"but I just saw "Saw" "

Normally, when I work in the yard, I always wear a pair of thick leather yard gloves in order to protect my thin-skinned, paper-cut prone, computer geek hands. For some reason on Sunday, I opted not to have them on while I trimmed the two hedge trees in front of the house.

The trimmer I have is an older version of one of these modern marvels.

...minus the little "guard" and the wrap-around handle/grip. Also, my handmedown trimmer only has the sawtooth running down one side (it's not double sided).

I had just finished off the left side tree: flat-topped and squared corners and perfectly even sides. I started working on the right side tree and was progressing nicely along the upper side, making it all nice and square, when I somehow brushed the trimmer against my left hand, which for some reason still unknown to me was somewhere in the vicinity of the cutting blades instead of holding the upper handle/grip.

I didn't feel anything at first, but I immediately looked at my left hand. I thought for an instant that maybe I had hit the butt end or the side of the trimmer without the teeth. But then I saw the little "M" shaped laceration and the blood that started to gather around it and I just thought "oh shit". I switched the trimmer off with the right hand, set it down, and quickly ran into the garage, all the while leaving nickel-sized crimson drops of blood along the way. I grabbed a couple of kleenex and wrapped it around my finger, the entire time elevating it above my head. (is that what I was supposed to do? keep it above heart level? or is that an old wives tale?)

Fortunately the wife was working in the yard as well and quickly came to the rescue. Funny, looking back now, the first thing she asked was "do you need a bandaid?" Of course, after seeing the stream of blood flowing down my forearm, she knew the seriousness of it all and got the boys working to clean up some of the yard items while we prepared for a drive to the emergency room. A fresh wet paper towel to wrap the finger, a cup of ice to hold up against the finger, and my wallet with all my insurance info, and off to the hospital we went.

A new hospital opened up recently fairly close to home. That's where we went, and good thing too: no line. I stepped right up to the counter and they took me in without any delay. (they thought the plastic Target cup full of ice contained my severed digit) The rest of it all seemed to happen so quickly. Blood pressure (126/76, which was extraordinarily high for me, but understandable given the circumstance), heart-rate (100 bpm, which again was extraordinarily high for me, but understandable given the circumstance), under tongue temperature (97.1 F) was taken. Then the attending nurse came in, followed shortly by the attending ER doctor. They explained what needed to be done, and soon after, they wheeled in the "laceration cart".

Four shots of lidocaine/marcaine (sp?) and the finger was fully numbed-up. It felt really swollen and fat. One quick tourniquet, and then the doctor was pulling back on the "M" shaped tissue. "Can't save that, so we'll just snip it off" I don't think I had a choice. Nor did I think about saving it for a souvenir. He cleaned off an ellipse shaped section like a divot and began stitching it up. The thin metallic blue wire suture material was attached to a stainless "C" shaped little needle. 5 stiches later, and here I am.

Lot's of pain, I tell you.