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Wednesday 29 May 2013

Shock is a killer...

At lunchtime today I had a taste of what it feels like to go into physical shock and my heart goes out to everyone who experiences it.   I can also understand the sometimes drastic effects which shock can have on one's body, even to the extent of a coma or death.

My brother was showing me his new spray booth at his factory - that's the oblong structure which looks like an open container up on the right of the picture - and the very efficient industrial extractor fans he's in the process of having installed. Well, without thinking, I put my left hand into the, as yet, unsecured extraction tunnel to feel how strong the suction was and my fingers met the furiously-spinning blades of the industrial fan.  For some reason unknown to me, I thought the extraction was generated from 'a big sucking machine' at the end of the tunnel.  I'm so clueless... 

You have no idea how grateful I am that it only tore my nails and finger tips to shreds as well as bruised and bloodied my fingers which now throb like that 'dude downunder' (I don't mean Australia either...).  I could so easily have lost my fingers.  Thank you, Dear Father God and Your Angels who are watching over me.  With how accident prone I am, they have their work cut out for themselves. (No pun intended - well perhaps just a little...).

I walked quickly back to the office from the factory for some first aid and, it's just as well I sat down because very soon wave upon wave of nausea hit me; all the blood drained out of my face; I started shaking uncontrollably and my breakfast threatened to vacate itself as I began to faint - and that's for a minor injury.  I've been through much worse and not had the same reaction.  I think it was the acute awareness that I'd very, very nearly lost fingers and could easily have lost a hand, that pummelled my solar plexus and did me in.

Yes, I can honestly say that I understand the effects which shock can have on one.

This post was typed using only my right hand - very slowly - and I will now go and lie down with a painkiller or two...

13 comments:

  1. ...
    ...
    ...
    That's me not thinking of any words to say.
    ...
    I hope your fingers get better soon...

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    1. Thanks, Andrew

      I guess it was worth it to have You at a loss for words(oooh - I so want to use an emoticon but will resist the urge, said she with a grin on her face...).

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    2. ah, ha ha ha LOL
      Well, I don't want you to go sticking your hand into an industrial fan every time you want to leave me speechless. Next time, I'm liable to call you names. And, here, I'll use an emoticon. :P

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  2. Hard lesson to learn, I hope it never happens again....xxxx

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    1. No more than I, Sis, believe me...

      Loves

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  3. Been there. Felt that. When I was in Botswana I stabbed myself in the meaty part of my hand right under my thumb with a serrated steak knife. I immediately felt nauseous and my hand did that throbbing thing. I think the only reason I didn't lose more blood is because when one goes into shock, the body pulls blood away from the extremities. I was in Africa. I had no clue where the nearest emergency room was. I was definitely in shock and it was definitely not fun!

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    1. Hmmmm. I wondered why there wasn't much blood.

      Your experience sounds much worse than mine. I can't even begin to imagine what you felt (besides the pain and shock) - in a strange, third world country with limited medical facilities.

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  4. Thank God you're okay!!! What a frightening thing to happen. It could happen to any of us...that quickly without warning. Deep breath, deep breath....

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    1. Yes, Sharon, I really do thank God because it was such a near thing. I wasn't kidding about Angels having to surround me all the time - I AM that accident prone although most are not of my own making like this one was. When Myles switched off the machine and I saw what I'd stuck my hand into, I nearly fainted. Good grief!

      I'm still chuckling about your 'Deep breath, deep breath" because I actually did take deep breaths when I read it...

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  5. Yikes! I'm not sure which experience would be more scary. Hope your poor battered fingers get better soon.

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    1. Thanks, Nick

      I feel much better after a good 'druck' induced sleep. What an experience. (Ticked off the bucket list - 'stick fingers into an industrial fan...')

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  6. Oh ouch. Just thinking about it made me woozy. Hope you're back to typing with both hands (and all fingers) very soon.

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    1. Thanks, Patricia. I still cannot believe how very fortunate I was that the damage wasn't worse.

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