My thumb

xander9727 · Sep 17, 2003

This is what happens when you have a momentary lapse of reason while climbing. I was cutting of a limb on the back side of a 125' pent oak when my left hook cut out. Without thinking I reached for the back of the tree to stablize my self. My thumb contacted the chain and I quickly realized the folly of my choice. Next time I just deal with the jolt of the pro-gear. This picture is more than a week after the injury. I shaved the top of the tendon and the bone but they choose not to stitch it. This is the first time in twenty years of using chain saws that I have been cut by a running one. I pray that it's the last.

I did stay in the tree and finish the job like an idiot!

xander9727 · Sep 17, 2003

I'd be hard pressed to believe that there are alot of slow learners in this catagory......at least none that can count to ten....with their shoes still on.

The worst part about a hand injury is the fact your constantly reminded of it anytime you try to do anything.

The day after it happened I was putting a piece of crabapple in the chipper and it twisted and smashed my thumb against the infeed table.

I thought I was going to vomit. The $uck factor on something like that is astronomical.

Since then I've been feeding the chipper with my right hand.

I guess it's easy to be hard......it's hard to be smart.

I don't ride the short bus anymore but I'm still wearing a helmet......

MasterBlaster · Sep 18, 2003

Yea, I've been scratched like that before. Bummer.

John Paul Sanborn · Sep 23, 2003

A number of years ago I took the pad of my right thumb near off with a hedg shear.

That hurt for a long time. Still got a thick ridge of scar tissue there I need to trim down every now and then, or it gets painfull.