Big Dog gets hit in the head with a sledgehammer but it isn't Greybear's fault

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Yes.

Greybear came for a short visit this weekend and we decided to put up some goat fencing along with the usual spiritual, philosophical, political and practical musings. As Greybear said when we started, "my daddy always said, if all you get is a flesh wound when you're working, you're okay."

Did we take that as a divine warning (and encouragement, as it turned out)? Noooooooo. So, all was going well until ....

With Greybear watching the level and me holding the metal post, the handle of our sledgehammer, in the practiced slammer grip of a neighboring farmer, decided to separate from the head (its head, that is) and hit me in the head.

It's never any fun to put your hand to your head while you stumble to the house and keep taking it away with fresh blood covering it nor to have the sink run red.

Thank God (literally), it was just a flesh wound. It should have taken a stitch from my wife, the nurse, but it's my scalp, no? So we shaved the area and butter-flied it. I had a bit of tenderness but not even a headache.

Picking up the loose hammer head today was more disturbing than what happened. Those things are HEAVY and they have a moderately sharp head.

The lesson? Accidents are GOING to happen while you're out working post-Y2K (heck, they happen anyway, don't they?). If the hospital is down or the local doctor isn't working, have you planned and prepped for some medium serious first-aid?

You can't eat your preps if you're unconscious. Or dead.

Got bandages, disinfectant, scissors and a stitch kit?

(PS, Got the rest of the fence posts in this morning and did the preliminary laying out of the fence. Picking up panels for a break-away section in the creek (let the goats water themselves) and into the barn corral, per Greybear's recommendations, plus some cross-connects, fasteners, etc. Catch you later.

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), September 12, 1999

Answers

BigDog--sorry about that! I'm glad it wasn't worse.

I just found out about a product called New Skin--it's a liquid thing that comes in a little bottle and it goes over cuts instead of bandaids--it forms a skinlike covering. I'm gonna get some of that. Everyone be careful!

-- Mara Wayne (MaraWayne@aol.com), September 12, 1999.


Not even a headache? How can I let that go by--you thickheaded twit! (Am. transl.: hardheaded moron.)

Suture kits available at Drs. Foster & Smith, good firm, on the web somehwere; they also have fish and horse antibiotics, pet first-aid kits, and some really neat stuff for your pets. (Cat furniture and carriers are particularly well-priced.)

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 12, 1999.


Sorry, almost forget, hi Grey Bear. Post something while you're at BigDog's!

-- Old Git (anon@spamproblems.com), September 12, 1999.

Is the hammer OK? You can really ruin a good tool like that.

Looks like hard hat and steel toe boots need to be added to Big Dog's list.

-- Puddintame (achillesg@hotmail.com), September 12, 1999.


Puddintame --- Hardhat definitely needed. Was wearing the steeltoe boots!

Old Git -- Greybear had already headed off. He politely made no comment on my fencepost bashing capability. You'll notice I was the one holding the post, not the sledgehammer .....

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), September 13, 1999.



I'm proud to see that BD posted this incident. It relieved me of the delima. I think he's goin to be OK. He was able to speak and respond as well after the accident as he ever did.

It really was a rather small divot that was removed from his scalp.

I did check his pupils right after the blow to see if they were equal and reacitve. (they were). We also checked the hammer head and it seemed to fair well (small dent and some red stains).

I just might be at BD's house sometime and need a stitch or two so I am NOT going to mention certain firm resistance to stitches.

And I'm quite sure the hair will grow back in a few years.

Check those tools folks ! ! !

Buy some wood and metal wedges - now.

Learn how to install them to secure the heads on striking tools.

-Greybear, innocent bystander.

-- Got wedges?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), September 13, 1999.


Might even consider a tube or 2 of super glue. Does great putting the sides of a wound back together. Not a cyanide base, as some people might think. Ask a doctor if you're concerned. Been told a lot of operating/emergency rooms use/used it. They used a derivative for my vasectomy cuttings, along with stitches. Worked in keeping them together. Jim

-- Jim Miller (millerj@hqs1110th-emh.detrick.army.mil), September 13, 1999.

