Table Saws will cut more than just wood

So this is the beginning:

Oct 1, I was doing such a great job repairing a very old 3 drawer chest for the bathroom. I had leveled it, given it new sides, repaired all the drawers and drawer bottoms, and all that is left are the drawer supports. (Yes, I did just change tenses in mid sentence.) I was making the 2 supports, that were not salvageable, using the table saw, to cut them to the proper thickness. What I did not do, was lower the blade on the saw. Training comes at a high price sometimes. FYI there is never any reason for the blade of a table saw to be higher than the wood you are cutting. Anyway, I was using a push block to make sure my hand was not to be hurt. I lifted the block and in milliseconds the blade ripped the block out of my hand and yanked my index and middle fingers into it.

Instinctively I grabbed my hand and thought "Dear God, what have I done, I was no where close, I Just Cut My Fingers, I JUST CUT MY FINGERS WITH A TABLE SAW!" I opened my hand and looked, the fingernail on my index finger was bending the wrong way. I began to yell, "Help me, help me,"
I went to my neighbors. Not Home. I looked around the neighborhood, no one was home.
Then it occurred to me: standing in my driveway yelling was not helping.

So I began exploring options, I could call someone and wait.
I did not want to wait, and how was I supposed to dial the phone?
Besides, I could be half way to the ER by the time anyone could get to me.

"So, What are you supposed to go when you cut off a finger?" I asked myself. Put it in ice, right?
I went into the kitchen pulled a small Ice chest off the top of the freezer, put in ice, then my hand, then ice. Grabbing my keys I ran to the car. I told myself I would have to calm down if I was going to drive and be rational What if I don't have all the pieces of my finger? I thought.

I went back into the garage looking for finger and was amazed, there wasn't but 2 drops of blood, literally. Crap, now I was going to have to look at my fingers, I Really didn't want to, but I had to make sure I still had them both.

Opening my hand I saw that my fingers were filleted. But, I saw two nails and two pads. This calmed me down, at least I hadn't cut them completely off. I got in my standard shift car and remembered I had no gas, NO GAS. So faith got me to the ER going 80 in 45 zones, passing someone in the turn lane, and no-one taking notice of my hazard lights.
I kept telling my self, It's all there, they just need to sew me back up. Right?. . .

More

Ode to a finger

O finger, O finger, how can it be
that connected together we'll no longer be?
But short, a stub will stand in your place
for table saws rarely offer much grace.

Many have fallen with the same end,
It offers no comfort when losing a friend.
For together we've always been from the start
and losing you now? Well, it just breaks my heart.

Tomorrow I'll wake, Tim will help me get dressed,
Then to surgery we'll go where you'll meet final rest.
Not easily forgotten all we did in our dance,
I'll have to relearn how to button my pants.

Fondly I'll remember all the things that we did
typing, tickling, nose picking as a kid.
Alas, Alack killed in your youth
Forgotten, disregarded, like a young child's tooth

I know I will have to move on without you
but I know in my heart you will think of me too
And one day again we will frolic and play
Where table saws no longer get in our way

Two days earlier