those parts produce hormones. Sisters got hormone replacement drugs. Oldest sister remained the same bitch she always had been, second sister remained a sweet lady as she always had been.

[farmall]

Good on ya posting those pics because real men own our mistakes and if ya don't make mistakes ya ain't making anything good either.

I grew up many years ago and chose not to be anti-glove. My neurosurgeon does fine wearing appropriate gloves so I have no excuse. TIG gloves for anything oil-free (so I don't accidentally use an oily one next to oxygen), stick gloves for getting hot, nitrile gloves for light mechanics work (faster than washing off greasy dirt which could contaminate engine builds), general mechanics gloves for my trucks etc.

I also wear full face shields even when using a Dremel (lil bastids throw wire strands with considerable force!). PPE is easy to get used to and younger folks tend to have no problems with it. I also use aggressive shop ventilation (including centrifugal bounce house blowers for their high velocity air stream) because lungs are nice to have.

On another note some people get quite nasty as they near death so I don't take that personally. Death is a blessing because old age is bad and only gets worse. I would not wish long life on anyone I cared about because that's really just selfish and of no benefit to the person who lives longer than it's worth living. That's not discussed enough except among old folks because it's their reality. I don't fear death even slightly and found my heart attack quite annoying but not a bit scary. (It's like someone placed a T400 automatic on your chest and ya can't remove it.)

Another taboo that's not discuss is not suicide, but when checking out makes more sense than waiting. Everyone kicks the bucket so going on your own terms beats passive acceptance of madness, crippledom and the rest. Life is not intrinsically good or bad. It just is.

I think, after viewing many webinars on wounds lately, the big thing to look for on your hand, is redness extending outwards from the wound, coupled with local fever in the area, or some sort of redness progressing up the arm from that area. Not to mention the obvious pus that can occur.

My Health class teacher taught us "red warm swollen tender pus" to remember signs of infection. That was around 1970 so I guess it worked.

[farmersammm]

So...........the doc said it's healed as far as their concerned. It has a skin covering. Well......................ok. Doesn't look too overly super healed to me.

"So, doc, what's all those black spots??"

He didn't know. Now that's medical acumen for ya

I asked whether it might be fungus, or possibly silver deposits from the silver saturated pad. He didn't think so.

"Go see a dermatologist if it gets worse" Well f'k ya very much doc.

I told the Nurse From Hell that I'm in the middle of hay season, and I'm gonna be putting my hands in some pretty filthy stuff. Is there a pad/dressing I should be putting on it. She says it'll be fine.

I asked about possible infection since the skin is still pretty tender. "I've been doing this for 25yrs, and you'll be fine.........wear gloves"

Oh yeah.........the whitish yellowish stuff is dead tissue that's sloughing off the top of the healing skin underneath. Hard as nails, but softens a bit when wet, and is slowly peeling off. There's another damn layer of the stuff underneath that will probably slough off in the same manner

[Munkul]

Slow and steady, Sam. Definitely healing. Not ideal, in the middle of Hay season though!

[Meltedmetal]

It looks better than I thought it would by this point. Great to see it healing. Just don't go jamming it into any hay bales without a glove for quite a while yet.

[whtbaron]

That new skin is fragile so wear gloves... maybe even lined ones so you aren't rubbing against the leather stitching. It is more susceptible to sunburn and tearing... don't ask how I know.

[labparamour]

I think pharmacists are more helpful and share more information than the docs.
You might check with a pharmacist about ointment/skin care product.
Even the small injuries I get, when healing and dry/cracked, tend to open more easily than if skin pliable.
And yeah, protect that hand!!
So easy to bump or knock against something.

[Willie B]

Dripped liquid steel under my watch as a teenager. In a panic, I ripped my watch off. Cooked flesh came off with the watch leaving white bone exposed, no blood. Healing took a long time & the scar tissue was fragile. Years it took nothing to tear it open. That is many years ago & even the scar is barely noticeable now.

[Roert42]

Had a bad burn on my arm recently, leaned on some hot exhaust. Not this bad.

Put some lotion on it a couple times a day to keep from drying out. It will heal a lot faster. When it dries and cracks it will peal off and takes three times longer to heal.

I rubbed O'Keefe's on my arm twice a day until it was mostly healed.



I might even be inclined to wrap some gauze around it before putting on a glove, that way the glove doesn't tare up the scab while moving around. At least for a few weeks.

[farmersammm]

Absolutely Great!! It's healing

I'm at the point where I really get a kick out of grossing out the gal at the checkout, when I ask for a receipt. K'kins doesn't think it's that amusing.

But...........................From worrying about infections, limited movement of the hand, etc......................... This is F'n Great News. I got REAL LUCKY ON THIS ONE.

The chunks of scabs are falling off every day, revealing real skin underneath. I'm one lucky bstd.

This is kinda like some sorta metamorphosis................You have absolutely no idea what the next day will bring

[smithdoor]

Your hand does look better.
Looks like a lot of pain pills need too.

Dave

Absolutely Great!! It's healing

I'm at the point where I really get a kick out of grossing out the gal at the checkout, when I ask for a receipt. K'kins doesn't think it's that amusing.

But...........................From worrying about infections, limited movement of the hand, etc......................... This is F'n Great News. I got REAL LUCKY ON THIS ONE.

The chunks of scabs are falling off every day, revealing real skin underneath. I'm one lucky bstd.

This is kinda like some sorta metamorphosis................You have absolutely no idea what the next day will bring

[farmersammm]

whtbaron.........Thanks, it's been an ordeal. Mostly because the doctors didn't let us know what to expect. In the end, it's a miracle in my eyes, and K'kins has been even more forceful about it. Sometimes things turn out ok.

[farmersammm]

Your hand does look better.
Looks like a lot of pain pills need too.

Dave

Done with the pills Dave. There's no more raw skin to deal with. It's mostly healed. Just a matter of trying to protect it, so that the scabs don't all get ripped off. Some are still covering tender, bleeding, skin.

[farmersammm]

Feels funny to discuss it. I was in real fear when it happened, and when I first went to the ER. I mean SCARED.

Seems like lightyears away from what it was. Funny how that is.

[farmersammm]

whtbaron absolutely nailed it. You either need to wear lined gloves, or cover the wound with something that will prevent the scabs from getting ripped off. I'm doing a tight wrap around a gauze pad, just to cover it. Then I can put gloves on, without tearing the scabs

[smithdoor]

The photo looks painful 😕 😢 😳.

I am glad to here you do not need pain pills any more.

Dave

Done with the pills Dave. There's no more raw skin to deal with. It's mostly healed. Just a matter of trying to protect it, so that the scabs don't all get ripped off. Some are still covering tender, bleeding, skin.