Smashed Hand

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The warnings were insistent; there was a freeze alert for the early hours of Sunday. The very heavy concrete birdbath had water in it, and I felt I had to dismantle it. I was confident I could lift off the top and set it on the ground, since I had done this by myself only two years ago. It did not go as planned. It was too heavy for me, even with the water removed. My hand ended up between the top and the stand. As I heaved, it slid over my hand onto the ground. Instant pain shot through me, and I tore off the gardening glove. There was no blood! I could move all my fingers with nothing flopping in the wind! I rushed inside to run cold water over three of the fingers, because I couldn’t tell what had been damaged. Keeping the hand elevated seemed the thing to do until the tip of the ring finger started turning purple. A tiny mug was perfect for holding one ice cube and one finger, so I did that off and on the rest of the day.

From the time I saw the hand could move until now, I have given constant thanks to God for protecting me. It could have been so awful! I’m not worrying in reverse. I’m grateful the damage was not serious.

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Published by Anne Mehrling

I'm a retiree who loves to write about life in the mountains of North Carolina.

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47 thoughts on “Smashed Hand”

      1. My neighbor had a concrete birdbath that was very dirty. She decided to clean it with a the strong vinegar you get at a Home Depot type store. It dissolved some of the cement and broke apart. Then she had to get rid of it. Very heavy, even in pieces.

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  7. I’m sorry to see this happened to you Anne. You’re also lucky you didn’t drop it on your foot. Next year if it’s just a day or two of frost expected, throw a tarp over the birdbath and secure the tarp with rope or a bungee cord until you can remove it again, or get David to take it apart and stow it.

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  11. Oh goodness, Anne, what a frightening ordeal! I’m so glad nothing was broken, but what a painful reminder of how quickly tasks can catch us off guard. It is wonderful that you were able to look on the bright side and give thanks right away, even while dealing with a throbbing finger.

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  14. I am so relieved it wasn’t worse. When I was reading your post, I was afraid you had broken your hand until I read more.

    Maybe you could replace the heavy bowl with a pretty, lighter-weight glass or metal bowl. I do enjoy mine and will have to remember not to leave it out when it freezes. I don’t want a repeat of last winter, when my previous bowl broke.

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