I can't stop feeling guilty for injuring my co-worker/ partner.
By jorge819449
@jorge819449 (2)
August 4, 2012 10:23pm CST
I work as facilities manager and today my partner and I were fixing a popcorn machine. It took us 3 hours t o fixed the machine then we started to put it together so we can call it a day. The last step to finish the work was to connect two cables that allowed the lights in front of the machine lid up . At this point we had the main cord connected to the outlet. Now, the last cables we needed to connect are above the machine. We both lift the top of the machine then I said I'll connect the cables, and then he said I got it. I was lifting the top so he can connect the cables. As he was about to connect them he touched the metal piece and got shocked. The shock lifted the nail from his right thump and dripping blood. He was in so much pain I even wanted to cry and my guilt killing in the inside. As we were driving to the hospital I told him I'm sorry and even thou he said to me no worries is not your fault, my soul wanted to die. I'm constantly asking myself; how could I let him connect the cables without unplugging the main cord from the outlet? It should have been me getting shock instead letting partner do something that its not safe. Honestly I feel like killing myself and this guilt is just taking over................I just don't know what to think.
3 people like this
5 responses
@sid556 (30953)
• United States
5 Aug 12
Hi Jorge,
Welcome to Mylot. You need to forgive yourself. Accidents happen and your partner has forgiven you. Don't be so tough on yourself. For one thing you BOTH probably should have thought to unplug the main cord but these things happen. And feeling like killing yourself? He didn't die or even suffer a life threatening injury so stop that kind of thinking. He will recover and you both will have learned from the experience. Don't be so hard on you! 
1 person likes this
@jorge819449 (2)
•
5 Aug 12
sid556,
Thank you for taking the time to response and I really appreciate your comment.
@janiewhite35 (163)
•
5 Aug 12
firstly can i jsut say you are only human and as a human we ALL make mistakes at some point in our lives, this sounds like a complete accident.
It is only natural to feel guilty, if you did not feel guilty then i would say you werent human. You are worried for your co-worker obviously.
You got him to the hospital, you apologised and he said it wasnt your fault, so there are obviously no hard feelings from him, he realises it was an accident.
In time you will accpet it was not your fault, and you wont feel so bad about it, easy for me to say i know but i ahve had accidents before caused by others mishaps, distractions or mistakes etc, and i ahve never held a grudge or blames the other person even when i lost the very tip of one finger. I knew it was just an accident and forgave that person even though I didnt see she had done anything that needed forgiving, so i can understand what youa re feeling.
1 person likes this
@shaggin (74988)
• United States
5 Aug 12
It wasnt just your fault both of you needed to be taking better safety precautions so this wouldnt happen but Ive been there done that sometimes we just dont think about what could happen until its to late. Dont beat yourself up over this so bad that you feel like killing yoyrself. Its ok to feel bad but just dont get so upset.
@deazil (4730)
• United States
5 Aug 12
It was a ACCIDENT. Everyone has them, some worse than yours. Your partner is okay and he knows it was an accident. sid has good advice. Stop blaming yourself. It will make you sick. And you learned from this so that's a good thing. And welcome to mylot from me too. :-)
@Byamee (84)
• India
5 Aug 12
Well both of you had been working on that machine for hours. You just got distracted, you did not do anything on purpose so stop blaming yourself. Your friend will not want you to be lying in his place. It was an accident and maybe this was to warn you of fyture incidents. Now you will never do such a mistake again so just promise yourself that you will be more careful from the next time. Nothing positive will come if you keep feeling guilty. Someday you and your friend might be laughing about this incident, so relax and help your friend recover.
