Leg nearly severed by a stump grinder

[Tree Machine]

Trinity, thank you so much for your concern. You send healing energy, and I can feel it. It makes a difference. Welcome to the site.

Ughhh.....Thanks FJR for that little reminder.... the catheter.

For those who haven't personally experienced this little joy, when the medical team wants you flat on your back and not getting out of bed AND they're going to be pumping you full of I.V. fluids AND they're going to be anesthitizing you and don't want you pee-ing yourself on the operating table or in your recovery bed, they offer you this non-negotiable option called a Foley Catheter.

This warm, fuzzy description alone should keep guys from wanting to enjoy a little R and R in the hospital.

A Foley is an insertable pee tube that goes from your bladder to a plastic container. It's wonderfully convenient for the patient....., except for the insertion and extraction of the device.

You're probably imagining a mildly gruesome scene already, aren't you?

As if your condition isn't dire enough, some stranger takes hold of your Willy and forces a sizably diametered tube right up into your Johnson. There is, of course, a sort of initial shock, tainted with fear, melded with genuine personal concern and a sprinkling of "You're not REALLY doing what I think you're doing....?"

But they do. No apparent respect for your masculine side, they're all business. They do the seemingly impossible and reverse direction on a one-way street by slipping a tube into your tube and when your eyes blaze wide open, they just keep pushing.

Wouldn't it be kind if they would do this procedure while you were on the operating table under anesthesia? Nnnnoooo. They do it while you're awake, and you get to watch . Same for the extraction, another spine-tingling, jaw-clenching few moments where they just pull and pull until you witness this thing popping out of your thing.

Thanks FJR, for rekindling this memory I'd so conveniently buried in the hidden dark spots of my memory...., you Freak.

 

[Thirdpete]

Sorry to hear about your accident, really puts into perspective this line of work.

 

[Tree Machine]

View is everything

wow that's a traumatic story to read , i can't begin to imagine your view !!!
it seems too me, if things go wrong, its just as the job is nearing completion, a slip in attention or energy.

Thanks, Ian. My view improved greatly about the third day, when I fully accepted responsibility that I was as much a part of this scene happening as worker guy. When I chose to fully forgive him I was able to move on and start the healing process.

Your point about the job nearing completion is valid. End of the day, men tired, hungry, just want to go home and decompress your thoughts can fall off of the primary goal of sending men home, maybe tired, but unhurt.

This job was a bit different. Even though Larry showed up an hour late on day one and an hour and a half late on day two, I didn't jump him or even discuss it. When he arrived I simply said, "I'm glad you're here."

We were finishing, I was joyful. Payday was 20 minutes away and it was a good one, and plenty of daylight left.

My view today is one of greatfulness that I am alive, didn't have to have my leg amputated. I can move my toes. Eventually, this will all just be a blip in time. I choose to count my blessings, understand that what could have been was not, and see these few months of down-time as a gift. I choose to remain joyful every day.

It is, after all, a choice.

 

[Tree Machine]

Sorry to hear about your accident, really puts into perspective this line of work.

Thank you, Mr Third. That is exactly what I'm hoping to instill into everyone, especially the young guys and the noobs. We all understand this is a dangerous line of work and I'd like it if everyone could learn something from my mistake, rather than learning by making their own.

p.s. Thank you for this being your very first post. I am honored. Welcome to the site, Friend.

 

[belgian]

TM, sorry to hear about your accident. Bad luck is hanging in the air and has to land on somebody. This time, it was your turn. Hope you recover well though.

And remember, hope is a good thing, maybe the best of things..., and we all hope you will get back to a better life when this accident will become history.
keep up the good spirit !

PS. after your description of catherisation, I'll ask for anesthesia when the time comes. :

 

[CNYCountry]

Good luck, I hope your healing is as good as it can be. It's really a sobering story.

I have the utmost respect for the work you folks do, facing that every day is a scary thought to me.

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

TM i'm really sorry to hear about your mishap, if it's any consulation a guy in my town did the exact same thing with a 252,with all the time your going to have on your hands untill you recover fully if i were you i'd put it to good use like doing a consultacy course or something similer.

Again i'm very sad to hear about your injury get better soon mate.. :angel:

 

[Tree Machine]

You're too cool, Ekka

TM that's sad and an awful accident. I've only been around a short while and you're a top operator ... I sincerely wish that you recover quickly.

