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My reloading accident [gross pics warning]

Man did that ever make me queasy just thinking about it. I can almost feel your pain. Hope you come around quickly and without complications, that’s a hell of a experience to go through.​
 
Shot of novacaine in the palm area? No wonder it hurt when they pulled the nail off. If they had done a proper digital block they could have literally cut your finger off without pain. A shot in the palm area?!!...not much good as you found out. Hope it gets better quick. Keep it elevated...will help with the throbbing. Usually I would say ice it but with fingers...especially finger tips the danger is frost biting an area that already has diminished circulation due to the injury.
As you noted...watch for any signs of infection and get treated for them immediately. Bone infections are a b*(ch to get rid of once you have them. Have seen a ton of mangled fingers in my time (snow blowers, miter saws, table saws, chain saws) and most heal well...just take time. Hang in there, will be back to the range in no time.
 
T(1)of(3) said:
Shot of novacaine in the palm area? No wonder it hurt when they pulled the nail off. If they had done a proper digital block they could have literally cut your finger off without pain. A shot in the palm area?!!...not much good as you found out. Hope it gets better quick. Keep it elevated...will help with the throbbing. Usually I would say ice it but with fingers...especially finger tips the danger is frost biting an area that already has diminished circulation due to the injury.
As you noted...watch for any signs of infection and get treated for them immediately. Bone infections are a b*(ch to get rid of once you have them. Have seen a ton of mangled fingers in my time (snow blowers, miter saws, table saws, chain saws) and most heal well...just take time. Hang in there, will be back to the range in no time.
Click to expand...

Should the thing still be bleeding if I left the ER yesterday at 6?

It gets splotchy every 30 min or so. Very slight but enough that I dab it with gauze every 30 min or so.
 
having dropped a speaker box on my L - great toe and having a hotel door slammed on my L hand index and middle finger.... both nails took a year to grow back.

a "ring block" would have been more appropriate IMO. but as Tim suggested, it gets complicated w / digits.

Lidocane with or without Epinephrine is the key....

if you are still bleeding, you need to get it checked.... are you on any meds? i.e. blood pressure or blood thining agents????

-just thinking out loud...
 
wolf223 said:
having dropped a speaker box on my L - great toe and having a hotel door slammed on my L hand index and middle finger.... both nails took a year to grow back.

a "ring block" would have been more appropriate IMO. but as Tim suggested, it gets complicated w / digits.

Lidocane with or without Epinephrine is the key....

if you are still bleeding, you need to get it checked.... are you on any meds? i.e. blood pressure or blood thining agents????

-just thinking out loud...
Click to expand...

Nope. No thinning meds. No alcohol.
I coagulate very well normally. I applied direct pressure again today for almost 15 min and it stopped, but it's seeping very slowly again.
 
Underwhere said:
Nope. No thinning meds. No alcohol.
I coagulate very well normally. I applied direct pressure again today for almost 15 min and it stopped, but it's seeping very slowly again.
Click to expand...

you know the deal.... get it checked homie.

it appears something else may be wrong. as you know, "we" are the worst patients..... but i'm just a combat medic, so i'd give you motrin 800mg and tell you to dring water [laugh]
 
Underwhere said:
Should the thing still be bleeding if I left the ER yesterday at 6?

It gets splotchy every 30 min or so. Very slight but enough that I dab it with gauze every 30 min or so.
Click to expand...

Code: 
[B]R[/B] - [B]R[/B]est
[B]I [/B]- [B]I[/B]ce
[B]C [/B]- [B]C[/B]ompression
[B]E [/B]- [B]E[/B]levation

Try to take it easy, and keep it above your heart. Take care and heal. Lay off the aspirin and ibuprofen, as those will thin the blood.
 
Walk in the ER and yell " immigration enforcement !!!"..the place will clear out and you will be seen right away.
 
F I'll call in the morning.
I find that 4.5 hours after taking a vicoden, it bleeds more so maybe it has to do with inflammation. Vicoden has tylenol in it to help with that and when it wears off it bleed again.
 
