Today I was working on cleaning my bike chain. I had all the gunk removed and was putting kerosene (what the dealer recommends) on it to finish up the process. I put the bike on the stand (so the rear tire was off the ground) and started it and put it in gear and let the chain spin over to warm it up, since the kerosene lubricates the o-rings better on a warm chain. Anyway, I seen some dirt on the chain as it was spinning, so I took a rag and attempted to clean it off. As I was doing this, the rag got sucked back in between the sprocket and chain along with my thumb. I didn't really feel anything, so I stopped the bike and took the rag out. It was then that I noticed a lot of blood spewing (yes, spewing) out of my thumb and onto the floor. I also noticed that my thumb was crushed from the base of the nail upwards. Well, I put a lot of pressure on it so stop the bleeding. Fortunately, my mother was home, so she flipped out for a second and took me to the emergency room. They soaked it in disinfectant and gave me some painkillers. Also, the bleeding wouldn't stop on it's own, so the doctor had to cauterize the wound (focking ow!), which is where you basically burn the wound closed. They bandaged me up and sent me on my way after some 2 1/2 hours of pain.

So now I sit here with 1/4 of my thumb missing and sharing my story. It hurts like hell, but it kinda makes me feel good to be alive in a way.

Be careful out there, and sorry, no pics

Sorry to hear about your mishap bro, some people might say "what were you thinking"? But things like that are really easy to do. I'm glad that you're alright.

dude outch that got to suck...

and yeah pics are necessary when u go in to changer the bandage!!!! .<--ha ha ha get it??

halik

Yeah, I'm going to try to get some pics tomorrow (have to take the bandage off for an Orthopedic to look at it).

It was my own stupidity, but hell, it happens and I'm OK <-- or half a thumbs up, anyway :laugh:

ouch i feel your pain man

went cliff diving two weeks ago, hit the bottom pretty good with my feet--nearly severed my right pinky toe...it bled like crazy for the whole 15 min walk back to the car, and the half hr ride to the hospital....7 stitches later (5, then ripped 2 trying to walk) im just now walking normally again....cept i have no feeling in my toe...

take it easy

You.... did this with the engine running?


o, dear.

Interesting about the kerosene idea, though. I don't know how well the O-rings on the chain will appreciate that. We used to use Kal-Guard chain lube, then wipe it all off with a rag soaked in WD-40.... while turning the wheel by hand. Any lube you can reach to wipe off isn't lubing anything.

I hope you're feeling better.

I have some concerns what might happen while that thing's running, and you're actually riding on it.....

Crazy Savannah people

cleaning the bike while the engines running. You crazy sob!

Someday when you have kids, you can show that scar to them and tell them the story, and make sure they dont do the same stupid mistake

if you dont want it ill take it.. , good thing your ok

dude i know how ya feel...i used to serve in a restaurant and i was bored one day in the kitchen....i was attempting to make the flame on my lighter like 2 feet long by popping the top off and unscrewing the lil plug a bit...well when u put the cap back on u gotta push this little piece down w/ somethin skinny....so i was like..oh look ..that 10" *just sharpened* filet knife will do just fine. Well imagine me standing there holding this lighter in my left hand and pushing against it rather forcefully w/ the sharp end of this huge knife. *SLIP* ow... just happend....oh ...theres the tip of my finger laying in the soup...shit....*pass out* ...wake up in the emergency room w/ my finger stitched back on

Well look on the bright side, you would have felt like a bigger man if your thumb was lost... :laugh:

Ryans99OZ said:

dude i know how ya feel...i used to serve in a restaurant and i was bored one day in the kitchen....i was attempting to make the flame on my lighter like 2 feet long by popping the top off and unscrewing the lil plug a bit...well when u put the cap back on u gotta push this little piece down w/ somethin skinny....so i was like..oh look ..that 10" *just sharpened* filet knife will do just fine. Well imagine me standing there holding this lighter in my left hand and pushing against it rather forcefully w/ the sharp end of this huge knife. *SLIP* ow... just happend....oh ...theres the tip of my finger laying in the soup...shit....*pass out* ...wake up in the emergency room w/ my finger stitched back on

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thats just crazy. I wonder if they ended up serving that soup?

