Did something dumb today.

[firefighter ontheside]

Yikes Howard.  Glad you didn't have to meet someone like me out there rescuing you.  At least you had your phone and could have facilitated that had you needed it.

Tom, sometimes reflexes are not a great thing.  I have a habit of trying to break the fall of things I drop too.  I often will use my foot to break a fall.  I dropped a jar of of jelly once at the firehouse and tried to catch it with my foot only wearing a flip flop.  That sure hurt my foot and it still hit the ground and broke into a million pieces.

[Walnut Beast]

  I am a little reluctant to post this as I have received unkind comments from some members about similar incidents in the past but ...

 Today was the first day of rifle rifle season. I had a very nice 6 point 10 yards from me yesterday but I could not draw on him with my bow without being heard (Probably my old joints popping and creaking) and seen so he got away. I went back there this morning with my rifle but he was a no-show today. I started out to my upper stand just after noon I started up to my upper stand. At a steep turn on the trail I chose the right fork instead of the left. A bucket sized rock was in the trail that I have been meaning to roll out of the way but I tried to drive past it on the upper side. The front left wheel of my ATV just missed it but the back one ran up on it and the ATV slid over on top of it and I guess it rolled and rolled the ATV. It landed upside down and I bounced off a few rocks seriously bruising my left side and scraping my scalp enough to draw blood. My rifle was slung across my back and it did not seem to do it any good especially the plug of mud in the end of the barrel. I ran the winch to a couple of trees and got the ATV flipped upright and loaded all the gear back in the front basket, went uphill to a spot I could turn around and went back home. Other than a little cracked plastic I did not see any obvious damage to the ATV.

 I cleaned and doctored my scraped up gourd and took an 800 ml ibuprofen, then I cleaned and punched the bore on my rifle. I went back to the top of the pasture and fired a few test rounds through it from 100 yards to make sure I had not knocked the scope out of alignment. I made a few clicks adjustment but it would still have hit the kill zone on a whitetail at 100 yards. If anything it is shooting a tighter group than before. :

You seriously should think about wearing a helmet 🪖 

[aigheadish]

Howard and Tom, glad to hear both of you guys are alright! 

I made a similar mistake as Tom a few days ago when I dropped a box cutter. It was a new blade and I didn't want it to hit the floor so I grabbed at it like a dummy. It only barely got me but I quickly reminded myself that a freak out when I see others going to grab something sharp, and I should have kept that in mind for myself. It could have been a trip to the hospital to stitch up a few fingers. 

[caveman]

It seems that I remember hearing that it is not wise to catch a falling knife.

[Nebraska]

When your sons significant others cat finds a glue trap you put out. While they are on a holiday trip and you are cat sitting for them.....

Luckily she lost one toenail and just has a really  bad haircut.   :

Glad you two are ok.   Glad none of  toys got severely damaged.

[Old Greenhorn]

It seems that I remember hearing that it is not wise to catch a falling knife.

Depending on geometry, you can get lucky. I figure it's a 50/50 shot. Back when I was 18 I was running a spot welder putting studs on 10' channel sections. The channel popped out of the track and headed for the floor so I reached for it and caught it with my left hand, which (you guessed it) was the hot side coming out. A freshly welded stud landed right between my 2 middle fingers at the web. Man, that hurt like the dickens for a long time. So after the cold water thing, wrapping it thick and putting on a leather glove, I was back at it. An hour later it jumped the track again. THIS TIME, I was 'smart'. I didn't use my left hand, I used my right. BUT I reached across my body and caught the channel of the hot side again. Matching burns. After I treated it, I quit for the day.
So I have gotten smarter over the years... a little anyway.

[firefighter ontheside]

So now you only reach for sharp things and not hot things?

Nebraska, you may never have to cat sit again.

[K-Guy]

Tom and Howard

From the number of posts on here that you two have, I'm starting to think that going outside for you two should start with a helmet and padded suit with gloves!  smiley_jester

Get better soon.

[Old Greenhorn]

I don't think we are any different from any other average guy of our age. It's just that we tend to understand this happens to everyone and don't have hang-ups about admitting dumb moves like some folks seem to.
 Besides, I find most of mine to be very minor. It's been a long time, maybe even months since I got close to having my bell rung or worse. ;D

[beenthere]

It seems that I remember hearing that it is not wise to catch a falling knife.

Reminds me of the time I thought a magnetic strip to hold my sharp knives was a good idea. Until I reached for one and bumped the handle enough to release it. Slipped through my hand as it fell. Removed that magnetic strip soon as I stopped the blood flow. Instinct is to grab a falling object.


 

[K-Guy]

When I was cooking, I worked in a kitchen that had one but it was on the end of a counter and the blades went on with the handles up. The owner thought that the way in the pictured was too dangerous. I guess he was right.

