On Saturday, I decided to deal with the produce that was stacking up in the kitchen. I was going to chop cucumbers and tomatoes for salad, but decided instead to get out my new mandoline and make pickles.
Do you see where this is going?
It was the first time I'd used it. It made such amazingly thin slices. I kept going. Until.
Then, all of a sudden, I was running up the steps yelling for my husband to get the bandaids. I sat on the toilet lid and told him what I needed, and my vision kept going spotty (I'm not good with blood generally, but especially not my own). The next thing I knew, he was on the phone with 911 because I'd passed out.
I came to and told him off for fussing at me, which is terrible *and*completely on brand.
Two female EMTs came and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital. I said no. They asked if I wanted to go to urgent care. I said no.
Where did I end up at 7 p.m.? Urgent care.
Five sutures and the most painful shots I've ever had in my life - directly into the wound to numb it for stitching - and a doctor who didn't appreciate the range of my profanity when she have me those needles.
I'm grateful that I got a tetanus shot while I was on my doctor binge this past winter; at least I didn't have to deal with that.
It doesn't hurt, except when I bang it into things, which I do at least four times a day.
The mandoline qent for a new home on Monday via Buy Nothing. I am not careful enough to be trusted with a kitchen razor. I'll stick to knives. I understand how they work.
8 comments:
Adding this to my list of tools I shouldn't be trusted with (e.g. rotary fabric cutter!).
ceci
Ceci, I had a similar experience with the rotary cutter. It wasn't clumsiness that time, but the screw snapping and sending the blade up through the tip of my thumb. I got past that one, but no more mandolins for me.
Wishing you a speedy and complete recovery. Congratulations on being able to write in your blog while 10% physically impaired!
Please share the brand name of the rotary cutter with the snapping screw. I use them all the time and must protect my health.
It was a Fiskars, I remember the gray and orange coloring. Thankfully it had a guard or it would have been a LOT worse.
I sliced my little finger quite thoroughly on a mandoline last year; and I was two weeks post hip replacement on aspirin therapy. Urgent care wouldn't even look at it since I was on aspirin and sent me to the ER. I was SO MAD at myself.... that thing hurt worse than the surgery.
I understand that you would want to get rid of the mandolin after the trip to Urgent Care and all the stitches. That sounds awful, sorry to read this and hope you're on the mend soon. But if you are brave enough once you're healed, would you consider an investment in a pair of cut resistant gloves? I have a pair and wouldn't think of using the mandolin without putting them on. I don't think I would have fingers left without them. I found mine at the grocery store where they sell kitchen gadgets.
I've had a few people recommend those cut proof gloves, and I understand, but I think I'll stick to knives from here on out.
OuchOuchOuch!!!!!!!!! I have 2 mandolins. A vintage one that is downright dangerous as there is no guard, no way to use one, but it can slice paper thin potatoes. I've had a couple of close calls with it. The other is a handheld one that does have a guard, but doesn't slice as thin as the old one. I usually find myself using cutting board and knife. If nothing else, it's easier and faster than digging the mandolins out from the back of the cabinet.
As to those gloves - the key word is "resistant". After they've done their job saving your finger, they need to be checked for damage before using them again.
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