Just When Things Get Good..

[ilikekicks]

Theres some disturbing pictures in this so.. if you have a weak stomach.. read no further! I was sandblasting some metal beams for an addition to my house and there was a problem with the equipment. gloves are all that saved me. I won't be recording for a while . I went to a burn unit at ECMC and was there for 3 nights. lost a lot of skin but no tendons or nerves were damaged. everything is already cleaned up and healing fine. Pic is from 30 mins after it happened. Give it a month, ill be like-new! -Ilk

[Shafted]

Tales from the Crypt anyone? Looks bad, but it appear to be mostly on the surface. Glad to hear you're in good hands.

[Heelster]

You said you were sandblasting - - those look like burns - - - What the hell happened!! Get someone else to type - that looks painful

[Curt]

Oh my god! That looks really bad. Keep us up to date on your recovery.

[Shafted]

To save the poor guy some typing, you'll probably still hear from him with rather foreshortened posts. I talked with him today by phone. It looks a lot worse than it is. Probably still hurts like all get out. For those that want to know what they are looking at it is black beauty abrasive sand pressure impregnated into the skin.

[meganiwish]

Get well soon, ILK. And wear gloves, you silly man. (Added) Oh, you did, well wear better gloves.

[mlroseplant]

Dan, thank goodness you were wearing the proper PPE. It makes me cringe to see a hand injury, especially for a musician. I hope you heal quickly. I hope this is a wake-up call for everyone. Please do wear gloves. Please do wear safety glasses if the situation calls for it. Two weeks ago, I was clocked in the head real good by a come-along (hand-type cable hoist) that was under more than 1,000 pounds of tension when a concrete anchor pulled loose from the ceiling. Since I was wearing a hard hat, I went home that day with no injuries. It's a dangerous world out there.

[Logjam]

Heal fast - heal well. Best wishes! Regards, Logjam

[ilikekicks]

The gloves were toasted. I was wearing them. The damage went really deep but didn't get to the tendons or muscle. The skin is burned really bad. I was in the burn ward for 3 nights. 3 times a day I had to put my hands in this whirlpool machine. it helped remove the deep implanted sand particles. It looks really bad/painful but *i* don't think it hurts that bad. Word to the wise.. stay away from morphine. They had a tap in my arm and juiced me before i wirlpooled my hands. i couldn't feel anything and didn't know where i was. when i left and hit the fresh air, i couldn't stand. i can see how morphine can be so addictive!!! no more for me, ill take the pain instead!! thanks for the warm replies! Pics from cleaning today, sand is gone. the black stuff is burnt skin..

[Rockpup]

Wow, glad you will be ok.

[dww]

Sorry Mr ilk, but after spending a few years sandblasting graffiti for a friend of mine, (used to help him out when needed) how did you manage to sand blast your own hands, we never even wore gloves when sand blasting or power washing. Good for etching windows though. Very pleased you are all ok though. Second thought we never even wore safety glasses either, and I got loads of sand in my eyes, well that was twenty years ago. No health and safety then.

[Guest]

Scary stuff. Lets have the full report when ready, did the "gun" burst or something? All the best with the healing. Al

[AZShoeNut]

Oh man, ILK, that sucks! I wish you a speedy recovery. Best, Larry

[Amanda]

I can only imagine sandblasting to be one of those brutal male occupations involving machinery, physical stamina, noise and violence. I'm really not sure how you could expect to partake in such dubious exploits without occasional injury. I wish you a swift and full recovery. Xx

[ilikekicks]

Thanks again all. For those ' in the know ' about blasting.. Its a 185cfm compressor to a 6cubic foot pot. 3/8ths hose. Fully regulated setup with a dead man switch. There was a problem with the feed. I turned off the compressor. The mouth on the pot opened/depressurized. I opened the side door to the pot.. no pressure at all, sand was a bit moist. Checked the water separators and they were full. I went to close the valve on the bottom of the pot and it was clogged. No pressure as the side door was open. I went to disconnect the hose from the pot itself and the sealed pressure from in the hose hit my hands. one end was sealed due to the deadman switch and the other from wet sand that hardened/sealed under pressure. The blast lasted less then 2 seconds and I was thrown about 4 foot. I was in full leathers with a blasting helmet with an air feed system.. It was an absolute freak happening. My right hand is at about 90% right now. looks nasty but theres no pain. full motion/mobility. Left hand? gonna need some time. 50% right now. soreness, lots of drainage. 2 weeks and I shouldnt need bandages of any kind

[Shafted]

Is that left hand still going to navigate that fret board?

[dww]

Glad Ilk your going to be ok. Our system was a lot simpler than yours very high pressure water compressor feeding a hand held gun about 3 foot long with a hand trigger. The kiln dried sand was feed from a open plastic bag via a tube to the head of the gun, as the water left the nozzle it took the sand with it. You could only use the sand once, after it had been used we would dry it and use it in kids sand pits, it was nice and soft and safe then. Two things I stay well away from even with my Jedi skills compressed air and high pressure steam.

[ilikekicks]

Is that left hand still going to navigate that fret board?

Thats my only concern. Im doing these physical theropy exercises as things heal, everything is tight and needs to stretch.

[Heelster]

That could have been serious had you not had on the leathers. I know there has been some real issues with sand/bead blasting with the crews that do bridge refinishing for ODOT. OSHA has been going over Lockout / Tag out with these crews too. And to think what we used to do 15 - 20 years ago.

[Dr. Shoe]

Ouch! Get well soon mate.

[docs41]

Wow!! It's scary how we can be doing something without even thinking, and the next thing you know it all goes south. Hope you're doing well...

[ilikekicks]

Full mobility in the right hand. I look caucasian of sorts. Hope people dont mistake me for George Zimmerman! Its amazing what tropical solutions can do for burns! Left hand is doing much better but.. not really picture worthy at the moment. Ill be kind to those whom have eaten recently.

[Guest]

Looking better but still some way to go. Bet it's at that itchy stage bigtime. How's the other hand doing? Al

[ilikekicks]

Right hand is at 95%. Just very mild abrasions. Left hand needs some work still.

[SleekHeels]

Wish you all the best for a full recovery ILK.

[Shafted]

Right hand is at 95%. Just very mild abrasions. Left hand needs some work still.

I would imaging the new skin may be kind of stiff and inflexible at first. I see a whole bunch of hand flexibility exercises coming for you my friend.

[ilikekicks]

Stiff as a board. I have been doing the physical therapy exercises that were given to me but Ive found a racket ball works a lot better for flexing.

[ilikekicks]

Update : Picked up one of the Jacksons today, tuned it.. and tried playing. I think all will be quite well