Just call me Grace. I’m such an idiot.

[Barbie]

WARNING: DON’T READ IF YOU HAVE A WEAK STOMACH! 

I decided to tune up my lawn mower today. Got the blade off and took it to a shop to have it sharpened. Being oh so careful with my now very sharp blade, I came home and held it above my head as I walked in the door to keep jumpin’ jack Zeus safe. I slowly walked to the back door, grabbed my tools, went outside, gently set the blade in place on the lawn mower, and started wrenching it back on. The socket slipped off the nut and two of my fingers slid across the blade. Blood was gushing everywhere – all over the lawn mower, the ground, the floors inside my house, the doors, refrigerator, dog crate, cabinets, countertops, and my face, neck, and chest. Holy cow, I’d never seen so much blood.

I rinsed my fingers with water, then peroxide, applied antibiotic ointment, and slapped a big band-aid on the one that was cut pretty deep – how deep, I don’t know because of all the blood and I don’t want to open it up now to find out. So, I immediately mopped the floors and cleaned up the rest of the splattered blood. My kitchen and bathroom looked like a crime scene.

Then I put on some leather work gloves (yeah, after the fact), went back out and finished installing the blade, came back inside, and was covered in about 20 mosquito bites on my legs and elbow. So, I removed my gloves and one was covered in blood - band-aid no workie. I wrapped my finger with a paper towel and covered my skeeter bites with Off (it actually does work after-the-fact – makes them go away in about 1-2 hours).

A few minutes pass, and blood is still gushing. I called my vet and asked if I could use Hercules’ “blood-stop” topical medication for his tumor on my finger. “NO”, they said. Then I called one of our family nurses and was told to park my butt on the sofa to slow my heart rate, elevate my finger, and keep pressure on the wound. Finally, an hour later, it stopped bleeding.

I cleaned it up again with peroxide, applied more antibiotic ointment, and slapped on another big band-aid. Then I put a latex glove on my wounded hand, wrapped a ponytail holder around my wrist, and jumped in the shower to get the blood off of me. How it got on my face, neck, and chest, I have no idea. I just put my clothes in the washer to soak and am now sitting here with my dislocated toe (did that a few days ago), itching like crazy (those were some really bad skeeters this time), and trying to relax with OTC medication (a beer . . . or ten).

I do hope your day was much better than mine, lol!

[Leslie and Halas]

Ouch! I hope you're feeling better today. Try to make the next few days (at least) injury-free.

[Bryce P]

Taylor knows how you feel. One time (I am not sure why) Taylor touched the blade of one of those plastic knives, needless to say blood was everywhere.

[Nicky, Riley & Boris]

I think you are definitely having a bad run of luck here.  I once sliced the top of my thumb off with the blade in my magimix and it gushed like a geezer for ages. I remember there was so much blood and it took ages to clot too.  There's something about fingers!   I do hope you are all sorted between the bites and the cuts and are feeling a whole lot better by now (with or without the beer- aid)  and that your lawn is looking gorgeous.....: )

[Lucy & AnnaBelle's Mom]

I'm with Suzanne ...... so sorry about the finger, but I'm really impressed that you were tackling the blade sharpening of your lawnmower.  There are lots of things I will do and I'm not afraid of getting dirty or hard work, but that isn't one that I've ever tackled.  Next time though, gloves first.

[Camilla and Darwin]

Oh dear, perhaps you need stitches? Hope it heals fast!

[Lynn D.]

Barbie, you don't need to use hydrogen peroxide on cuts. While it is killing the bad bacteria cells, it is also killing the good stuff too. For bleeding cuts stop the bleeding with something that is non-stick (preferably), squeeze and hold the cut above the heart. I prefer above the head, the higher the better. Don't peek to see if its still bleeding, when you do this it disturbs the clot. Elevate and apply pressure for at least 15 min, longer if the cut is deeper. Then put on a band-aid.

Thus ends my first aid lesson for today. Sorry can't help it, its part of being a nurse!

[Amy, Cubbie & Ollie]

you poor thing, but it sounds like you are one tough cookie.  Good to see that you are still able to type.  :)

[BG and Gavin]

Should you get yourself to Emerg. for a couple of stitches?  It sounds serious.  Really, don't be a hero, take care of  yourself!

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

Grace Barbie, This sounds like a CSI episode. I am so glad you are doing better and the bleeding has stopped. Tomorrow, pop in a movie and do not leave your chair....LOL!!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I'm so sorry to hear of your accident. It  is always a good idea to elevate a wound if possible. Better yet get a pro to tune the lawn mower. Also, I cannot imagine Off works after the fact. Deet repels mosquitoes. It's not a good idea to use too much of it. Hydrocortisone cream works in a much shorter time to tame the bites. Just leaving them alone for a few hours usually results in less itching.