Thumb Abuse

[nikoniko]

As if two scars on my left thumb weren't enough, today I put in a good attempt on a third.

This morning my neighbor popped by for an unexpected visit, bringing her two year old son with her. I had a loaf of bread in the oven ready to come out, so I asked her to keep an eye on her son while I went to get it out of the oven. Apparently the eye she kept on him was her bad one, because as I got the oven open and was reaching in with pot holders to grab the pan, her son came up from behind my back and bumped into me, upsetting my balance. My right hand managed okay, but my left shot up and the unprotected top side of my left thumb came in direct contact with the upper burner inside the oven. I heard a sizzling sound, and when I got my thumb away had a nice white line inscribed on my skin. Got the oven closed and the boy away from the kitchen, and started taking care of my thumb immediately. Fortunately the burn doesn't seem too bad, but I'm pretty sure that mark will be here to stay.

No pain whatsoever, which leads me to wonder if my grandfather was right. He was a farmer and kept cattle, and after some thefts he branded his remaining cattle with a hot iron. He told me that if you do it right it doesn't hurt them. I always thought he was deluded, but after my own experience today I wonder if there's something to that. Not that I intend to repeat my accidental experiment to test different branding strategies.

If I'm going to scar myself, why does it have to be while baking bread? I'd rather have a story about some interesting project with a soldering iron.

[Guest]

If I'm going to scar myself, why does it have to be while baking bread? I'd rather have a story about some interesting project with a soldering iron.

Murphy loves you!

BTW, I know how you feel about kids around the oven.  I have two, ages 5 and 3 and I'm soooo happy we moved to a house with a cabinet oven that's above their reach.

[hydrophilic]

LOL

The white mark means its a 3rd degree burn which are the least painfull (killed all the receptors).  Often the area will be surrounded by 2nd degree burns which are the most painfull (red and swollen/blistering); sounds like you avoided that.

Soldering iron always seems to get me with 2nd degree burns... so maybe you shouldn't wish for it?

[nikoniko]

Hrm. Third degree burn, eh? Well, even if it did more damage, I guess I'm thankful I was spared the pain. The color's turned somewhat reddish now, but still no blistering or discomfort to speak of. If I touch it, the sensation is dulled but not completely absent, though it may be nearby nerves I'm feeling.

Combined with another of my scars, it kind of looks like I have a big Nike swoosh on my thumb. Hope they don't sue for unlicensed use.

The thing I'm most glad of is that Jayson was okay. Fortunately he ran into me rather than hitting the hot oven. It's rare I have little kids over, but from now I'll have to be more careful.