Hey, I got a little story about my last month I’ve had. Fanberg and I were at work on Oct. 10 doing our usually thing. Fanberg was working on Keith Kings new quarter-pipe and I was working on some custom stainless steel piece for a bathroom. Our day was about to come to an end and I was about to finish up my work. All I had to do was grind some edges off some SS plates and weld them on. I had four plates to grind, so I went over to the belt sander to take care of it. Fanberg just put a new belt on so the belt was bitting hard.

Three plates down and one to go. Just about to finish the grinding and I had the metal against the belt and the metal catches an edge and rips out of my hand. And then all of a sudden my hand hits the belt and grabs my gloved hand and pulls it down. My thumb gets caught between the work table and the abrasive bent. My thumb was in there for a half-of-a-second. I had to pull my hand out with my other hand and yelled pretty loud with some choice words.

Looking down I saw blood all over my pants….. my heart was racing, then I just ripped my glove off and all I saw was blood pouring out my thumb nail area. I told Fanberg I needed to go to the hospital and he helped me rap it up. Made it to the emergency room in ten minutes flat and the nurses rushed right in. The doctors checked me out and then proceeded to inform me my injury was pretty severe and that I needed major reconstructive plastic-surgery. The doctor informed me that my thumb would be sewn underneath my pointer finger because of some kind of skin flap. And that I needed a skin grapix and they were taking the skin from my hip.

So under the knife I went. And I woke up with my arm wrapped up to my elbow and in a lot of pain. Ended up staying overnight and released in the morning…. in a lot of pain. My fingers there sewn together and I needed a second surgery in three weeks to take them apart.

Two and a half weeks later it was check-up time and I get to see my hand for the first time since the accident. My hand looked really gnarly….. dead skin, stitches and dried blood….nice. My second surgery was in 3 days and I was looking forward to get my fingers free. The surgery went well and I was free. My next check-up was in one week and that’s where I’m at today. No more hand wrap and 80% of the stitches out and one more appointment away from finishing up with the doctors.

It will probably be two to three more weeks off the Mirraco. and that’s ok I guess…. at least I still have my thumb.

Laird