DD, Sorry to read of your plight. Eli has some good advice there and i see you do have some good qualifications. i hope you can take advantage. i does help if one can keep busy.
i have a couple of stories about my own mistooks with cutting tools in days gone past. i hope you take them as my feeble attempt at humor and not trying to distract from your own problems in a selfish way.
I was just out of highschool and had recently left the BoyScouts. i was one who really enjoyed camping and as i had always been one of the most ambitios campers when i was in the troop, the scoutmaster asked me if i would help direct the younger scouts on a volunteer landclearing project. Along with brush and small trees, there was a considerable amount of grass to be cut as well. Since i was experienced at using a scythe, (the type the Grim Reaper is seen with) i decided to bring it along to sow the youngsters how we did it in the good old days (This was in 1949 or 50). Before showing them how to cut, i wanted to show them how to sharpen. I used the old stone method. being left handed, i would hold the stone in my left hand and slip the stone backhanded the length of the blade. The process is meant for a right hander, and so i would bring the back of my hand dangerously close to the blade. I did not want to show the kids my method, as it was too dangerous for somebody not expecting to use te cythe ever again. so in the interrest of safety, i started to show them the right handed (correct0 way to sharpen the tool. since i had never done it that way, my very first stroke with the stone ended when i discovered i was not supposed to stick my thumb straight up towards the blade.
The lesson ended with my personal demonstration of first aid and how to close a very deep cut on the end of my thumb. i was able to patch myself up and finish the day. I did go back to sharpening with my old method with the very serious admonition that none of those boys should ever use eithr of my methods, the dangerous lefty method, or the even more dangerous method with the extended right thumb.
I still have the scar and every once in awhile, i run into one of those, by now grey haired, or totally bareheaded "youngsters" who never fail to remind me of my stupidity>>> with a laugh or two, and maybe also a beer or two. :
;D
Take care, DD. It ain't a whole barrel of fun sitting around when one is used to going and going.
Tinker
