Day 51 – Emergency Room Visit

In a post a few posts back, I referred to a BIG PAINFUL MISTAKE. Here’s what happened, and yet another reason why I’m fully documenting this build…it may save you from making a few mistakes.

When I was grinding those rear shock mounts, I was so caught up in the moment, that I forgot to put on my safety glasses. Well, if you are not familiar with how a grinder operates, it uses a rotating stone (of sorts) to grind down metal. In the process of grinding down metal, it kicks out small flaming metal shavings. One of those flaming metal shavings ended up right dead-center of my right eye. I knew exactly when it happened, why it happened, but was kindafreaked out about what to do.

The pain in my eye was caused by my eyelid rolling over the metal shaving each time I blinked. Not good. After putting away all my tools, and closing my garage, I went inside to sit down. I turned the lights out because it didn’t seem to strain my eye as much…boy, did it hurt now. My buddy David called. “Hey, what are you up to?” he asked. “I’m sitting here in the dark” I answered. “Why?” he asked. “Because I got a metal shaving stuck in my eye” I said.

It was at this point he adamantly demanded that I go to the Emergency Room. “Oh, man…” I thought. Okay, a few minutes later I was in my car, squinting through one eye to find my way in the dark. Luckily, it was late at night so there wasn’t much traffic.

I pulled up to the hospital and went inside. They took me right away. A young doctor came in and shined a light in my eye. He said he saw what appeared to be a metal object that had pierced my Iris. Yep, I know that, but how is he going to get that out I thought. Magnet! Probably a magnet. Nope! He said we are not trained in medical school to use magnets.

Lighten up doc, it’s levity…I’m nervous as all hell right about now. He said “I can take a needle and try to flick it out”. Holy Fuck! I’m thinking. Christ, did I just hear what I thought I heard?

So, to make a long story longer, he did just that. He numbed my eye with eye drops, rested a rather large hypodermic needle on the bridge of my nose…and, after multiple attempts, was able to flick out the metal splinter. He washed out my eye, re-examined it using a opthamologists device, and sent me home with a prescription for antibiotic eye drops.

In conclusion, my story ended up on a positive note. I was very lucky. Please, let my experience educate you, remind you, to always wear eye protection when using equipment.

Believe me…you don’t want to experience first-hand, what I just went through.

I am sooo fucked!

I am sooo fucked!

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Yep, he's going to use a "needle to flick it out". GOD help me

Yep, he’s going to use a “needle to flick it out”. GOD help me

Here's the needle! Yay!

Here’s the needle! Yay!

The object is out now. Doc took another look into my eye.

The object is out now. Doc took another look into my eye.

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Numbing agent, drops

And, a much relieved Keith leaves the ER.

And, a much relieved Keith leaves the ER.



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