You guys are scaring me! ;-)

-- Gayla (privacy@please.com), September 13, 1999.

Everyone should know about the advantage of butterfly bandages (you wind up with a thin line in your skin instead of a noticeable red scar). You can do a little cutting with scissors and make them out of regular bandages.

-- Peter Errington (petere@ricochet.net), September 14, 1999.

1) LOTS of folks beat me to it in ref the probable damage to the hammer, just make sure it isn't occult damage.

2) Cyano-acrilate glue CAME from the OR to the model-makers and has RETURNED to the OR in a new formualtion.

3) Mrs. BD knows enough to check on him over the course of the next 24-48 hours to see that he doesn't get spacier, or unusually drowsy, etc., but do YOU know what the signs of an intracranial bleed are?? the SHORT TERM signs are what Greybear checked for, at the time. The LONG TERM signs that you watch for over the next 48-72+ hours are:

a) Headache (More than just the impact point, stupe!)

b) blurring, doubling, or other vision distortions ESPECIALLY loss of fields of vision

c) Dizziness, nausea, vomiting, auditory changes

d) unusual or inappropriate drowsyness

e) slurred speech, loss of either short term or other memory

f) EMOTIONAL changes (including IRRITABILITY!!!!!!)

OK Lesson over..

BD BE GOOD!!!

Marg WATCH THE BIG LUG LIKE A HAWK!!

Chuck

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 14, 1999.



Chuck --- Thannnnkks. I's jest fiiinie. HEY, LEAVE ME ALONE, YOU ^&&^*$%^&!! Now, what was that you were saying?

-- BigDog (BigDog@duffer.com), September 14, 1999.

Chuck,

What..er..um..is maybe wrong if you have..er.. most of those symptoms and haven't been recently "crowned" ?

When reading your list, I thought for a moment you were describing me on one of my good days.

-Greybear

-- Got Symptoms?

-- Greybear (greybear@home.com), September 14, 1999.


*Sigh*

And kids, lets not forget, post Y2k, to be good patients as well as doctors...being "hard headed" is rarely (with some obvious exceptions) the best arguement you fellows...I mean...you patients can come up with for delaying treatment.

Got husbands???

:-)

-- Lilly (homesteader145@yahoo.com), September 14, 1999.


Glad everyone survived the "encounter" relatively intact. Ditto the suggestion earlier to make sure ALL tools are in proper working order before depending on them.

If you have metal fence posts to put in, there's a specific tool designed to do this. It looks sorta like a battering ram. It fits over the post and is used pile-driver fashion. They can often be had at tool rental places (at least in my area) for short term use. They're safer and easier than sledges. Eye protection is always a good idea when using any sort of impact tool.

-- Lee (lplapin@hotmail.com), September 14, 1999.


Said fence tool is called a 'T Post Driver' and sells at Lowes for about 17 dollars. I bought mine about a year ago and am about 3/4 way through fencing 27 acres. Haven't hit myself in the head with this thing (about 15 pounds) but I have managed to drop it on my foot twice (same day, too).

May I make a suggestion? If you plan on suturing anybody up---learn to TIE THE KNOTS RIGHT!!! If you do it wrong, you can severly damage the nerves in the skin area and even inadvertently affect the facial nerves. A simple granny knot just won't do. (Won't hold long enough anyway).

One reminder.....NEVER< NEVER< NEVER suture a puncture type wound. You will be infected in a short time and maybe septic shortly after that. Then dead.

Happy that all turned out well.

-- Lobo (atthelair@yahoo.com), September 17, 1999.



People who look in my kit wonder why all the steri strips.......

Chuck

Oh they're stick-on sutures, or sort of...

C

-- Chuck, a night driver (rienzoo@en.com), September 17, 1999.


Man, I can't believe this, I was always told this counld happen it if you didn't check the state of you handles, but I never heard of this realy happenning, back to checking all my handles for louse spots. That is for what is on top of the handles.

-- ET (bneville@zebra.com), September 18, 1999.

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