Howdy Folks!
I just wanted to say that I have not been able to be around the last couple of weeks due to a skillsaw accident where I all but severed two of the digits on my left hand. The blade went through 80% of my index finger and about 50% of my thumb, leaving them dangling and in need of emergency surgery. I first went to my local emergency here in town but I was informed by the resident surgeon that I needed immediate attention from an Orthopedic Specialist/surgeon. So I was ambulanced 3 hours north to L.S.U. emergency where I received the necessary surgery to reattach the tendons and ligaments and sew my fingers back together. I was also administered intraveous antibiotics to ward off any infection. Since I had cut through bone I was told I had a 20% chance of the wound going septic and causing me to die. These last couple weeks have been a bit scary to say the least. I was also prescribed multiple antibiotics and must go in for bi-weekly check-ups. So far it looks to be healing well though and hopefully it shouldn't be too long before I am back in action.
Here are a couple of pictures of my hand not long after I returned from the hospital during a twice-daily wound cleaning when the bandages had to come off.
Needless to say this injury has made things very difficult on us here these last couple weeks. Since most of what we raise and breed are larger pythons and boas I have been unable to perform my usual duties. Not just because they are so big but because we must avoid infection of my wounds. To further add hardship we recently lost our one employee when our helper was forced to move out of state in Dec. So these past two and a half weeks my wife Tawni has been shouldering nearly the entire burden of what we have to do here. This includes caring for over 250 snakes, thousands of rodents, hundreds of rabbits, a pig farm, chickens, cats and dogs, sales and shipping, feeding, and one injured husband, in addition to all the usual household duties which are already occupation enough. She has been just incredible to say the least. I'm lucky to have such an incredibly strong and able wife.
Here are the pics of my hand shortly after the accident:
-----
David Beauchemin
High End Herps.Inc
http://HighEndHerps.com