It only takes a fraction of a second to go from the top of your game to sitting at the base of the perch.

You have to be ever vigilant where the cutter wheel is pointing and what's either side plus behind you ... and try to see what the hell your grinding as well.

My Dad rented a grinder to remove some palm stumps a few months ago. The wheel caught a rock and sent it through the homeowners sliding glass door, about 50 meters away. It cost him $500, on top of the rental fee and time. Dad realized that rock could have just as easily taken out someone's forehead. I forwarded him a stump grinder thread from here that discussed portable barriers to prevent something like that.

Get better mate. Time to call in your favours off rellies and mates ... this is serious stuff ... ask for a hand if you need it, you were the victim of industrial neglegence ... just ask.

Thanks Ekka. I was the victim of my own stupidity. Like any good accident, it was entirely preventable. No one gets sued. The only one I hold accountable is me.

As far as calling in favors, apparently I have done a great many favors for a great many people. Letters and gifts are pouring in like little miracles. People writing me, telling me why I'm receiving the gift they're sending. It just makes me cry. I've always tried to work above and beyond the call of duty, provide world-class service to the best of my ability and treat every person with the respect they deserve. The messages I'm getting back seem to indicate that Karma is still alive and well. It's powerful healing medicine.

 

[Tree Machine]

Dangerous line of work, for sure

It's really a sobering story.

I have the utmost respect for the work you folks do, facing that every day is a scary thought to me.

Thanks CNY. They say if you're in this business long enough, you'll eventually get hurt or sued. My goal was always to be so safe that if Mike Maas were perpetually watching me, he would alway nod in approval.

I guess this shows that even having all the proper PPE and adopting a committed 'safe way of being' that things can still happen.

 

[Chris J.]

Holy you-know-what, TreeMachine!! Glad to hear that the damage wasn't any worse. Not sure what to say (me, speechless?) so...take care of yourself, & best wishes for a speedy recovery.

A couple of years ago a neighbor of mine mentioned sharing the rental on a stump grinder, & something in the back of my mind said that's not a good idea.

 

[Tree Machine]

New direction....?

TM i'm really sorry to hear about your mishap, if it's any consulation a guy in my town did the exact same thing with a 252,with all the time your going to have on your hands untill you recover fully if i were you i'd put it to good use like doing a consultacy course or something similer.

Again i'm very sad to hear about your injury get better soon mate.. :angel:

Thanks, Rolla. I hope the guy in your town was as fortunate as I.

The doctors said there were three big claw marks down into the muscle, and the nerve bundle that serves the foot managed to have been spared, falling right in between two of the 'claws'. Had I lost nerve function, given the severity of the overall trauma, amputation would have been a certainty.

As far as making use of my down time, and doing a consultancy course or something, could I get back with you guys on that? As far as input in some alternative direction, I know that I have the worlds best source of input and suggestions amongst you guys. As Ekka suggested, "Time to call in your favours off rellies and mates". I will not hesitate to ask for advice or help. Thank you for directing me in this way.

Pardon my ignorance, Ekka, what the heck is a 'relly'?

 

[YUKON 659]

TM, sorry to hear about your awful accident. I guess no matter how careful we are accidents can and will happen. Wishing you a speedy recovery!!!!!!

Jeff

 

[Tree Machine]

Thanks, Yukon. I guess the big point here is we can ALWAYS be more careful.

 

[Koa Man]

One thing I love about my Terra Power grinder on my mini skid, push off the cutter wheel lever and the wheel stops instantly. If you don't and step off the operator's platform the engine dies and the wheel stops instantly.

I am really sorry to hear of your accident and happy to hear you did not lose your leg. Take care and wish you a speedy recovery. We all need to be careful in this business. So many things can go wrong with tragic results.

 

[TreemanFJR]

Trinity, thank you so much for your concern. You send healing energy, and I can feel it. It makes a difference. Welcome to the site.

Ughhh.....Thanks FJR for that little reminder.... the catheter.

For those who haven't personally experienced this little joy, when the medical team wants you flat on your back and not getting out of bed AND they're going to be pumping you full of I.V. fluids AND they're going to be anesthitizing you and don't want you pee-ing yourself on the operating table or in your recovery bed, they offer you this non-negotiable option called a Foley Catheter.

This warm, fuzzy description alone should keep guys from wanting to enjoy a little R and R in the hospital.

