carolinamike Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Well, not practicing what I preach bit me in the butt yesterday. I cannot stress how important it is for hand pour folks to keep some sort of bucket or bowl with some cool water sitting to the side in case of emergencies. Here's the story... Yesterday I had to put watermelon candy on the machine, I haven't used that color in awhile, and we do store our barrels outdoors, so I always test a cup of plastisol in the microwave to make sure there's no water in it. All was going well, I heated a cup of plastisol for about 2 minutes and 30 seconds. I brought it out, stirred it up, no water so I'm good to go, right? As I started to sit the cup down, I bumped it on the edge of the table, which resulted in fresh from the microwave plastisol splashing on my hand and rather than taking a moment and bringing a small bucket of water out to the microwave with me, I opted to skip this procedure. Anyway, as the cup went down I bumped the edge of the table resulting in one big slosh, which immediately completely coated the back of my index finger, went down between my index finger and my middle finger, resulting in a very painful experience. With no way to immediately cool the plastic down, I was forced in haste to wipe it off of my hand, which resulted in removing the skin from my fingers also. Here's the pictures. The last one is the look of severe pain, they had just taken it out of the cool water, removed the skin that was hanging, applied ointment and wrapped it. I had it immersed in ice water the whole time, so when it was dried off, everything warmed up very quickly. I'm telling you it was just like I had gotten burned all over again. I have an appointment with the surgeon tomorrow to find out if skin grafts are going to be necessary. Please be careful and keep a bucket of cold water close by when doing hand pours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frank Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Glad you are not hurt worse. I to sometimes get a little to comfortable when I pour. Have to be more carefull from now on. Take care of that hand. Frank Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferree Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Sorry to hear about your accident. Hope you are better soon! Kenneth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JSC Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 (edited) Heck of a way to remind us all of what can happen Take Care Edited July 2, 2012 by JSC Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saugerman Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Hope tou get better soon. That would be very easy to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IBHUFFY1 Posted July 2, 2012 Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Holy Be-geezers that looks painful. Hope it heals up quickly. What a reminder to stop and think for 15 seconds before performing a routine task. So glad it was not worse, like the whole hand/arm or your leg. Take care of it and be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinamike Posted July 2, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 2, 2012 Thanks guys I appreciate it, although I don't know if carelessness deserves sympathy. The burn is bad enough but if I would have had some water around I could have stopped it from being as bad as it is. Just a simple thing that I had done hundreds of times before. One little bump and I was in the Emergency Room for 5 hours, 3 shots of dilaudid, 1 percocet, just to make the pain tolerable enough for me to go home. And now a trip to the surgeon's office in the morning. But now that it's happened there's not a lot to be done except to heal or that's what I'm hoping anyway. I think my wife thought I was crazy when I had her taking pictures in the ER with her cell phone, but since the dirty deed was done, I thought it would be a good opportunity to show everyone what not to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Talk about taking one for the team! That looks like it hurt like crazy. Carelessness that only hurts you earns sympathy, in my book. We've all been there, done that, in one form or another. I won't mention trying to drill a ballast hole in a crank without removing the treble hooks first, and holding the crank by hand. Stuff happens. I hope it heals fast. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
powerworm Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 i did that also a few years ago and i peeled the skin off and filled the fingers of a dishwashing glove with silver sulfate? and neosporin and stuck my hand in the glove that didnt feel all that good then stuck the gloved hand into a 1 gallon bucket of ice water and when i checked it the next morning it was awfully pink and very heat sensitive even sunlight but i kept it covered for 4 or 5 days then just used neosporin on it a couple times a day so it didnt dry out and it never even scarred!! it will get better but it will be very heat sensitive for quite a while get well soon!1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J lure Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Oooch, and that's why I always wear pants when pouring plastics! You'll be back to pouring in no time, unless infection kicks in.?! Just post thoose pics in "Don'ts for Newbies" _Get Well_ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rhahn427 Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 (edited) I KNOW how that hurts ........ while changing the wheel position on a lawn mower I touched the hot muffler ........ burned 2 fingers pretty good .......... it hurt like hell ............. but mine was not as large as yours and I didn't burn the skin off so I know you were in a lot of pain ......... hope everything heals well ......... I always where gloves, long sleeve shirts, long pants, socks, shoes, apron and eye protection .............. little skin exposed Edited July 3, 2012 by rhahn427 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeff@mf Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 WOW, I fell really bad for you...Hop you have a full recovery soon! word for the day "Gloves" and full skin coverage around all hot plastics..... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tigerfire Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 OUCH! Hope you get well soon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nova Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Too bad Mike. Glad it wasn't your whole hand. As most of us know it only takes a split second of inattention to happen. Bet your wife was worked up. Well; you've got to look on the bright side; it could have been a lot worse. Heal up and get back on the horse. www.novalures.com Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dj thrillz Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 I hope you heal quickly. I got burnt the other day also, but it was from stirring the plastic after heating. I was holding the pyrex with my left hand, stirring with my right hand, and basically went a little too fast or something and brought a nice scoop of hot plastic right over 2 fingers. I do feel your pain. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolinamike Posted July 3, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 The accident happened Sunday, the hospital sent me to a general surgeon today. The general surgeon tells me that there's nothing he can do about that, that I will have to see a plastic surgeon, if it was my appendix he could fix it, but he can't do anything about my burns. So why did my hospital send me here? And now the plastic surgeon says he can't see me until a week from Thursday, so it looks like pain pills and silverdine ointment for the next week. Ya'll ever notice how pain puts you in a bad mood? Anyway here's pictures from 2 days later. Not looking good at all and my index finger is really swelled now. I'll keep you guys up to date and again please be careful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bump Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 Ouch that hurts just to look at. Hope you are better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Romeo D Posted July 3, 2012 Report Share Posted July 3, 2012 I feel your pain, sorry you are having to deal with this. I like others get comfortable when making baits. This serves as a reminder to me to be more careful and aware of what is going on. Thank you for sharing the pictures and story. I hope you get better soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painter1 Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Wow, Mike, that stinks. I hope you feel better soon. Anyone have any burn resistant glove ideas that a person can actually work in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maurizio Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 (edited) OHFG... Thanks for posting these pictures, they remind everyone how serious these burns can be. Hop you have a full recovery soon, carolinamike!! Edited July 4, 2012 by Maurizio Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mark poulson Posted July 4, 2012 Report Share Posted July 4, 2012 Wow, Mike, that stinks. I hope you feel better soon. Anyone have any burn resistant glove ideas that a person can actually work in? I use leather work gloves, the smaller ones that are general use gloves. I heat my plastics in silicone cups, which are flexible, so I always have a glove on my left hand which I use to remove the plastic from the microwave, and hold it while I add stuff and stir, or suck up plastic with my injector. Any leather glove that's thick enough to protect your hand from the initial heat of the plastic, but thin enough to let you feel what you're doing, will work. Plastic will cool pretty quickly, and you can always pull the glove off if it's too hot. The main thing is be aware of the dangers all the time. Kind of like driving. So far, so good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FishBones Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 I haven't read the entire thread but in case it isn't mentioned yet. An old (and current) blacsksmith practice is along with the quench bucket, which they have handy as part of the job, also keep a live aloe vera plant handy, either growing right outside the shop or in a pot close by. After quenching whatever you've done to yourself, immediately break off a piece and rub the insides directly on the burn. I've seen a bee sting disappear in minutes and it generally drops your burn by 1 degree, i.e. 3rd to 2nd, 2nd to 1st and 1st to never happened. Good luck and stay safe. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richard Prager Posted July 10, 2012 Report Share Posted July 10, 2012 Feel beetter soon and watch those pain meds! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garthsnooks Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Praying for u Mike...you are a good man!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted July 11, 2012 Report Share Posted July 11, 2012 Hope your recovery is as quick and pain free as possible Mike. You've certainly opened my eyes should I ever consider pouring plastics. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
