I thought I knew better than that

Today, I was busy shelling the pintos in my new shelling machine, one got stuck and I put my finger a little too close. The rollers pulled my index finger in and the thing jammed. I turned off the switch, but my finger was trapped, it was smashed, I could not get it out. It hurt like Hell. I had a pair of clippers on the table, wedged them between the rollers will all my force. Nada! I thought, what the hell am I going to do! It hurt so much. I tried again and again in panic to separate the rollers. Finally, I could yank my finger out. I almost threw up from the pain. I do think I will lose this fingernail. I learned my lesson.

The directions with the machine said how to install the shield, and then said for 20 years the machine was sold with out the shield, using it was optional.

I found that without the shield, the beans flowed more freely.
But, now, I have the shield in place as it should be. I had no idea the force it takes to shell a bean.

I remember when the old wringer washer were out, the caution was to not get your hand caught in the wringer. I imagine there was a good reason for that caution, too.

Dang! My finger hurts. It bled all around the fingernail and the whole thing is black...Live and learn.

I write this because no matter how old you are, if you get a boo-boo you want someone to know.

Love,
Betty

Betty,

You poor soul. I am so sorry. Put your feet up and relax.


My mother had a wringer washing machine which she warned me about. She told me about a little girl who got her fingers caught and it rolled right up her arm. Scary!

A kiss for your bobo Betty...

I once caught my hand in one of those wringers, Betty and Alice. I was only about 5 years old. My brother was supposed to be feeding the clothes into the wringer, but he left the room for some reason, and I decided to "help." Like you, I tried to pull my hand out, but it only made things worse. I started screaming; my brother ran back in and hit a release lever. By that time, half my forearm had gone through the thing, and I was envisioning my hand and arm as looking like a roadrunner cartoon. My parents took me to the doctor, who said no real harm had been done, but right now I am remembering that few minutes as though it were yesterday. I was scared you-know-what-less.

Be sure you have a doctor check that finger, Betty.

Take care of yourself.

Ann

Betty,
It's almost as though I could feel your pain and the dilemma you faced. Panic kicks in and our reaction can cause more pain. Glad to hear it turned out okay.
As for the old washing machines, I remember them also along with the warnings to keep the fingers and clothing away from those rollers. As time went by, safety features were incorporated. What was lacking was an automatic shut- off. Pulling the plug is often forgotten when in panic. Besides, one may not be able to reach the plug or switch when caught in a machine.
If there is a safety shield, it must be there for a reason and it is wise to use it. An old cliche says, "Better to be safe than sorry." Another is: "Haste makes waste."

Take time to heal before you start again.

Betty, dang girl, keep your finger out of those places. I've done enough of that kind of stuff for all of us.

Hope it's better soon.

What Don said.

6/10/2011

Betty..

Be careful ! I knew a tailor once who lost four
fingers on a machine. Be safe....

Cheers..Joe

I'm so glad you kept all your fingers Betty! Ouch!
So often we do stupid things as if by instinct without thinking.
Lesson 1a paragraph 6 shields are put there for a reason safety first.
Take care now.

Thank you all for the love for my boo-boo.

The bone is only crushed a bit, the nail will come off and take a year to grow back.
Thank you all, my dear friends. What kindness is in your hearts.

Joe, I wonder if your friend operated one of the old treadle sewing machines. They got going and it was hard to stop them.

Ann, I am glad to finally know someone who actually got their arm stuck in a wringer washer.

Dom, thanks for the kiss on boo-boo. It feels better already.

E. Don, what a marvel you are. Thanks for the advice. I am glad that you and Phil have the book out. I look forward to it. Is it any where in book form.

I am off to bed.

Tomorrow is a new day.

Love,
Betty

Betty, one of my MIL's neighbors once ran his hand under the table of a bandsaw to "see if it was working." It was working, alright.

LC,

The rest of the story please.

Was his hand left?

Where had he lost his brain?

Just curious as usual.

He lost some fingers. I don't know what he was thinking.

Dear LC,
I imagine he was surprised as I was. Maybe a little more so.

It did not occur to me that the bean rollers would suck me in like that. I was tryiing to get it to accept a particularly big bean pod. I suppose common sense should have kicked in, but the pod was no where near the size of my finger.

At least I still have my digit, albeit black and purple at the moment. I am awaiting the healthy green and yellow color that says it is healing some and dreading the loss of the nail. I should buy stock in Band-Aid because I will be using several a day for a year.

My David is hoping that my finger "does not need amputation". Believe me, that never crossed MY mind. I do not think it likely. The swelling has started to go down a bit. But, after he said that, my finger tip throbbed all the more!

I still have several thousand more pinto bean plants to divest of their harvest.
The pinto bean is considered survival food. I am keeping track of how many pounds of beans one pound that I bought from the grocery and planted, will produce. So far, 26 pounds. that is from one half row.

Perhaps I should go 'on the road' and imform people who have nothing just how much they could have from one pound of beans planted in plain soil with no fertilizer and only rainfall and regular tending to keep out the weeds. If I were a younger vigilante, I could consider it.

Love,
Betty

When I was young my hair was down my back. I could sit on it, and my gram had a wringer washer. She would seldom let me help, as she feared my hair would wind up wrung from my head. Betty--be careful. You need alll your fingers, girl!

Betty,
you didn't say, but did you see a doctor?
If not, I think it is wise to do so.

I agree with Abe.

This morning, my finger tip erupted and the trapped blood flooded out. What a relief.

Once, I smashed my thumb in the car door. I went to the doctor and he drilled a hole in the middle of my nail. they had strapped me down for the event. I remembered that so well that I hesitated to go this time.

I feel better today.

I bought a large box of band-aids. Tomorrow I will pick the produce with my good hand. Vegetables do not care if you have a boo-boo. They march on into seeding with a smile on their flowers and give up their leaves to a bunch of aphids. It is all the circle of living. It is the master plan.

Love,
Betty

Betty,

You could at least try soaking in it hot water and Epsom salts.

The nail will drop off eventually Betty but a new one will grow in its place.
I so love your point of view on nature it is so balanced.