A Foley is an insertable pee tube that goes from your bladder to a plastic container. It's wonderfully convenient for the patient....., except for the insertion and extraction of the device.

You're probably imagining a mildly gruesome scene already, aren't you?

As if your condition isn't dire enough, some stranger takes hold of your Willy and forces a sizably diametered tube right up into your Johnson. There is, of course, a sort of initial shock, tainted with fear, melded with genuine personal concern and a sprinkling of "You're not REALLY doing what I think you're doing....?"

But they do. No apparent respect for your masculine side, they're all business. They do the seemingly impossible and reverse direction on a one-way street by slipping a tube into your tube and when your eyes blaze wide open, they just keep pushing.

Wouldn't it be kind if they would do this procedure while you were on the operating table under anesthesia? Nnnnoooo. They do it while you're awake, and you get to watch . Same for the extraction, another spine-tingling, jaw-clenching few moments where they just pull and pull until you witness this thing popping out of your thing.

Thanks FJR, for rekindling this memory I'd so conveniently buried in the hidden dark spots of my memory...., you Freak.

Sorry bud, didn't mean to bring back the gruesome memories of the bladder tickler!! You were awake when they put that in? Yikes, I was out like a light for that part, but I did go through the fun of getting it yanked out.

Are you in a wheelchair? If so, how long? Ligament damage? Future surgeries?? Fill us in!!!

 

[ROLLACOSTA]

Thanks, Rolla. I hope the guy in your town was as fortunate as I.

The doctors said there were three big claw marks down into the muscle, and the nerve bundle that serves the foot managed to have been spared, falling right in between two of the 'claws'. Had I lost nerve function, given the severity of the overall trauma, amputation would have been a certainty.

As far as making use of my down time, and doing a consultancy course or something, could I get back with you guys on that? As far as input in some alternative direction, I know that I have the worlds best source of input and suggestions amongst you guys. As Ekka suggested, "Time to call in your favours off rellies and mates".

The guy in my town made a good recovery ,his injuries were very similer to your's ....Consultancy course! sure get back to us all when you want to, I and the rest of the gang will be more than happy to help ,hey this is what www.arboristsite.com is all about..

 

[Jumper]

TM, get well soon!! nasty business for sure.

"I got a hospital bill the other day for $45,000 and some change, and that didn't make me feel too good either." Hopefully you have insurance?? I am always amazed how many in the USA have none at all, and an accident like this can spell financial ruin, as can the cost of premiums before the fact.

 

[mtaviator]

I'm new to this website and trying to learn more about tree care. However, I work as a pilot which in many ways is similar to operating any type of powerful machinery. All it takes is a single moment of losing one's concentration (at the wrong time) to cause disaster.

TM- thanks for sharing your story, you may have actually saved someone's life (or at the very least a limb) by doing so. You will never know of course, but it will make me think twice about firing up the chainsaw without chaps on or taking other seemingly small risks around the home.

 

[Tree Machine]

I have insurance, Jumper; Liability, disability, health, life, auto and equipment.

This will be my first claim ever. The health and the disability insurances are what are important in this occurance. My major medical has a $5,000 deductible, which is kinda high, but you know what? So what. I can handle it. I'm just greatful that I won't be paying medical debt for the next 20 years. We all complain about insurance premiums, but I've always paid with the hope of never having to use it. This is what insurance is there for and having been responsible in shelling out all those years allows me to take the time to heal, and not be concerned with bankruptcy.

As far as my disability insurance, they pay a fraction of what your income was prior to the accident. Also, they don't pay out a cent until 90 days after the incident, at which time they determine to what degree you are disabled at that point. Then if you do anything to to produce income, it can affect the payment, or disqualify you from receiving it.

I'm not really the kind of guy to receive handouts, so if there's a choice between sitting home and receiving a pittince of my income, or going back out and starting low and slow, I'll be going back to work.

Thanks for asking, Jumper. This should be an opportunity for everybody to consider the insurance coverage they have, insurances for employees, and ask yourself the critical questions: are you covered in the case of a major accident?

I am, and it is a very, very good feeling right now.

 

[Squid327WFD3]

My Prayers go out to you and your family for a quick recovery

After reading your story always brings me back to when i first joined my FD
i had a construction worker get hurt almost like you did with a vermeer rock saw at a construction site

i know from the EMS workers on the Ambulance that its a hard thing to pull up on. ive done it many times.