Sunday, June 12, 2011

Accidents

Young Finch drying off in unplanted deck planter
After an accident with a cleaver last week, wherein I almost sliced off the tip of my finger, I find I still have quite a few plants yet to slip into the warm and welcoming Earth.

I was trimming and cutting Carrots, my mind elsewhere in the stratosphere, when the accident occurred. The Carrots were juicy, making my hands  wet and orange, when the knife slipped and became embedded in my fingernail.

I stared down at my finger, which still had the cleaver inserted in the nail. I became aware of a huge pain in my shoulder and chest...vaguely, I wondered if I was having a heart attack.

Shock is an amazing thing. There was no pain...as yet...from the finger impaled by the cleaver. I was more concerned about the pain emanating from my shoulder and chest, telling myself to remain calm...just in case.


Sparkling white Saskatoon Berry bushes glimmer throughout the Forest
The sharp twinge in my shoulder receded, although the aftermath was still unpleasant. It was time to deal with the cleaver.


This all occurred in seconds. It astonishes me how many thoughts and ideas occur, racing through the mind, after an accident. Would the tip of the finger be salvageable, where was a towel to stanch the flow of blood which was sure to spurt once the cleaver was removed, would I need to go to the hospital, would I need to call Graham?


The only reason the cleaver was still impaled in my finger was because of the nail. Had it only cut flesh, it would not have stayed stuck.



Tulips did really well this Spring!
Blood flowed freely once I rescued my finger from the cleaver. Once I removed it, that's when the pain from the deep cut just above the quick of the nail hit. That's when I forgot about the pain in my shoulder and chest.


I managed to clean and bandage the slice, happy to find my fingertip still attached. Truly, this cut bled an unbelievable amount and I wanted to make sure it bled out of the nail and not underneath, where I knew it would be a mess if I had to release old blood later.


It was unbelievably painful. Cleaning up after the fact with one hand and a sore shoulder and chest was not pleasant, either. Because my chest and shoulder pain worsened when I moved them, I decided I was not experiencing a heart attack, only another muscle pull.

Lilacs thrive in this climate
It was not until later that I realized I had effectively stopped any idea I had of continuing to place bedding Plants, for the next while.


And I had to face the fact that I was not able to type very well either, so writing on the computer was put on the back burner. I apologize to all my bloggy friends for not commenting for a time...


Time is travelling on; it is now almost the middle of June. My bedding plants are still not all in their respective places. Because of a bandaged hand, I am unable to work very fast...and planting with one hand hampers the whole thing further.


But here, in the Cariboo, Sun shines very late into the evening, and rises very early. One thing I've learned, living here, is that gardens, be they Vegetable or Flower, bounce...one can almost see them grow. The plants not yet placed will catch up to the others in no time.

The Deer didn't find these!
I've also strewn a great amount of Seeds directly into the ground this year. I experimented with it last year, never dreaming of the lush, perfumed growth that occurred in August. The climate is so dry here, the Earth forms a deep, dry crust and in my mind, it would be difficult to keep the Seeds wet enough to germinate.


To my astonishment, germinate they did! And I believe they did better than any of the greenhouse grown Seedlings. This year, my Seeds germinated just fine, but the cool weather has held their growth back.


Amazing colour combo...yellow and red Tulips!
The weather lately has reminded me of coastal climates. It has Rained a great deal, making Vegetation prolifically luxuriant, keeping the Dust down and if I'm not mistaken, keeping the Pollen from bothering me as much.


The Rain and Thunderstorms we experience at this time of year have helped with my impatience to work outside. As much as I love Rain lashing against windows by Wind...it takes the pleasure out of gardening, for me, at any rate.


Even if I were well, it is doubtful I would be outside in stormy weather.


It was a small, irritating accident. It came out of nowhere, when my mind was involved in something else, other than what I was doing.


One of the young Kits from our Squirrel family
My mother, early on in my life, would constantly admonish me to watch what I was doing, where I was going. She knew I was not one to keep my mind involved in the task at hand.


You would think I would have learned that lesson by now.

26 comments:

  1. You are one lucky lady! Despite all the blood and pain....you still have that finger! Your accident sounds exactly like something I would do... (and my Mum always told me to "focus on one thing at a time..) but, as we with "dreamy minds, ever wandering" know...this is much more difficult for us to than for others!

    Speaking of *dreamy*, your photos are! It may take your part of the world longer to have Spring as a resident...but, wow...when she arrives, it is beautiful! And that baby Squirrel! ADORABLE!

    I know you are rejoicing in the better weather - it's good to have you (all of you - including your finger) back! You have been missed!

