# Gaffed My Ankle Saturday



## safeT1st (Apr 14, 2008)

Don't think I'll make this mistake again . Went into the bush on Saturday with my son to find a tree suitable for both rope and spur practice . Found a nice spruce about 30 " dbh and 100' . Nothing but dead limbs up to about 40 ' and healthy looking from ground up . Up I went on the spurs with two fliplines , Fanno pruning saw and 025 in tow . My intention was to limb it to about 50 ' and then selectively limb it to about 80 ' and inspect the limbs at that height for tip . This way I could practice my spurs and climbing past limbs maintaining flipline attach points and later use it for rope skills . I was anxious to try the "trunk walking " I found in the video thread . (Thanks for that great video) .

Well , I started to snap the dry dead limbs as I went and hand cutting the tough ones . At one point one broke off leaving a 4" stub . Foolishly I went on up and then tried to kick the stub off with my boot . Aaaghhh . Them gaffs is long ........ and sharp ! Through my jeans , through my boot and buried in my left inner ankle . Just above the ankle and backside of Achilles Tendon . It wasn't so much pain as shock I guess . I withdrew the gaff and probed through hole in boot , found a little blood but little discomfort on gaffs .

Finished what I had started out to do on the tree and when I stepped down on ground discovered substantial discomfort walking . Removed boot and found the cleanest cut I could imagine . Exact profile of gaff with no tears or rips . Needless to say that ended the day and I've been off it for two days . Because of the clean cut it made it is healing well, could have used a few stitches though .

From now on I will remember not to use feet with gaffs attached for anything but climbing . In hindsite I got really lucky it wasn't worse ..in the tendon . I also believe everything happens for a reason , maybe I wasn't meant to be on the ropes that day or drive to work today .


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## clearance (Apr 15, 2008)

Good you are ok, I take it you hosed it out with potable water and used some disinfectant on it? 
I wear Viberg linesman boots, pretty stout, but a sharp gaff could go through them. I kick off stubbs sometimes, sometimes I chop them off with my hand, doesn't always work. Never have gaffed myself, but I have been cut with my saws before. 
Probably some one will say it serves you right for not humping up the rope from the start, whatever. 
Its one of those things, like keeping you fingers off the bucket when moving around the tree, or wearing gloves to sharpen a saw. As long as you ain't really hurt, its all good.


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## safeT1st (Apr 15, 2008)

*Tough Leather But Gaffs Are Tougher*

Appreciate your level headed view Clearance . I wear Vibergs too and the leather cut like it wasn't even there . I took the ankle home , showered and took a close look . Hole was about 3/8 "deep with a triangular flap that fit right back where it belongs leaving 2 small hairline cracks . I dried it thoroughly and bandaged . It wept for the first 36 hrs and was pretty swollen . Much better now and I will return to work tomorrow . The gaffs are extremely sharp as I don't have more than 20 hrs on this set . First time I had a set other than linemans gaffs . Hard to adjust to the difference in length . Like you say , I'm okay to climb another day and that's a good thing .


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## Sprig (Apr 15, 2008)

ouch. Not a de-rail, gaffs will spike ya, broke my r ring finger two days ago, wel cracked the knuckle, bucking today really suxored. It was a really small stupid thing; 1" branch under tension that sprung back and whacked me smartly. Sometimes the most simplest things we take forgranted will bite ya.
Work smart and safe All!



Serge


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## safeT1st (Apr 15, 2008)

*Two birds , one stone*

Think I finally figured out how to re-size pics to load . If so , this is the culprit that bit me .


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## Dadatwins (Apr 15, 2008)

I would assume you went to a doctor and received a tetanus shot after this also? A puncture wound that deep should be looked at. Glad you are OK. Be careful.


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## John Paul Sanborn (Apr 15, 2008)

Sprig said:


> 1" branch under tension that sprung back and whacked me smartly. Sometimes the most simplest things we take for granted will bite ya.



Buddy of mine who does almost nothing but big trees was flipping his rig line around a limb to tie off. He had his index finger extended when he flicked the rope to wrap around the limb, and jammed it hard, breaking the bones above and below the middle joint


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## safeT1st (Apr 15, 2008)

*Wise Thought*



Dadatwins said:


> I would assume you went to a doctor and received a tetanus shot after this also? A puncture wound that deep should be looked at. Glad you are OK. Be careful.



Thanks for the heads up on that . Phoned my MD's office and they advised tetanus shot's be administered every 10 years ,( I was thinking 5) and have no record of me having one there . Racking my brain as to when I last had one as I know I have had several . They're open till 8 so I will stick my head in at the dinner hour when it's quiet and get one . Great how people look out for each other around here .


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## masiman (Apr 16, 2008)

safeT1st said:


> Thanks for the heads up on that . Phoned my MD's office and they advised tetanus shot's be administered every 10 years ,( I was thinking 5) and have no record of me having one there . Racking my brain as to when I last had one as I know I have had several . They're open till 8 so I will stick my head in at the dinner hour when it's quiet and get one . Great how people look out for each other around here .



I hope you don't have my Tetanus experience.

I was starting grad school and the my military record did not record my last tetanus shot. They said they had to give me the booster to get me up to speed. I knew I did not need one but they had to get that box checked. A day later I had a reaction and my whole shoulder reacted. It felt like it was infected, swollen, red, hot, painful for about a week. They said that was common when you get too much of the shot such as an unneeded booster.

