I have been known to get fingers in the way of pruners occasionally, fortunately only light nips that bleed well and heal without a problem. Years ago I apparently drove a fork Tyne through my foot, to young then to remember it now.

If we can consider a huge pecan orchard a garden.
These trees of which many are well over 100 years old.
I had been running a chainsaw for years but still almost broke my leg by not paying attention.
I was in the front bucket of a backhoe pruning big limbs and my right foot was resting on the edge of the bucket way up in the air.
Cut the darn limb and it came straight down on my thigh bone.
It was about 6 inches in diameter.
I should have told the guy to back up a little.
Hurt like hell.

Yes, we use sterile 0.9% saline to wash wounds. Once opened, we toss any saline after 24 hours. But often rules at home are more lax. What we do only under strict sterile conditions are done under "clean" conditions, using "clean technique" at home. Wounds are washed and invasive lines are cared for with handwashing rather than sterile gloves. Wounds are often washed with tap water not sterile water or saline. At home clean technique is usually adequate to prevent infections. There are less virulent bacteria usually at home than in a hospital. You can buy bottles of saline in a pharmacy, but it would have to be replaced periodically as you have seen, as it does expire. In the case of a deeper wound or puncture wound, I would clean the skin around it then pour sterile saline over it to wash it out, then put sterile gauze over it to keep it clean until you get to a doctor or hospital. Always wash your hands well first if at all possible or don't touch the wound with your hands. But with any deeper wound I would not do anything else or apply anything to it, just get to a doctor. The Bacitracin is for mild wounds.

The most common bacteria on skin are Staphylococcus, or "Staph", of which MRSA is one resistant form. We all have Staph on our skin. So they use what is best at killing or preventing the growth of forms of Staph that cause infection. Bacitracin does that.

How's the foot doing, @karstopography? I hope it's healing well.


Approximately 25 years ago, my husband and I were unloading mulch onto our newly installed garden at the house that we just bought. We emptied the bed of the truck but there was mulch wedged down in the gap between the bed and the tailgate and also between the ridges of the tailgate itself. As I reached out, intending to pull the mulch out of the gap, my husband slammed the tailgate shut much harder than normal (intending the force of it to knock the damp mulch off of the textured tailgate). Instead, my hand was smashed between the tailgate and the side of the truck bed.

The sudden pain almost made me pass out and took my breath away. I pulled off my dirty glove and was bleeding. It hurt like he!!. I didn't have insurance at the time and funds were limited so I didn't go to the hospital or see a doctor. I cleaned it and wrapped it. At work (I was a secretary at a private school at that time) the following Monday it was very painful and I couldn't move my fingers. The head and assistant head of school asked me to unwrap it and show it to them. I did and couldn't believe what I saw. It didn't look like a hand it was so swollen and the broken skin was gapping. They immediately told me to go to the emergency room and they'd pay for it because it needed to be seen right away.

When I as checking in at the emergency room, they asked all of their questions including how the injury happened. They said since our truck was involved in my injury that our car insurance would cover the ER visit.

X-rays showed it wasn't broken but I still have the scar from where the skin was broken. That was the most painful injury I've ever had.

@WoodSprite that hand in the tailgate smash does sound extra painful. I cringe just thinking about it.

My toe seems good, dark and bruised for sure, but no sign of infection. We had a function Friday night and I wore my cozy to the toes cowboy boots without too much discomfort. Only hurts a bit when I put pressure directly on the impact zone. I’m not sure I’ll keep the toenail, it might shed off, I’ve had this nail come off more than once due to other trauma and it seems prone to coming off more easily since. Oddly, I had spilled boiling hot liquid on my right big toe on exactly the same spot and burned it just a week before, strange all this big toe trauma happening so close to each other.

karstopography wrote: ↑Sun Apr 10, 2022 8:23 pm @WoodSprite that hand in the tailgate smash does sound extra painful. I cringe just thinking about it.

My toe seems good, dark and bruised for sure, but no sign of infection. We had a function Friday night and I wore my cozy to the toes cowboy boots without too much discomfort. Only hurts a bit when I put pressure directly on the impact zone. I’m not sure I’ll keep the toenail, it might shed off, I’ve had this nail come off more than once due to other trauma and it seems prone to coming off more easily since. Oddly, I had spilled boiling hot liquid on my right big toe on exactly the same spot and burned it just a week before, strange all this big toe trauma happening so close to each other.

I'd say be extra aware for awhile, as my injuries have come in threes. And don't go changing something that has been routine. I started cooking and carving with the other hand, after injuring the normally used one. I was fine, only one burn , until that other hand got greasy, which led to the cut.

Just think things through a bit more.

And, while the ocean is saline, you likely shouldn't be fishing in it until you're healed.

I haven't a fingerprint on my left hand ring finger from a pruning accident. I keep trying to think of a one fingered crime to pull off.

Manuka honey is also effective against MRSA. I dont have manuka but i use our wildflower honey on every cut or burn. Heals faster than with topical antibiotic for some reason..
https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/news ... s-bacteria

MissS wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 1:53 pm I haven't a fingerprint on my left hand ring finger from a pruning accident. I keep trying to think of a one fingered crime to pull off.

I don't know if it's a crime, but when no one is looking, deep nasal exploration.

Let me know if I can get way with saying something like that...


























...only on my birthday.

I may have just turned 63, but at times I still feel like 13.

Tormato wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:30 pm

MissS wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 1:53 pm I haven't a fingerprint on my left hand ring finger from a pruning accident. I keep trying to think of a one fingered crime to pull off.

I don't know if it's a crime, but when no one is looking, deep nasal exploration.

Let me know if I can get way with saying something like that..


...only on my birthday.

I may have just turned 63, but at times I still feel like 13.

Ahem. Maybe you can get away with that one... I on the other hand am known to wave a Kleenex at the car stopped beside me at a stop light for committing such an atrocity.

I'm glad it's healing, @karstopography. Maybe the repeated injuries to your toe is the Universe's way of letting you know that something serious is going on with your foot and it needs to be checked out thoroughly by a doctor?

Happy Birthday, @Tormato!

MissS wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:43 pm

Tormato wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 7:30 pm

MissS wrote: ↑Mon Apr 11, 2022 1:53 pm I haven't a fingerprint on my left hand ring finger from a pruning accident. I keep trying to think of a one fingered crime to pull off.

I don't know if it's a crime, but when no one is looking, deep nasal exploration.

Let me know if I can get way with saying something like that..


...only on my birthday.

I may have just turned 63, but at times I still feel like 13.

Ahem. Maybe you can get away with that one... I on the other hand am known to wave a Kleenex at the car stopped beside me at a stop light for committing such an atrocity.

That will be the only one, even though you set yourself up with the line, "I on the other hand...".
We shall not mention the first hand goings on.

You can't see it, but I'm waving my Kleenex of a white flag, now.

'Tis entirely by coincidence that I post this video...

Happy Birthday Tormato! I don't recall, did we all wish you a happy birthday previously? Can't say it too many times, anyway.