# stickblender *warning graphic*



## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

...and the stupid soapmaker of the day award goes to...ME!

last night i was in my new soap room, excited to have a room to make soap in but in a hurry to get a few batches out before the baby (who is now 2 months old and DH was watching her) needed me again. So being out of my routine because i'm in a new place and in a hurry, i didn't unplug my stickblender before cleaning it between batches. my stickblender is a household blender with stainless steel shaft and blades by cuisinart. 

anyway, you can probably guess what happened next. i was cleaning the blades when i accidentally hit the power button and shredded 2 of the fingers on my left hand. it was horrible! after hours in the ER, a whole lot of pain and blood, and a Dr. saying things like "wow thats really shredded" and "hmmm where does this go" I get to keep my fingers but i've lost the nail on my middle finger and the skin on the tip of my ring finger. and my wedding band is in 2 pieces which upsets me more than anything right now.

so people always,always, unplug those blenders and don't soap in a hurry!!!


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## linbee (Jul 7, 2010)

My gosh! How awful for you - will your nail grow back? how long until you have use of your fingers? So sorry this happened. Is there a new wedding ring in the future?


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

I don't know about the nail yet or when i'll be able to do things again. i have to see a hand dr. today. this couldn't have happened at a worse time!  probably no ring for a while either...


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Oh, that is terrible. Thanks for posting.

Something to be said for "safety first".


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## jdranch (Jan 31, 2010)

Hope you are not in pain.


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## Lynn_Theesfeld (Feb 21, 2010)

Oh yikes!! When I first started using a stick blender I kept forgetting to unplug the thing, and kept hitting the button- I thankfully never got cut!! (Always handle everything with a dish towel since I have an aversion to gloves.)
I hope your fingers heal quickly and don't give you to much pain! I can only imagine with Christmas coming and having a little one what a "pain" something like this could be- literally. Wishing you well! 
Please keep us updated on how your healing!
Lynn


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Ouch. Sorry you got sliced.


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## SherrieC (Oct 26, 2007)

Oh Judy, you must be in so much pain. I had hand surgery when my 3rd baby was 6 months old, we use'd Cloth diapers at that time. Boy was it hard putting the pin through the diaper and not poking him, using one hand and an elbow. Hopefully it's not as hard with the new diapers of today. 
Cyber {{Hug}} - Sherrie


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

Ouch!!! It sounds just awful. You might check into using goldenseal to help with the healing. I've known people to use it with tips of fingers cut off and really bad cuts and it seems to really speed the healing along and makes it more complete.


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## Guest (Nov 29, 2010)

Sorry this has happened to you.. I won't soap when I have to hurry, it seems something always happens.. Like to take my time.. I always unplug mine.. and use a towel.. 
Barb


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## Caprine Beings (Sep 19, 2008)

OWWWW! I feel for you  Thank you for reminding us that short cuts can cut alright. 
Tam


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

Thanks y'all. Yup this is no fun. My dr appt was moved to tomorrow morning so we'll see what he says then. I didn't realize how much I use those fingers until today! I still haven't mustered up the courage to look at them yet. :blush


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## [email protected] (Sep 18, 2008)

Oh my! Hope you heal quick and with no lasting effects. I have this quirky fear of being cut--stabbed. Hate knifes and needles. SherrieC can tell ya what a sissy I was when I got my first two little doelings and she showed me how to give a shot SubQ.  My stick blender doesn't get plugged in til it's in the bucket and gets unplugged as soon as it's out of the bucket. Yup...I'm a woosy. :/


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Yikes!!! Hope you feel better, perhaps we can all make you feel better with our oooopses!?? 

I went out to soap, nothing rushed, but as I yanked on the cord of my stick blender, I didn't notice it was hooked on the edge of my microwave. It moved the shelf above the microwave and down came everything, including a 2 quart container I keep lye in for soaping classes. All over the counter, I moved out of the way quickly as the lye spilled out and hit my 3.5 gallon bucket filled with butters and oils and spilled them all over the tile floor...I spent about 3 hours cleaning this all up, and boy is my tile beautiful  I went in the house and ate lunch just to clear my head a little and came back out to soap...seems some lye crystals had also went into the plug end of my stick blender and when I started it up, it sparked and arked and ruined the plug on my scale and scorched my newly painted wall...I screamed, ran for the fire extinguisher, which I didn't need and quit soaping for the day  No injuries, but spent about 4 hours in the soap room and got no soap made! Feel better! (Oh and this is why nobody is allowed to be out in the soap room off the rugs on the other side of the soap room, when I am soaping!)


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## Faye Farms (Sep 14, 2009)

I hope your fingers heal quickly! I've almost done the same thing on numerous occasions. I always have people who want to watch me soap. I always so no because I don't want to be distracted. Folks don't realize that soaping can be dangerous.


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

Vicki - Thanks for making me feel better. That must have been a huge (and expensive) mess! I'd have given up on soaping that day too. Hmmm cleaning my tile floors with lye. Naaahh 

I really am a careful person, I've never had stitches before except for a back surgery and I'm almost 40 so it's not like I'm accident prone I just wasn't thinking AT ALL on Sunday. So if it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone I suppose. I do like the idea of using a towel from now on...a very, very thick towel. :biggrin


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## Kalne (Oct 25, 2007)

One think I like about my stick blender.....the 'stick' detaches from the end with the motor. So I can take it off and clean at the sink then bring it back and re-attach for the next batch.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

How horrible. Hope your fingers heal good and fast. but believe me it will take a while.

I tried putting in dual (locked togeter) beaters into my mom's electric mixer by turning on the mixer. and chewed up my middle finger went right up in the center of the two beaters. Now how stupid is that.


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

Kathy - that's what i usually do too. Don't know why I didn't do it that time

Sondra - Ouch! 

I have to have surgery tomorrow. I'm going to lose the end of my middle finger and nail - too much damage. Then the Dr. has to fix the hole on the tip of my ring finger.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

Wow, sorry to hear that, Judy.


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

I was making a pie one day and used the stick blender. I got some butter hung up in the blade and automatically stuck my finger in there to get it out, and while holding it with my right hand, I accidentally pressed the on button....yes, it cut and hurt and I was scared to look at it for a long time. Lots of blood, and we were going riding later that day. I made the ride with bandages and gloves. I'm more afraid of that stick blender than anything else in my kitchen!


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## Dana (Dec 7, 2009)

Thanks for sharing your story, I'm been wanting to start soap making and kinda scoffed at the "dangers" of it. Now I'm a little afraid to start in this direction. I'm a "free spirit" / air head, so maybe not a good hobby for me.

I hope you heal fast!


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## MF-Alpines (Mar 29, 2010)

Oh, Dana, do it! You won't regret it. It is so much fun!!! Just take proper precautions and you will be fine.

The worst part is the cure. I hate waiting!


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## nappint (Jun 26, 2008)

Anita, Ouch! I guess there is something innocent looking about a stick blender, they just don't look that dangerous.

Dana don't be afraid. Even after what I did I'm not afraid, as a matter of fact I've been trying to figure out a way to get back to soaping right now 2 days after surgery :rofl
Start slow and simple and if you are easily distracted then only soap when you can devote all your attention to it. It really is fun


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