Blessed Belly
Something happened to me yesterday that shocked me to my senses after working frantically before and during the biggest event I've ever done in my life. I was almost gutted by a three inch long rusty nail.
Sure I've been going through the lengths for my work and been extremely hands on for events that I work on - I carried a ladder two times taller than me single-handedly when setting up for a gaming competition, I go down on my hands and knees to apply stickers to the exhibition booths, I carry, unpack, repack, set up products for photography even to the extent my hands are cut and bleeding, I stayed alone late at night in the office to pack media kits with no help and no airconditioning many a time...Yes I have been criticised and praised a lot about my frenetism when it comes to a task assigned to me. But I draw the line after what happened yesterday.
We were packing large aircraft models back into crates after the show - best way to describe the way they are packed is to imagine a coffin: big box, aircraft lies inside, put a lid atop it and nail it shut. Simple? The lids had three-inch long nails sticking out around the entire perimeter, and were huge and heavy. Three leaning on one of the "coffins" and two of my colleagues were trying to move the innermost one. Unfortunately, I was on the side that the nails were sticking out of - the two lids tipped and fell right onto me. I felt a sharp numbing pain as the lids fell onto my side and I felt wild panic as I saw the rusty three-inch nails all along the edge - had they already ripped my belly apart? After pushing back the lids, I quickly checked the point of impact fearing that I will feel blood, gut or worse - miraculously, I was intact! Some splinters had embedded into my shirt but the very corner that fell on me had a short nail hammered in crooked and did not pierce me at all.
I thank the guardian angel that was on shift watching over me at that time - it was a true miracle. I was shell-shocked and was shaking but I had to keep it under control and not show fear in front of my gungho colleagues. Why do I have to try to be such a hero all the time? Why can't I suggest we get more help? Why can't it wait?
Today when I was there alone to oversee the work, it took six husky men to do what we three (two women - a strong athletic one and me, a geek with ornamental muscles and a soft belly - and a guy) attempted to do. All I can say now is what the hell were we thinking, what the hell was I thinking when I knew that the work was beyond me, why the f*** didn't I say no.
Yes I am extremly angry with myself. After all the knowledge I gained from organising a work safety competition, none of the caution I learnt occured to me. I did not dare tell my mother what had nearly happened. Many a time since I have felt the skin of my belly - so grateful for its intactness for holding my guts in and so angry with my own stupidity that I almost done myself serious injury for something that would not have cared for me in return.
Moral of the story, and yes this is quite a mouthful: Do not attempt to do a job that you cannot handle that involves lifting heavy things with rusty nails embedded in them.
I need to always remind myself of this.
Something happened to me yesterday that shocked me to my senses after working frantically before and during the biggest event I've ever done in my life. I was almost gutted by a three inch long rusty nail.
Sure I've been going through the lengths for my work and been extremely hands on for events that I work on - I carried a ladder two times taller than me single-handedly when setting up for a gaming competition, I go down on my hands and knees to apply stickers to the exhibition booths, I carry, unpack, repack, set up products for photography even to the extent my hands are cut and bleeding, I stayed alone late at night in the office to pack media kits with no help and no airconditioning many a time...Yes I have been criticised and praised a lot about my frenetism when it comes to a task assigned to me. But I draw the line after what happened yesterday.
We were packing large aircraft models back into crates after the show - best way to describe the way they are packed is to imagine a coffin: big box, aircraft lies inside, put a lid atop it and nail it shut. Simple? The lids had three-inch long nails sticking out around the entire perimeter, and were huge and heavy. Three leaning on one of the "coffins" and two of my colleagues were trying to move the innermost one. Unfortunately, I was on the side that the nails were sticking out of - the two lids tipped and fell right onto me. I felt a sharp numbing pain as the lids fell onto my side and I felt wild panic as I saw the rusty three-inch nails all along the edge - had they already ripped my belly apart? After pushing back the lids, I quickly checked the point of impact fearing that I will feel blood, gut or worse - miraculously, I was intact! Some splinters had embedded into my shirt but the very corner that fell on me had a short nail hammered in crooked and did not pierce me at all.
I thank the guardian angel that was on shift watching over me at that time - it was a true miracle. I was shell-shocked and was shaking but I had to keep it under control and not show fear in front of my gungho colleagues. Why do I have to try to be such a hero all the time? Why can't I suggest we get more help? Why can't it wait?
Today when I was there alone to oversee the work, it took six husky men to do what we three (two women - a strong athletic one and me, a geek with ornamental muscles and a soft belly - and a guy) attempted to do. All I can say now is what the hell were we thinking, what the hell was I thinking when I knew that the work was beyond me, why the f*** didn't I say no.
Yes I am extremly angry with myself. After all the knowledge I gained from organising a work safety competition, none of the caution I learnt occured to me. I did not dare tell my mother what had nearly happened. Many a time since I have felt the skin of my belly - so grateful for its intactness for holding my guts in and so angry with my own stupidity that I almost done myself serious injury for something that would not have cared for me in return.
Moral of the story, and yes this is quite a mouthful: Do not attempt to do a job that you cannot handle that involves lifting heavy things with rusty nails embedded in them.
I need to always remind myself of this.
oh deaar, poor huibin. did not know thou has suffered so much for one event. Singapore salutes you! Do take care...I'm back to blogging again. After moving to Woodlands campus, I feel nearer the centre of the earth, the epitome of heat and ulu-ness!!
Posted by
girlosopher |
Friday, March 10, 2006 4:15:00 PM
Are you out of your f**king MIND???? You nearly lost me my sister!!! Don't you even think??? It's just a bl**dy stinking job!!! Not worth losing limbs over! Good thing I checked your blog...don't think you can hide by being MIA....
Do that again you have to deal with my fury!
Posted by
Yada |
Wednesday, March 15, 2006 8:43:00 AM