I was working on a slope with a sprained ankle. Cutting brush on my hands and knees with a 16" saw. Something small and maneuverable in tight quarters. The handle on the saw came apart. Basically making the saw I had not really usable. My partner told me to just go get the 20" saw and keep on going. When I picked up the saw and crawled back into the underbrush it felt all wrong. Too much saw (55cc), too much bar and my balance was bad on the sprained ankle. I no sooner went ahead and made my first cut, it went through the brush and came back to my knee. Twas only a flesh wound on the knee cap but good enough for a trip to the ER for some stitches. Get my antibiotics and go home.. Week later, I wake up in the middle of the night with a fever. Infection! Back to the hospital, get pumped full of antibiotics but they suspect it may have infected the bone. So off to Stanford hospital for a 3 day stay on my B day for tests, monitoring and more antibiotics.
My not listening to my inner voice came to 50,000.00, a few weeks off of lost pay, and about losing my mind sitting around a house.
Inner voice had also said have Dr. give me more than 5 days of antibiotics, but I kept my mouth shut and look what happened.
I should have stayed off my ankle and let it heal, not got too big a saw to work in underbrush, and, and and.......
So now days, when my lil voice goes off.... I walk away and live another day
And I have the $50,000.00 scar to remind me....
There ya have it....