I was using my pressure washer (3000 psi) using the 0 degree needle valve to "dig" 3 Bradford pear trees that had been in their original pots for about 5 years. The roots had grown through the pots in about 6 ft in every direction. The soil is hard packed clay and rock, and a shovel just wouldn't work. I know this machine was NOT designed to do the work I was using it for, and I should not have been using it that way, but hey, I'm a guy and I know better than those stupid warnings in the manual.
It was working great, and I had almost gotten the 3rd on free and ready for transplanting, when I switched my left hand position, which was holding the end of the wand. I was wearing thick gloves, so I was protected from any harm right...WRONG! As soon as the water from the nosel ran across the tip of my finger, I knew I was in trouble. I don't think my skin made contact with the spray for half a second, but that was enough. I got cleaned up, grabbed my 5 yr old grandson, and called my wife to pull my chart (she is the nurse for my doctor). They cleaned the small puncture wound on the side of my left ring finger, says I will probably need surgery, and sent me to the hospital for an X-Ray. By now, my finger is swelling up to the second knuckle, and it is starting to hurt. The X-ray shows no damage to the bone, but shows a lot of "debre" in the tip of the finger.
Later that night, as the swelling is to my wrist, and I am crying from the pain, my wife calls the doc, and they convince me to go to the ER. The ER doc wants me to see a hand surgeon right then, but can't find one, I live in a small town, and makes me one to see a hand specialist in Nashville the next day as an emergency patient. After an IV full of antibiotics, I go home with some powerful pain killers that do NOTHING to dull the pain. The next morning, we drive almost 2 hrs to see the specialist, who upon looking at my hand...looking, never touching, says come back on Friday, and we'll see how it is. Tuesday night, up all night in agony. On We'd, my wife and doc send me back to Nashville for a second opinion. By now, finger is severely swollen, open wound oozing some nasty, dark liquid,and smells of rotting flesh.
She says yes, I do need surgery right now, but due doc ethics, she can't do the surgery, says it would be "awkward" to do that to a fellow college. Now day 3, have seen 4 docs, and have only gotten it cleaned by my wife. Cry all night and into Friday. Doc says "you need surgery, it would be dangerous to leave like that." Well DUH! After 96 hours of intense pain, surgery is performed. Pain is almost gone, except when I bang my hand against something. I start physical therapy today, and all because of my stupidity, and less than a second of contact with the pressure washer. People...read the directions...keep anything you don't want hurt away from the nose I
