Posted by Kitchen Design

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Here is a small post to remind you about the dangers of power tools!

Well you can just imagine my surprise (and my clients for that matter) when I was installing her kitchen in March this year.

It was 7.30am and I had unpacked all of my tools and started on my first cut of the day. I got out my circular saw, set the fence guide and proceeded to cut down the length of a 45 x 20 piece of vinyl wrapped pine.

I needed to cut 20mm of the width of the pine so I held it in my left hand and started up the circular saw and proceeded to rip the pine in two. Things were swinging along merrily when all of a sudden the pine closed up behind the blade and then I felt a massive CHOMP!

As far as I can remember, I ripped through the pine with the circular saw and then placed my left hand behind the saw to grip the wood that I had just cut.

WRONG! By doing that, the wood closed against the blade and the circular saw proceeded to move backwards (the saw blade rotates clockwise, cutting on the up) and before I knew it I was looking at the bones and muscles where my thumb once used to be.

I was surprised that there was absolutely no pain and that there was not much bleeding. I was sort of expecting it to be a gusher!

I got the client to call the ambulance (and tried to calm her down as she was freaking out more than I was) and then I proceeded to locate my amputated thumb.

I eventually found it wedged between the safety guard (great help that turned out to be :)) and the circular saw blade. We put it in a plastic bag and placed it in ice. 8 minutes later I was horizontal and heading downtown to the Sydney Hospital. Luckily for me it is Australias most prominent and famous hand unit. One of the surgeons in triage prepared me for the worst saying that my thumb had copped a fair hiding and that it might not be able to be replanted.

I was operated on by 12.30pm and I woke up to find that (as far as I could tell) my thumb was attached to my left hand again. Happy days! I was in hospital for 5 days and then allowed to leave. Those microsurgeons are thoroughly talented people. Thanks guys!

My thumb has healed excellently and I have full feeling in it. I cannot bend it at the first joint but it still works fine.

Tags: call the ambulance, circular saw blade, gusher, imagine my surprise, Kitchen Health & Safety, power tools, safety guard, sydney hospital