It must be cursed....

Some time back, I started working on a walking stick with a stubborn knot on the end. during the removal process I sliced my hand open in a fairly raucous manner. The picture over to the left was taken the next day...

This morning I decided to retrieve that walking stick and begin working on it again, and yep, it happened again. This time wasn't as bad, no stitches.. Just a touch of super glue and a couple of band aids, with, as you can see, little blood loss. I am beginning to think that the damn thing may be cursed. The wood came from a tree that was downed in a storm last year, it's pear. The downed tree took out the corner of a house and an air-conditioning unit. I helped the owner of the house move the tree, then went over the entire thing and scavenged the remains for pieces I could use. I took eight or nine all told, and each one of the walking sticks I have made from it have sold. This is the last piece left, and somehow I think it's trying to throw some kind of voodoo on me.

To quote a movie line I once heard, "I feel like a voodoo doll. It's grim. It's gross. "

I am determined to finish the walking stick and damn the evil spirits associated with it back to the darkest level of hell that they spawned from. I decided that I will carve it into a snake, to celebrate the evil nature it seems to have, because lord knows... It couldn't be my fault... So if you want to purchase a ready made item for tossing a curse on me.. come up with the cash when I'm done & my eternal soul could be under your control... for a mere eighty dollars... I'm cheap that way.

Sunday Morning coming down

I have been sick....

I ate too much ice cream Friday night, and the gallstones I have didn't like it at all. Starting around 2:30 Friday night/Saturday morning I began a series of "extreme nausea" attacks that occurred every 20 to 45 minutes and did not stop. Extreme nausea... medical terminology for puking your guts out around the clock...

The attacks did not stop until Julie called the Dr. and went to retrieve some highly unpleasant medicine they called in for me. It seems to have worked a bit, I still feel very touchy... and I think the time may have come for this thing to be removed... although the thought of being under all sorts of medication while someone removes something from me is not a great thing to look forward to, this is stealing my life away from me.. or I could just eat right.... nahhhh.. surgery is the way to go...

Thanks Julie for taking care of me and thanks to James and Patrick for opening the door periodically and asking if I was ok....

On the mend....

Well... it's lost that tight feeling from the swelling, and the blue black appearance is going away, it doesn't bleed as much either... It's very hard not to pick up the damn cane and keep working on it, but when I do I can feel the pulling apart of the cut.. not a good thing. I don't like having stitches, it's very aggravating. Yet the sun is shining, the temperature is getting near seventy and there is a slight breeze... how can you be down on a day like this?

I can't wait until I start the chainsaw carving....

it has my blood on it... james said.. "that's cool dad.." it kind of is...

Bandage change... ick..

Its not a great pic, but you get the idea....

Ummmmm.... ouch...

I decided to work on a cane tonight. Near the hand grip there was a knot.... It was a stubborn knot...

While holding the the cane about eight inches below the grip in my left hand, I was working on said knot with the knife in my right hand, and it slipped....

There was a harshly vivid split second of clarity as the blade plunged completely into the palm of my left hand and burrowed its way through the flesh between my thumb and index finger... nice... I snatched the blade out and slapped my right hand on it and looked around to see if anyone noticed.. Then I noticed the copious amount of blood that didn't seem to abate in its flow.

"Julie"....
"Did you cut yourself?"
"Ummm Yep.."
Then I showed her..
"Oh my God.."

Julie vanished, she was getting dressed for the hospital, I made my way to the sink... Promptly to experience a drop in blood pressure and begin the menacing dance of "hey let's pass out"...

My in laws are in town for a visit and went into action...exactly what all happened I'm not really sure.. I sat in a chair and was very lightheaded for a while as I bled.. then asked Julie if she thought I needed stitches.. my father in law looked at it and said.. "I think you do"..

So off we went..

A few hours later... I sit here and write this out one handed... I had seven stitches, a whole bunch of little stinging shots, a tetanus shot, lots of testing for range of motion... I was informed that I nicked an artery and cut it to the tendon casing. "You did a thorough job" was the quote from the doctor.. along with "This might hurt a little bit"...

Now I have to have it checked by an orthopedist for damage... But "It looks ok, nice and clean" It looks like Frankenstein stitches from the palm to the back of my hand, but forgive me for not unwrapping it to share it.. I'll post a photo at the first dressing change.. scheduled for twenty four hours from now... I wouldn't watch the procedure but Julie did.. she informed me that it was quite bloody and very butcher shop looking... That's the knife with a bit of my blood on it...

The worst part is... I have a chain mail glove for my left hand designed to prevent these types of things... The damn thing is on the table next to my bed... son of a bitch...