    Hugs,

    ♥ Robin ♥

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  2. i held my hand to my mouth reading this. i am queasy anyway but thinking of you experiencing this reminded me how much i care about you, about your well being. hell, i love you marion!!!

    lucky that blood stopped. that is often my worry with alot of blood: that it may be more than can be safely handled.

    so now you are going to have to meander and perhaps sing songs to your eager land and gardens. :^) not the worse thing to have to 'rest' in a certain way

    i was so glad to see you had posted. ♥
    your pal
    kj

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  3. I'm so glad you're back - and well. Last summer I was walking two of the dogs by our little stream which was still flowing on July 31. It was a beautiful, bright warm day wnd I was walking on the rocks near the stream when I just lost my balance. I fell into the stream, breaking my arm. I remember distinctly that feeling you discribe - part of my forearm hitting a rock and being so painful. It took me a few minutes before I could pull myself together, stand up and walk back to the car. It ended up that the place where I was sure I had landed on my arm wasn't even injured! It was my wrist - which I was told by the young ortheopedic surgeon just 'shatters' as we get older. A surgery and a metal plate later, I'm great. But I TRY to pay attention to what I'm doing!!

    Your flowers are so beautiful. Looking forward to seeing more!

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  4. I wondered....and oh my - I'm glad to hear you are OK - but what an experience. Be careful!!

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  5. Sorry you stabbed yourself, glad it wasn't worse. Nice to see you again after my long absence.

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  6. Marion, So sorry about your accident! Glad you are healing. You will get those plants in the ground in no time. Thank you for all the flowers, they are stunning. Take care. xoxo

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  7. Well, I'm so glad you didn't whack off your hand! I tend to break all things glass so I don't own glasses, I own plastics. LOL! I don't bake anymore because I was always burning myself. (I think I'm subconsciously rebelling against all forms of housework!)

    I love your awesome, vividly vibrant photos. It's so hot and dry here lately that all is dried up and dead except for the few plants I water religiously. My lawn crunches when I walk on it. :-(

    Love & Blessings,
    Marion

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  8. Little reminders of our fragility and our mortality are ever near, ever waiting to show us that our accustomed feeling of security is not to be trusted. In a somewhat similar accident, I ran quarter inch drill bit through my fingernail (ring-finger, right hand), and on into the bone which I could see it until the blood covered everything. I wasn't in much pain, and said I would drive myself to town to the doctor, but my boss insisted on taking me, which was good because the pain kicked in hard before we had driven three miles. We smoked pot on the long drive, but all that did was to send my social terrors through the roof. I'm sure the doctor thought I was in great pain and distress, but it was having to carry on business--as it were--with strangers that made me unable to function appropriately.

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  9. Robin,

    Thank you so much for your very kind words! I am so grateful I didn't lose the tip of the finger...a huge wake-up call, because I find myself 'drifting off' more and more these days. I want to stay more present...

    I write best when I type; but I did do a lot of writing by hand. It takes me so long to type with one hand! xx

    kj,

    Heh, I considered placing a warning regarding graphic content, but decided it wasn't too bad. So sorry!

    Spring has sprung here for sure...it is the most beautiful Spring I have experienced here yet.

    I think of you wandering around PT and know you are having a lovely peaceful time...how great!

    Sea,sand and sun...what could be better!!xx

    Rottrover,

    Oh, wow, that sounds so painful! It was as if I was on auto pilot, as if I was watching myself doing all the right things.

    I was in awe of how the Forest burst into leaf and flower, overnight, it seemed. It was a loooong cold season this year; so glad I can see green again! xx

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  10. My father was a carpenter and would periodically smash his finger with the hammer at work. As the nail grew black with blood underneath, that evening, he would take a small drill bit and, by hand, slowly twist it through the fingernail to relieve pressure, pain and blood.

    Fortunately I have never had to repeat that particular procedure.

    Nice pics of the flowers. I knew someone would present the beauty of spring.

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  11. Gosh, Marion, what a terrible accident!
    You are a brave lady to take care of it on your own!
    Sending good wishes for good healing!
    I can just imagine all the pain as a few years ago I had a very deep and gashing cut from a glass that was broken in my sink and had to get 10 stitches.
    And so much blood, I was quite scared!
    My husband took me to ER and it was well taken care of, I still have lots of scar tissue, though.

    All of your spring pictures are gorgeous!
    I so enjoyed seeing them.

    Take good care !

    Margie x

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  12. Mim,

    I am certainly more careful these days with my favourite cleaver. Every time I use it, my finger reminds me not to be so cavalier with it!xx

    Time sped by, though, and I realized it one day when it occurred to me I hadn't opened the computer in a couple of days...highly unusual for me! Gardening fever...

