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November 3, 2011

The Time I Cut My Finger Off...

Last week I answered Mama Kat's writing prompt and made a list of 22 things I had done. You can see that list HERE. This week I'm answering her prompt again by taking one of those 22 things and elaborating.

I chose #2... "The time I cut my finger off and they sewed it back on."

So here goes

The time I cut my finger off, I looked something like this:

Coincidentally, I had just broken my arm falling off of a crazy "on-the-loose" mule... but that's another story.  On this day, I was running late to school and as I trotted in with a book bag twice the size of my body, I had a feeling someone was behind me.  Being a courteous southern gal, I flung open the large metal doors and put my hand behind me to hold it for the next person.  Unfortunately, my eyes were playing tricks on me and nobody was actually there, and when I put my hand back to hold the door, it slipped into the open hinges... and then the heavy metal door slammed shut.

When I realized my hand was stuck, I yanked it out. Thus, causing the sever.  Having just lost a nail from the slamming of my pinky in the car door, I told myself, "It's OKAY.  Don't get upset.  We've gone through this before... your nail is going to turn black and then it will fall off... no biggie."  But then I looked down and all I saw was RED.  Frightened, I began running to my second grade classroom to get help, but I was quickly interfered by another teacher.  She grabbed me by the arm and rushed me to the school clinic.  She asked me if my mom was near and I told her she had just left, but that she had one of those super nifty bag phones... Miraculously, for the first time in my life I remembered the number.  As the teacher spoke with my mom, someone wrapped my finger in paper towels, and my principal carried me in his arms to my mother's car.

As I sat in my mom's car about to drive to the hospital, I said, "Mommy?  Am I going to still have a finger?"  She carefully unwrapped the paper towels, wrapped it back up and said, "I don't know honey. I don't know."  I was so appreciative of her honesty. I would rather be prepared for a missing finger than be surprised by it's absence and shriek in horror, "But my mommy said I would always have all my fingers!"  

After that... things go blurry.  I remember bandaging and cleaning and stinging and bandaging and cleaning and stinging and bandaging and cleaning and stinging ... for the next few months. Don't forget I also had a broken arm in a sling that year to tend to as well. Also, I was repetitively constipated... but that's another story.

Let's just say it was a year to be proud of. I remember kids whispering, "That's the girl who cut off her finger." and then I'd turn and say, "And broke my arm on a mule too!" and then I'd look at them like this:


As in, "Take that suckas. I've gone to battle and lived to tell about it. Where are your glory scars?"

Long story short, they sewed my finger back on and everything healed.  All in all,  it's a great conversation starter... and for that, I'd cut my finger off any day.  Just kidding.  But seriously...

14 comments:

Pumpkin Delight (Kimberly) said...

Oh, that's so scary...but the story was fun to read. So glad it all turned out ok!

stopping by from mama kat's

...sarah. said...

Oh, yikes! *cringe* That's quite an ice-breaker you have there!

CJ said...

Ouch! Once when I was teaching school, a student cut off the tip of her finger with a paper cutter. I am not good with blood, but after taking her to the nurse, I had to go back to get the piece of her finger to give to the ambulance people. Luckily the hospital sewed it back on and it healed.

But, what a story. Yeah ---we allI have incidents like that ---would ALMOST go through them again for the great stories they generate.

Stop by to read my entry to Mama Kat's writing workshop:
http://proartz.blogspot.com/2011/11/my-return-to-gloria.html

Cyndy Bush said...

OK, I LOVED this post. I mean I'm sorry you chopped your finger off and all that, but this post is awesome.
My baby girl cut the tip of her finger NEARLY off with a similar evil door. But no mule incidents, thankfully.

Alison said...

That is horrifying. Your mom is awesome for keeping calm and collected-I would be screaming in a panic (yeah, that happens any time my kids are bleeding-I totally make the situation worse). You definitely have an interesting story to tell!

Coffee Lovin' Mom said...

I love that there is three more stories behind this one..I would like to hear about the mule first if you are taking requests..

Katie said...

Oh my goodness! I almost fainted!

I would also like to hear what happened with the mule.

hilljean said...

Eek. I've slammed my fingers a time or two, but never actually off. My little bro did, and my mom held the piece of finger in her hand all the way to the hospital. It was the Bird finger, so it made for an awkward recovery...:) Looks like you had just the personality to deal with the loss! Way cute pictures!

Danielle said...

Ok I would've preferred to hear this in person, but guess I'll take what I can get! ;) hehe! Great story!!! Love you!

Tiffany said...

Pretty sure my nails are still imbedded in my palm. I don't handle pain/blood well, but that IS quite a "war story" you've got. Do you still have a scar?

Hannah said...

What a story! I didn't realise jamming your finger in a door could have such a nasty result!

Anonymous said...

This is absolutely disgusting and captivating at the same time! It does break the ice though :) great, talented post

http://alexthinking1.blogspot.com/

Lindsay @ Trial By Sapphire said...

WHAT.

This is crazy, Mae! Haha! I would say you have bad luck, but I think that would be insulting to the word "luck"!

But I am glad you kept your fingers. Your "take that, suckas" look is hysterical!

Jr. Williams said...

Slammed my finger...How do I get to stop hurting?
Finger Pinch Guard