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tips:

1. hydrogen peroxide: use a bowl or basin and dip you finger in it.

if they removed the nail and stichted it, you need to keep it clean (obviously)....

when do you go back for the suture removal?

also, use anti-bacterial ointment and gauze when you cover it. avoid the "sterile" gauze and dressings...

should be gee to gee. [smile]
 
one of the high speed low drag aid bags. [rofl]

IMG_0179.jpg
 
Man that really blows - hope for a speedy recovery. I know how powerful the strokes on a press can be, when I was changing calibers on my 650, I put the aluminum case guide on top of the shellplate temporarily, and then in a really dumb move raised the platform to get at the primer sytsem bolts better. I used no force just lightly raised it up - I heard this little pop. Sheared the piece in half. Of course Dillon replaced it free of charge, they said they had never seen it happen before - actually got a laugh out of them. Blue Koolade is the best.

Get better soon - and if you need somebody to keep your guns warm let me know.[laugh2]
 
EddieCoyle said:
I know you're joking, but I didn't do mine on a reloading press. I had a run-in with a chain and sprocket.
Click to expand...
My neighbor did that on his Hodaka Combat Wombat. He was kneeling down to check the chain tension, slipped and knocked the bike into gear and his hand looped the rear sprocket. They were able to save two of his 4 fingers :/
 
Underwhere said:
There was a lidocaine shot in my palm area...but believe me when someone is actively cutting your fingernail off your finger and yanking it from the bed YOU WILL FEEL IT.
Click to expand...
That sucks, you shouldn't have had to go through that. I had a similar injury to my big toe a couple of years ago and they did a circumferential nerve block with three injections. I felt them pulling on things but never any pain.
 
Stef said:
My neighbor did that on his Hodaka Combat Wombat. He was kneeling down to check the chain tension, slipped and knocked the bike into gear and his hand looped the rear sprocket. They were able to save two of his 4 fingers :/
Click to expand...

I made out better than that. I lost the ends of two fingers (almost stalled the motor too).

The worst part of the whole ordeal were the dislocations at the knuckle. One doc described it as "like what you do to chicken wings when you eat them". They said that I'd have very limited use of my hand. Fortunately, they ended up being wrong.

Underwhere, I'm sure you'll be fine. The human body has an amazing ability to fix itself. Hopefully, this isn't your ass-wiping hand.
 
How come you didn't stop pushing on the handle when you felt the pain? its usually a good indication that something is not right.
 
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Supermoto said:
How come you didn't stop pushing on the handle when you felt the pain? its usually a good indication that something is not right.
Click to expand...

I went down to the press to see where I squished the finger. Here is my guess.
Why didn't I stop? It was just way too quick. It didn't take much force. Even if I had let the handle sling itself back up I would have done some considerable damage.

dgt284.jpg
 
Get a Hornady, they have more room and fewer things to get in trouble with. Just my $.02. It makes the remaining hairs on my body stand up when I see the pics but if I cut off a hand I would not flinch.
 
I got the tip of my finger on the end of a '06 case guiding it up to seat the bullet. Took out a nice little chunk, but nothing like the carnage you had. That makes my stomach turn just looking at it. I also wound my hand up in a lift gate on a dump truck, so I know how fingers being crushed feel. Don't worry though, it should heal fine. I have been to the ER several times from hand injuries, cut off thumb tip, crushed a few fingers on my right hand, sledge hammer to my left hand, and all my digits work fine except for a few numb spots. It takes a while for the sensitivity to go away, about 6-8 months, but it will be ok. Just keep it really clean and elevated.

I hope you avoid infection and make a speedy recovery. Be safe with what you do with that hand.
 
Underwhere said:
When you move one, the rest move and if I do that I can feel my bone move.
Click to expand...

That reminds me of a joke.

Patient: Doctor, it hurts when I do this.

Doctor: Then stop doing it.
Click to expand...

But seriously, that sounds really painful and unpleasant. All the sudden the factory ammo I buy seems much more pleasant on my wallet.

wolf223 said:
and having a hotel door slammed on my L hand index and middle finger....
Click to expand...

This sounds like there's a phenomenal story behind it. [smile]
 

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