    Livia!

    How nice to see you again! I'll be heading over to your blog to see what you're up to these days...xx

    Annie Coe,

    My finger is much better, thank you, Annie. Just waiting for the nail to grow out now! xx

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  13. Marion,

    I'll be going through that dry phase in about a month, I'll wager. But for the moment, I'm greatly enjoying the lushness, which is unusual here, even in the Spring.

    I've got to learn to be more careful...my hands aren't as steady as they once were. xx

    Snowbrush,

    Ow,that sounds really dreadful and painful...I hadn't realized how much fingers can hurt and bleed.

    Herbs react so differently on everybody; chamomile is one that makes me completely loopy. And you can find it on shelves without any warning...buyer beware.

    Thankfully, I decided against going for medical care, since most of the damage was done to the nail and under it, with a small cut on the side of the nail. I'm worried I might catch it on something (ow!) so I'm favouring it for sure!

    Take care of yourself, Snow...xx

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  14. Thank goodness your cut (with a cleaver, no less) did not slice off your finger completely! I’ve had several mishaps while cutting vegetables and prefer my knives a little dull because of this tendency to daydream. Strange how the mind whirls with a thousand thoughts all at once in a crisis. And interesting how the blooms from scattered seeds thrived despite not being planted in the best of conditions. :)

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  15. Good to see you back, Marion. You've been missed!

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  16. eeek! i cringe reading this. am glad your finger is healing well. wow! all the beautiful colours of flowers! love!

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  17. marion, I'm behind on blogs as well, but I have to admit that when I saw your snippet on my sidebar I didn't want to open it to read about the "yound finch DYING off in my..."

    hahahahaha, LO, put on your glasses!! Thatnk goodness he was DRYING off!!

    Now, your finger, my goodness marion! Your mind must have been by the sea perhaps?
    I'm just so thankful it will be okay, sore yes, but okay.

    I think your mind may have been on the Stanley Cup. YES!! That's it for sure ;)

    I'm so glad it wasn't worse, and I'm very glad it wasn't a heart attack.

    Please take care of yourself and be generous with the healing herbs and balms ;)

    xoxo
    Lo♥♥♥

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  18. Goatman,

    Oh, gosh, I remember my father doing the same one time. That's the vision I had in my eyes when I released the blood..

    I think I've mentioned it before, but I can't remember a time when I've seen plants grow so quickly. Wild and domestic roses up next!

    Margie,

    There is a lot of blood from the extremities, isn't there? I guess the scar tissue are our war wounds as we get older!

    aka Penelope,

    I've found planting from seeds here in this area remarkably easy. Even though there isn't the instant gratification of a seedling planted garden, the flowers, on the whole do much better. And I have only seen one slug,which do such damage on tender young leaves, in all the time I've been here!

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  19. Kiss Me Kate,

    Great to see you here, Kate!xx

    Alison,

    So sorry! Just a little accident. It's mending now...xx

    Studio Lolo,

    Congratulations on the Boston Bruins Win! What a terrific ride the Canucks led their fans on; I am so sorry and sad it ended the way it did. The actions of a few radicals took away the fun for all.

    I believe the riots were planned well in advance by a criminal element; they would have rioted win or lose. I'm so glad so many cameras were there to capture the bad element on film.

    My finger is well on its way to healing...only the nail coming off worries me now!xx

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  20. Take care My finger had a few encounters with knives as well so know the feeling. What a gorgeous pictures. Can see you're in the middle of spring time

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  21. Hi there hon, I meant to comment sooner, I did read about this, well as much as I can, I'm sqeamish as hell! I've done similar with scalpels and stanley knives....hope the pain is lesser now, big hugs and I'll be sending more pics soon. xxx

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  22. Oh Marion (((Hugs))) and more (((HUgs))) ...and more (((Hugz))) xox

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  23. "You would think I would have learned that lesson by now."

    You might ease on yourself a little, don't you think?

    How lovely your photos are, and how very different your part of the world is now compared to a few months ago.

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  24. Habits are hard to break once they're ingrained. If your mother was warning you as a child, it's unlikely you'll change drastically now! Glad the accident wasn't more serious. Stay well and happy - and safe!

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  25. What a relief, Marion, that your injury wasn't any worse than it was. And I have hope now. I too threw out some flower seeds. Nothing yet so perhaps I will receive an autumnal surprise, in time.

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  26. Feel better! Glad you are okay!

    And I love the squirrel photo! :)

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