The Husb left to go to a Mavericks game with the guys. I thought that it would be a good time to do a few chores. I had some mending to do; so. I pulled out the sewing machine.
See the screw thing on the right side? It holds the needle in position and the whole operation goes up and down.
Somehow, and the details are still not clear to me, my finger got caught in the space between the screw jobby and the sewing machine as shown (This picture is a reenactment):
I pressed a little on the pedal and it went up a little more - making the space smaller and the vice-like grip on my finger tighter. There was no one around to help me. I was on my own. The movie 127 Hours flashed through my head. My finger was stuck in the sewing machine and there was no one around to help me. My cell phone was in the other room. (Who was I going to call - the fire department? EMS? My husband?) I quickly thought about my options, as I was telling myself not to panic. 1. I could pull really hard and get my finger out, risking leaving part of the end of my finger behind. 2. I could cut my finger off at the end. 3. If I pushed on the power pedal some more, maybe it would go up just a tad and then go down. I tried it...it just went up a tad more and did not go down. By now, I was thinking about how long it would take for ischemia to set in and I would lose the end of my finger even if I did get it free.
I looked around. The nearest thing to me was the accessories basket where I keep scissors and other sewing related things:
I tried a pair of scissors, but they didn't fit in the space very well. Then, I found a screwdriver:
I was able to wedge it in the space and pushed down as hard as I could while successfully getting my finger free. I wish I had taken a picture to show the impression that screw left in my fingertip. It was really impressive (excuse the pun).
All told, the incident probably took about two to three minutes. I took 800mg of ibuprofen and iced my finger a bit. It isn't too painful, but it is tingly and the sensation is a little altered at the very tip of my finger and fingernail.
Live and learn...
MK out.
Oh my goodness! You poor thing! I'm glad you have problem solving skills and figured a way out instead of hauling you and the whole mess to the emergency room!! (Does make for a funny picture, huh!) Seriously, sure glad it all turned out well. I don't think you get a discount for a set of 9 nails.
ReplyDeleteIf you had turned the big wheel the opposite way, would the pinchy mechanism have down instead of up? Glad your finger is OK.
ReplyDeleteI lost a fingernail due a similar incident in Home Economics. Gosh that was centuries ago. Do they even call it HomeEc anymore?
ReplyDeleteMy sewing machine has a wheel on the opposite side that you can manuever by hand to reverse it.
You might have a blue finger or fingernail before long.
Prayers.
Thanks Ladies...I tried the wheel on the side first thing, but it wouldn't budge. I didn't mention that, did I?
ReplyDeleteThose machines are treacherous. But teh 127 reference still has me chuckling...
ReplyDeleteI'm Pearl..not 'unknown'
ReplyDelete