Sunday, October 26, 2008

One Nail Gun + One Idiot = "Oh S--t!"

OK, since I now have a blog, I guess I should include, not only interesting things that happen in life, but something that clearly proves I can be a complete IDIOT!

Yesterday, while toiling industriously installing new baseboards in our downstairs bathroom, I managed to put a nail through the palm of my hand. I let out a yell and, yes, an oath slipped out of my mouth. And then when I looked at the head of the nail sticking out of the meaty part between my index finger & thumb, I repeated the word for good measure. I asked my wife to pull it out! She blanched, refused to look at it and said, "I can't do it!"
"Fetch me the pliers, and I''ll pull it out myself."
"No no," she replied, "You're going to need a tetenus shot anyway so I'll take you to Emergency and you can let them pull it out."

At the Simi Valley Hospital the admittance folks seemed to think it was kind of funny. Sort of like the quick-draw cowboy who shoots himself in the foot. They really began to make jokes when the Xrays showed TWO nails through my hand! I did not believe them. I thought they were just having fun at my expense. They showed me the Xrays. I took a closer look at my hand and found another nail head tucked in close to the thumb. Holy cow! They were wondering, as you probably are, why the second nail? Wasn't the first one sufficient to show the folly of my ways? I cetainly made the day for the ER staff. I sat there for a long time listening to them pass the joke along to everyone they saw.

So they repaired my hand. "OUCH. OUCH." But not my pride or my confidence as a builder. Any attempts to explain how I managed to put nails thru my right hand (the one I use to pull the trigger) can only provide further the evidence of some sort of mental handicap.

So laugh -- see if I care . . .

4 comments:

Deborah W said...

HA HA HA HA HA HA! Ok, I didn't laugh until I knew you were ok, but it sure is funny now! I already got to tell the story at a dinner party at Laurel and Denton's house this evening, too! I hope Mom took the nailgun away for good.....Mike took away my power hedge trimmer after I cut the garden hose, nearly lost a couple fingers, AND sliced through the electrical cord. Some of us just can't be trusted with power tools! Glad you're ok, Dad. Love, Debbie

Heather and Spencer said...

Spencer has shot himself with a nail gun too...he also didn't want to go to the Dr. I would have made him (like Grandma made you) but he didn't tell me till he got home from work that night! What is it with guys not wanting to go to the Dr??? There have been other occasions where he has cut off parts of fingers but still refuses to go! I also had to laugh a little at your story when I heard it, only because my mom just cut her hand in the same place! It must run in the family, I will have to stay away from potentially dangerous tools/kitchen utensils!

Kristen said...

Oh dad! If it makes you feel any better I almost cut off my finger (yes, again) last night, and John had to rush home from work to administer to me. He wanted to go to the hospital but in pure dad-like style I just insisted on bandaging it up really tight with lots of tape. It seems to be working though!

Hope your hand is feeling better (and your pride, hahahah).

-K

Kirsten said...

HI Grandpa!