UPDATE:

I was outside cleaning up my bloody mess a little bit today and I found some of my finger It's 3/4 of the nail with a bit of the tip attached. Nasty...

Defiant, that's what I thought, too, but the dealership actually recommended this to me as did the owner's manual. I bought some additional chain lube from a motorcycle shop here in town though

.....and I'm just now hearing about this Jon. Damn. That sucks. From what you just told me it sounds like it hurt like a SOB. Amazing how something seemingly simple can go so bad so quickly. I know we've all had our own close calls. I guess your luck just ran out this time around. Good luck w/ the surgery tomorrow and like I told ya, don't forget to call me when it's done and you're coherent again Guess I'll actually get to "see" this mishap this weekend. Or if you're up for it, I may stop by tomorrow.

Ouch - Glad your OK.

This thread is useless without picts

xBOOSTx said:

Well look on the bright side, you would have felt like a bigger man if your thumb was lost... :laugh:

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:laugh:

I almost took my left ring finger off on Thanksgiving, when I was 8. Damn those razor sharp Cutco knives.

dsmtrance said:

.....and I'm just now hearing about this Jon. Damn. That sucks. From what you just told me it sounds like it hurt like a SOB. Amazing how something seemingly simple can go so bad so quickly. I know we've all had our own close calls. I guess your luck just ran out this time around. Good luck w/ the surgery tomorrow and like I told ya, don't forget to call me when it's done and you're coherent again Guess I'll actually get to "see" this mishap this weekend. Or if you're up for it, I may stop by tomorrow.

Click to expand...

Yeah, they have to file the bone down tomorrow so the skin can regrow over the wound. The bone is OK, it looks like everything just got snatched clean off of it. I'm going to try to take a picture tonight while I'm changing my gauze, so I'll be sure to post it.

How much cash did it cost you? I live in Canada and we don't pay for our health. I'm curious of what cash you throw down on your health.

TimG said:

How much cash did it cost you? I live in Canada and we don't pay for our health. I'm curious of what cash you throw down on your health.

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well in US most people receive health benefits from the copmany they work for, you only have to pay % co-pay which varies depending on what they need to do to ya.....

and you are wrong, you are paying for you health, your just paying thru a middleman (aka Govn't).

don't forget......"There Ain't No Such Thing As a Free Lunch"

halik

leet said:

:laugh:

I almost took my left ring finger off on Thanksgiving, when I was 8. Damn those razor sharp Cutco knives.

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My gf's sister was giving a Cutco presentation one summer and managed to cut herself during it, so she had to hide the blood while she was presenting. I think she made the sale, but I'm not sure.

that sucks....there was a kid down the street that attempted to fix his chain on his pedal bike while it was moving, and it took off his finger...i talked to one of the firefighters, he said it was like trying to find a wounded deer, he just followed the blood trail to the kids finger hope ya get better, from what i hear, painkillers are the shiznit jk...

Glad you are OK - coulda been far worse - be careful - & this is from someone who lost a finger tip too...

awd4g63 said:

Defiant, that's what I thought, too, but the dealership actually recommended this to me as did the owner's manual. I bought some additional chain lube from a motorcycle shop here in town though

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Yeah, stuff changes. I'm sure by now they're using some super nitryl backward-engineered from the Roswell saucer. Cripes, on my '79 GS1000S we were lucky to have aluminum wheels- and they still require tubes.

TimG said:

How much cash did it cost you? I live in Canada and we don't pay for our health. I'm curious of what cash you throw down on your health.

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Haven't paid anything for the emergency room or surgery yet, but I had to pay $100 up front for my orthopedic examination yesterday.

halik008 said:

don't forget......"There Ain't No Such Thing As a Free Lunch"

halik

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Hmmm.... reminds me of a book i had to read last year for school, the moon is a harsh mistress.... that lunch thing was like the point of the book, TANSTAFL i think.

Anyway, i find it amazing you have such a great attitude after you lost some of your thumb, i would be pissed hope the surgery goes ok, so you can do this