If you are not sure though, probably safer to get it than not. It was annoying but livable and no long term problems.


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## nytreeman (Apr 16, 2008)

About 10 years ago removing a 100 ft+ spruce I'm about 2/3 up stripping limbs,the tree had a slight lean to about 70 ft then the rest took a sharp bend probably about a 15-20% lean so I was leaving some short stubs in case I slipped,trying to stay on top to get to where I could top it,driving my brand new spikes in deep,caught a stub as I was stomping in my right foot and damn near buried the 2-3/4 inch spike into my calf.:censored: had low redwings on at the time checked it out what I could,bled alot,no spurting,it was a very hot day,a very hard climb so I made myself stay in the tree till it was done.Checked it out after,had a perfect triangle shaped hole in my calf,a boot full of blood,and alot more respect for my gaffs.Still have the scar to remind me


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## safeT1st (Apr 16, 2008)

*Misery loves Company*

That would be really nasty Masiman . I could just imagine dealing with this ankle and adding an inflamed shoulder to the equation . Got the shot last night and no adverse reaction . Worst part of that was sitting in that office with people coughing and hacking all around me . Really don't have the time to be sick right now if you know what I mean . I have to say that we are fortunate in Canada to have health care no questions asked , although we certianly pay enough taxes up here . 

Sounds like you and I had similiar experiences Nytreeman . I'm about 10 years behind you in this experience though . Sometimes this is how we learn I guess.... the hard way .

I don't take pictures well am am still trying to master posting them properly . These were taken 3 days later but give some idea of the trauma to the area .
My apologies .


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## gremlin (Apr 16, 2008)

glad to see your ok. colda been a whole lot worse. be careful


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## masiman (Apr 17, 2008)

safeT1st said:


> That would be really nasty Masiman . I could just imagine dealing with this ankle and adding an inflamed shoulder to the equation . Got the shot last night and no adverse reaction.



It was more like having a headache for a week in terms of discomfort. Your puncture is much more scary/nasty than that reaction was. You would see the reaction by the second day. The first day you would brush it off to the shot hurting like a flu shot can.


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## Wood Cutter (Apr 18, 2008)

WOW that was close to the tendon, glad your getting better, be safe everyone.


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## Saw Bones (Apr 19, 2008)

safeT1st said:


> Thanks for the heads up on that . Phoned my MD's office and they advised tetanus shot's be administered every 10 years ,( I was thinking 5) and have no record of me having one there . Racking my brain as to when I last had one as I know I have had several . They're open till 8 so I will stick my head in at the dinner hour when it's quiet and get one . Great how people look out for each other around here .



If you can't remember when you had one you definatly need one. They are good for 10 years true, but a booster after an injury is cheap insurance.


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## CLEARVIEW TREE (Apr 19, 2008)

safeT1st said:


> Don't think I'll make this mistake again . Went into the bush on Saturday with my son to find a tree suitable for both rope and spur practice . Found a nice spruce about 30 " dbh and 100' . Nothing but dead limbs up to about 40 ' and healthy looking from ground up . Up I went on the spurs with two fliplines , Fanno pruning saw and 025 in tow . My intention was to limb it to about 50 ' and then selectively limb it to about 80 ' and inspect the limbs at that height for tip . This way I could practice my spurs and climbing past limbs maintaining flipline attach points and later use it for rope skills . I was anxious to try the "trunk walking " I found in the video thread . (Thanks for that great video) .
> 
> Well , I started to snap the dry dead limbs as I went and hand cutting the tough ones . At one point one broke off leaving a 4" stub . Foolishly I went on up and then tried to kick the stub off with my boot . Aaaghhh . Them gaffs is long ........ and sharp ! Through my jeans , through my boot and buried in my left inner ankle . Just above the ankle and backside of Achilles Tendon . It wasn't so much pain as shock I guess . I withdrew the gaff and probed through hole in boot , found a little blood but little discomfort on gaffs .
> 
> ...


So glad to hear you're healin up well. I tell ya ,you can never be careful enough! Stay safe:monkey:


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## pdqdl (Apr 21, 2008)

*Tetanus*

Tetanus shots are over-sold, IMO.

Tetanus is a dreadful affliction, and almost certainly fatal after the disease is well progressed. Unfortunately, the doctors prescribe it for every scratch they find. My belief is that tetanus shots are a great profit center for the medico's, as well as an accepted practice to cover your a...

In fact, the medical community seems to be coming around to my way of thinking, because when I was a kid, you got a tetanus shot for everthing. Then it was once every five years, then seven... I haven't heard the ten year rule before. Most vaccinations are presumed to be less effective after seven years.

Don't everybody flame me just because this is a tree forum. Not too many tree workers have taken college courses in pathogenic microbiology like I have. 

Tetanus is not a medical challenge for any healthy person with an injury that is in an area that is well supplied with blood circulation. It is a soil borne bacterium that cannot grow or propagate in the presence of oxygen, which is amply supplied by blood. The spores are virtually indestructible, however. 

A clean injury that bleeds like a stuck hog will probably be fine, providing no other infections present a problem. If you get a serious infection that inhibits blood flow to an area, or a penetrating wound into a joint or other poorly supplied tissue, then the tetanus watch is on! Those spores can wait until the oxygen is blocked off.


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