By Blake Bush 

I was on Man-Duty when it happened. We needed a bunk bed for the boys' room. Not just any bunk bed, mind you. It needed to be a hand crafted, solid American, bomb-proof, Western Pine beauty, held together with tempered steel screws and bolts. This was not going to be a store-bought wimp kit bed. No. This was going to be functional man-art. You know, the kind that the kids talk about when they are older, "Hey, do you remember that bunk bed that Dad built with his own two hands…" Well, it was a romantic idea, put together with true joy until… I drilled through my hand with a ¼ inch drill bit.

I had two posts that needed a guide hole drilled into them for the 8 inch bolt. The ¼ drill bit was about 12 inches long, and I was drilling at an angle from the wood. As I was cranking on the hole, the bit met some resistance. After re-adjusting, I leaned into it, with my hand and arm pulling from the back side. Buzz and zam! I broke through the pesky knot, and, unfortunately, the palm of my hand as well.

I yipped a bit and pulled the bit out of my hand without looking at the wound. Even with pressure, she was a gusher. I grabbed some tissue and headed for the couch. Immediately I turned flush and about passed out.

I noticed a couple of my little kids crying, so I tried to assure them that I wasn't going to die. I muster up enough energy to ask one of them to, "PLEASE CALL MOM." Now, Mom rarely gets to get out of the house. She was off shopping. Getting her home is a story in itself, but let me just jump forward to my next Man-euver.

I decided not to go to the doctor. Well…I figured because I hadn't hit bone, I could fix it myself. The bit hit about mid palm at an angle and exited the back side. I can fix that. After securing iodine, an aloe plant, and lots of butterfly bandages and tape, I went to work. Because it was a drill bit, the front of the palm was lacerated, so the two inch entry was more work than the back exit hole. It was pretty cool shooting the iodine mixture in the front with a syringe and watching it ooze out the back. The aloe kept the skin soft and white, and aided in the healing.

The most difficult part was a few days later when I decided to do something about the hamburger that was popping out between the skin. I knew the wound would never heal correctly if the muscle wasn't trimmed off. I tried to stuff it back in, but it just kept popping out. So, I got me some scissors and set off to do a little Man-Surgery. I undid the bandage and went to cutting. It didn't hurt as much as it just kind of grossed me out.

But, finally, I had a good clean wound ready to heal.

Praise God, I am fine today. And, I finished the bunk bed! I still wince when I remember the event, though. From first hand experience I can testify that drilling your hand hurts just slightly more than nailing your fingers together with the pneumatic framing gun when framing your house. I've been encouraged by my wife to lay down construction for a while. We'll see…