[beenthere]

After one instance, turned my knives around to "handle up". 

All that I've seen advertised, show the handles down. 

Made some wood blocks for knife storage now. 

[Resonator]

Wood block knife holder = minimum board footage, maximum value added project! 

[WV Sawmiller]

   Well, I had to sleep on the couch as it was too painful on the bed and could not turn on either side. I felt like there was a grating feeling this morning so called my PA only to find she has the flu and they suggested going to the ER as even if they gave me a form to get one there would not be anybody there at the office to read it until next week.

   We went to the ER and I don't think my wife missed  pothole or took any turn at less than 6 G's the whole way. They did an X-ray and confirmed ribs 8,9 & 10 were fractured so did a CT to make sure nothing was punctured or torn. Sounds like everything is intact so other than popping pain pills/Ibuprophin and maybe a heat pad on it there is nothing required except rest. We will see how that works out.

   Could certainly have been a lot worse as my phone was thrown from my pocket and if I'd been pinned I could not have reached it. Nobody would have had any reason to look for me for at least half an hour or later after dark - about 6 hours away.

[doc henderson]

If the pain is bad, or not tolerating the pills, a pain guy like and anesthesiologist, can do a nerve block to stop the pain without pills.  older folks can more easily get pneumonia as you need to take occasional deep breaths.  It hurts to do that with broken ribs.  pain may last weeks.  you can collapse your lung at a later date as well so go in if you are suddenly SOB.  no pun intended.    (short of breath)

[aigheadish]

For real, make sure you rest for a while WV! Busted ribs suck. 

[firefighter ontheside]

Well, Howard, you sure have Tom and his thumb laceration beat. I'm glad you went to get checked out.  As Doc said, potential lung issues are nothing to shrug off.

[SawyerTed]

Dadburnit Howard!  That hurts a lot!  I broke several ribs 20 years ago in a mountain biking incident.  I've had things hurt worse but I can't seem to recall any off hand. 

Follow doctor's orders, rest and heal quickly!  

[jpassardi]

Beenthere:
We have one of those over the counter, the key is to put the knives on handle side up.

[Patrick NC]

 UTV won't fit.

Check out the honda pioneer 500. Less than 50" wide. I had one for a couple of years before I bought my big one. Will go anywhere a 4 wheeler will go.

[thecfarm]

Broken ribs.  :(  You will be doing better in 4 weeks. I did not say you will be up and running, just better.
Wife just got over 2 broken ribs. I have a post on here about hearing her go to bed at 9. 
We slept with pillows between us. I am a thrasher and a turner sleeper.  She did not want me to hit her. And I did not want to either.
We stayed home for about 3 weeks. We are the type that can spend all day in a car.
And yes, I hit every pothole there was too.  :( Going in and out of parking lots was hard on her. Seem like they are all uneven.

[Magicman]

Check out the honda pioneer 500. Less than 50" wide. I had one for a couple of years before I bought my big one. Will go anywhere a 4 wheeler will go.

That ain't what he needs.  Howard needs Training Wheels.  ;D

[Old Greenhorn]

Howard, really sorry to hear abut the ribs. I was afraid something like that might be the case when you alluded to your pain yesterday. The day after is when you really feel it. I've seen it in vehicle accidents more times than I can count. That's a very painful injury with a long recovery, especially at our age. I broke a posterior rib about 8 years ago and it took months before the point pressure pain went away. Keep a very close eye on yourself the first few weeks, as Doc said. Make those deep breaths a habit even though they can hurt. You got lucky, but weren't lucky enough, sorry. 

I don't think you need a different ride or even training wheels. I think you just need to rethink the 'I can make it through there' attitude and remember the repercussions if something goes wrong (no help for hours or more). I started being more cautious in my mid 50's because I had a few wake up calls that I came out of clean, but could have gone very very wrong had luck been against me. I added on the fact that I was alone at the time or in a very remote areas with others and realized the folly of my decisions. I also think having responded to help a lot of folks having the worst day of their life may have helped me see what could happen to me one day. Either way, I gradually changed my thought process to take the safer choice every time and quit when I'm tired. It should be easy to change, but it's not and one has to work at it.

 Take care and heal up. This one will take time, but at least it gives you an excuse to stay in and put your feet up and those cold and wet days that are coming.

[Southside]

I think a wheelie bar should be added to the training wheels.   ;D

[Ljohnsaw]

I think I posted way at the beginning of this thread about my ribs.  I fell off some scaffolding and I thought I broke a few but were only bruised.  I think it took about 2 or 3 weeks to get to the point that sneezing or coughing didn't make me cry.  Then it just made me wince from the pain for another week or two.  Messed up ribs suck!