Firewood injury

[Lumber-Jack]

Well it finally happen. I managed to make it through some thirty years of driving treacherous mountain roads, falling all sorts of trees and lots of limbing and bucking of logs into firewood and never had a much worse than a sliver, finally last night as I slipped out to load the wood stove before hitting sack for what I was hoping would be a good night's sleep, it happen.
The wood box had been previously loaded by my son at my request, he filled it heaping with various sizes of splits, some small, some big, I was after a couple medium ones near the back, as I pulled one out of the back of the stack it shifted a larger one near the front edge of the box, it was sort of dark in the room and I was bare foot, what happen next was totally unexpected by me at the time. The big split fell off the wood box and the sharp edge of the heavy split fell right on the tip of my pinky toe and the fella next to him. At the last second I tried to pull my foot out of the way, but it only made it worse, at the moment of impact I yanked my foot away, but rather than saving my toes I tore the skin as I pulled it out from under the heavy split.
Boy did it hurt! it was like the pain of stubbing your toe on the coffee table, only 10 times worse. It bled like the dickens so I bandaged it up. I consider myself to have a high pain threshold, but I had a hard time getting to sleep last night as it throbbed.
Anyway, I've gone years without any serious injury in this hobby, I guess it was only a mater of time till it caught up with me. I hope I can go another 30 years without any mishaps.

 

[adrpga498]

A possible invention comming along. Steel toe slippers from LL BEAN . Just in time for Christmas. All joking aside, I hope you feel better.

 

[Gasifier]

Take it easy for a while on that Carbon _Liberator. Hope it heals well for you. It only takes a second for something to happen. I have had a few close calls over the years and was very lucky. Did you break them or is it a bad bruising and cut?

 

[ScotO]

Ouch CL, that hurts just reading it! I've got my share of scars and such from both cutting and loading the stove even (don't ask), wife even has a battle scar on her forearm from loading the stove without gloves (don't ask).

Get that toe healed up....

 

[Lumber-Jack]

I'm not too worried about the toes, they'll heal. I just found it humorous that of all the things that could go wrong in this hobby, and ways you could get hurt, I've managed to avoid them for so many years, I have to go and spoil it by something as stupid as dropping a piece of wood on my toes while getting ready for bed. It just seems so ironic.

I am kinda liking the idea of steel toed slippers.

 

[Flatbedford]

I guess you won't be cutting and splitting barefoot any more now will you? Hope you heal soon. That's when accidents usually happen, when you're guard is down.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Carbon, that hurt just reading about it. Your comments sort of remind me of a fellow I knew years ago. He was in the army, I think. Anyway, he loved to jump out of airplanes and had done numerous jumps. Came home on leave, jumped off front porch and broke his leg. We just had to laugh at the time but know it hurt.

 

[DianeB]

RN here - toe injuries are some of the most painful and have seen grown men cry. Hard to set when broken and difficult to heal as we are weight bearing creatures. I like the steel toe slipper idea.

 

[bogydave]

Usually injuries like that only happen once per person
Self teachers

Glad not a real serious one, just a real painful one.
Heal fast!

 

[WellSeasoned]

Feel better. It happens to us all eventually. Like last year when I was alittle off swinging my maul, shot a split straight against my ankle. Be well

 

[TimJ]

Carbon, yea it hurts but it will heal. Better to be a toe than a hand and better it be a hand than a leg.
You could have gotten that reaching in the back of the refrig for that turkey leg.
Hope it heals fast though

 

[OhioBurner©]

People say I have tough feet, I'm somewhat of a barefooter, at least I run barefoot. Just did a short Turkey Trot 4 miler barefoot. But man that sounds painfull! Doesnt matter how tough your feet are something as simple as a small split falling off the top of the stack can do some damage! I'd be happy that my toes are still attached.

 

[XJma]

Ouch!! Maybe the woodbox needs a lip a the bottom to protect your toes from future mishaps?? From the title, I thought it was going to be an emergency room visit injury!! Glad it wasn't.

Oh, and FYI, muck does make steel-toe version of the chore boot!! I use my wetlands with the top folded down, as slippers

 

[PA. Woodsman]

That sounds like a painful injury that you probably look back on and think how did I let that happen; but I remember after one of many dumb injuries a nurse told me "I've never met a smart accident"!

It sucks, could've been a LOT worse but still sucks-not too shabby of a record for all the time you've dealt with wood though...you'll just have to go on another 30 year accident-free streak!

Speedy recovery to ya!

 

[osagebow]

glad ya didn't lose a toe - feel better soon.

 

[JOHN BOY]

Hope ya feel better soon..and sorry for the mishap. When OSHA finds out you were playing with wood in the dark theres gonna be a hefty fine.

 

[XJma]

When OSHA finds out you were playing with wood in the dark theres gonna be a hefty fine.

Hi, I'm from the government, and I'm here to help! hehehe!

Is that a knick I see there in your extension cord??

No sir, that there trench is not a millimeter deeper than 4'10"

 

[Shari]

I am kinda liking the idea of steel toed slippers.

+1 on those steel toed slippers.

I've put them on my Christmas list.

My foot is still healing from the hammer I dropped on my barefoot.

 

[Jack Straw]

Well at least you didn't need to call a toe-truck.......toe injuries are bad because they are so for from your heart and the circulation is poor down there. Hope you feel better.

 

[weatherguy]

Keep a close eye on it for awhile, I stubbed my toe on my wood rack a couple years ago, it hurt like hell and instead of getting better it got worse, then it got infected, finally went to a foot doc, turned out when I stubbed my toe I guess I killed the nail or something and because of the swelling it stayed in place while a new one was growing underneath it, the toe doc numbed it and yanked to old one off, lo and behold a half grown toe nail was there.

 

[Lumber-Jack]

Weatherguy I just read your post and figured it was time to open up the bandage and see what it looks like.
Fortunately it doesn't hurt too much anymore, unless I'm walking on it or trying to put shoes on, but the one toe doesn't look very pretty. The pinky toe isn't too bad at all, but his buddy took the brunt of the impact and is pretty bad shape. If it was pet the merciful thing to do would have it euthanized, but I'm sure there are some fanatic Toe Rights groups out there that would get on my case if I did that, so I guess I'll have to try and nurse it back to health.

 

[Standingdead]

Them there tree bits is fulla revenge on us wood burners. Never can be too careful. Sooner ya burn up all them splits the better. I know I won't go into a dark room full of them Lil buggers. Nasty! . Be well!

 

[Cluttermagnet]

It's amazing, the insults to the body that it can recover from. Be well, my friend. I bet you can heal it. Might take some time. Personally, I'm resigned to the inevitable injuries that attach to wood burning- mostly, the constant splinters I end up picking out of my fingers. And most of those happen indoors while loading the stove. Yeah, I know- gloves...

I've made it a point to remain alert for growing fatigue, and to end a work session when I feel myself losing my edge. I avoid setting specific goals that I 'must' meet. I'm content to accept whatever gets done- safely. That seems to work for this 60+ year old. Over time, I do seem to be able to accumulate enough processed wood, though I don't have the 10+ cords of some of you hoarders. (Clutter quickly conceals wood envy...)

Injuries like yours are so unexpected! I'm not sure there is really any defense against them. Your guard is down in such circumstances.