Yippee! The stitches are out!
I got my hair cut this morning and went to the store to pick up some lunch before heading to the clinic. I figured I'd be sitting there a couple of hours or so. But they took me within 20 minutes and had the stitches out in no time. Did it hurt? Well, two of the six stitches did hurt coming out. Those were the ones I expected would, that were a little scabbed or had some skin in there tight. So those who told me they wouldn't hurt at all, see I told you so!! The thumb healed quite nicely and now I just have to keep a bandaid on for a couple of days to keep dirt out of it. It is still a little sore in those two spots, but that will heal in time.
Now I have to get used to the fact that I can use both hands again fully. The first thing I did when I got home was wash my hands like I normally did. I am looking forward to two-handed showers again.
I'm glad this experience is behind me but I did learn how much we take little things for granted, like using your thumb and taking showers without having to stick one hand out.
Now, onward to prepare for the Nashville trip. I'm still trying to work out the logistics of getting to a concert I want to go to the night before the Senior Trip festivities. It is taking place across town from where I'm staying. I don't want to rent a car and can't change hotels now because all of the hotels in downtown that aren't fleabags are booked for GMA week. So I hope there is a shuttle or good cab service. This is all provided I make it there on time to even pick up the ticket. Otherwise I've gambled away a little chunk of change. Oh well, we'll see.
Saturday, March 25, 2006
Thursday, March 16, 2006
First Cut is the Deepest, continued...
(Oh yes, that earworm has been in and out of my head ever since last Friday evening...).
Well, it's been about a week and "thumbelina" seems to be healing well as far as I can tell. The thumb is much happier when not wearing a bandaid (it comes off at night to air out). It wants to bend and do everything it normally did prior to last Friday, but I have to restrain it like an errant child.
It's still more a pain in the neck than a pain in the finger. Taking a shower is interesting while sticking one hand out past the curtain, wearing a plastic glove (I bought a bunch of those last year at a dollar store. Never used them much till now. Makes me glad to be a packrat.). But I hate having to ask my co-workers to do things I want to be doing. I hate that my right arm and shoulder ache because they are doing all the work. I hate that I can't do my new spiky hairdo with two hands because one hand can't get it right.
But this all shall pass. It better by next Saturday. It's also convenient to have them taken out that day because I have a hair appointment already set up right near the clinic. These stitches look like they're in there pretty good. Could be interesting trying to get them out. I have heard that a lot of people take their own out, but I've taken enough chances, thank you very much.
Well, it's been about a week and "thumbelina" seems to be healing well as far as I can tell. The thumb is much happier when not wearing a bandaid (it comes off at night to air out). It wants to bend and do everything it normally did prior to last Friday, but I have to restrain it like an errant child.
It's still more a pain in the neck than a pain in the finger. Taking a shower is interesting while sticking one hand out past the curtain, wearing a plastic glove (I bought a bunch of those last year at a dollar store. Never used them much till now. Makes me glad to be a packrat.). But I hate having to ask my co-workers to do things I want to be doing. I hate that my right arm and shoulder ache because they are doing all the work. I hate that I can't do my new spiky hairdo with two hands because one hand can't get it right.
But this all shall pass. It better by next Saturday. It's also convenient to have them taken out that day because I have a hair appointment already set up right near the clinic. These stitches look like they're in there pretty good. Could be interesting trying to get them out. I have heard that a lot of people take their own out, but I've taken enough chances, thank you very much.
Saturday, March 11, 2006
What else? My turn...
(proper punctuation and typo free copy has been temporarily suspended for the next two weeks)
So I had just written an e-mail to someone saying I hoped brighter days were ahead. I was making supper and went to open a can of tuna fish--I eat solid white a lot because it's a quick and easy meal. I had it open three quarters of the way and then the hand opener quit. I must have given too much of a nudge and then YOW. Sliced my left thumb at the joint. Enough to know a couple of bandaids I put on weren't going to do it.
Reluctantly I called 911 to have paramedics look at it. I went down to meet them with their sirens and all with a towel over my finger. They took it off to take a look and said "wow--you've already got it bandaged." Uh, duh---isn't that what you should try to do? They packed it pretty heavily for me and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital or my urgent care clinic for stitches. I went with the urgent care clinic, since I live 5 mins. away and was just fine to drive, so long as I didn't have blood dripping down my arm.
I waited for about a half hour until the first nurse looked at my finger. It was 90 minutes until they took me in for stitching. There were quite a few people there who seemed worse off than I was and only two doctors on board. The good news was that the bleeding had stopped, so I could just chill by people watching or trying to get into whatever kids video was playing (a few sick children with fevers were there).
The worst part of this was the numbing shots they give you and you are well warned about that.I laid there and went "yowww" (trying to be funny, but seriously, it hurt), while gazing at a strategically placed poster of a beach with the word "breathe" on it. How do little kids with these accidents deal with the shots? I also got a tetanus shot while I was there since it had been a while. That was a piece of cake.
I have a total of 6 stitches in the finger. It is in an inconvenient place but lucky for me, it did not hit a tendon. I have to avoid using my left hand for 14 days so I don't pop the stitches (fortunately I am right handed)--a challenge for me, a computer tech and a very independent type. If anyone has any creative ways of doing daily things with one hand, let me know.
Yes, these stitches WILL be healed and outta here by April 1--or else. Thanks to all who offered prayer and concern. Keep it coming!
So I had just written an e-mail to someone saying I hoped brighter days were ahead. I was making supper and went to open a can of tuna fish--I eat solid white a lot because it's a quick and easy meal. I had it open three quarters of the way and then the hand opener quit. I must have given too much of a nudge and then YOW. Sliced my left thumb at the joint. Enough to know a couple of bandaids I put on weren't going to do it.
Reluctantly I called 911 to have paramedics look at it. I went down to meet them with their sirens and all with a towel over my finger. They took it off to take a look and said "wow--you've already got it bandaged." Uh, duh---isn't that what you should try to do? They packed it pretty heavily for me and asked if I wanted to go to the hospital or my urgent care clinic for stitches. I went with the urgent care clinic, since I live 5 mins. away and was just fine to drive, so long as I didn't have blood dripping down my arm.
I waited for about a half hour until the first nurse looked at my finger. It was 90 minutes until they took me in for stitching. There were quite a few people there who seemed worse off than I was and only two doctors on board. The good news was that the bleeding had stopped, so I could just chill by people watching or trying to get into whatever kids video was playing (a few sick children with fevers were there).
The worst part of this was the numbing shots they give you and you are well warned about that.I laid there and went "yowww" (trying to be funny, but seriously, it hurt), while gazing at a strategically placed poster of a beach with the word "breathe" on it. How do little kids with these accidents deal with the shots? I also got a tetanus shot while I was there since it had been a while. That was a piece of cake.
I have a total of 6 stitches in the finger. It is in an inconvenient place but lucky for me, it did not hit a tendon. I have to avoid using my left hand for 14 days so I don't pop the stitches (fortunately I am right handed)--a challenge for me, a computer tech and a very independent type. If anyone has any creative ways of doing daily things with one hand, let me know.
Yes, these stitches WILL be healed and outta here by April 1--or else. Thanks to all who offered prayer and concern. Keep it coming!
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Moving Forward...
Some further thoughts on Anthony:
I did get to see the funeral rebroadcast on Friday. It was part funeral, part Homecoming showcase. I think Anthony would have liked it. With all due respect, may I say it was SO good to hear David Phelps sing "These Are They". The guy can still bring it.
I hope at some future point if she's willing that the Homecoming tour will retain Lori. I think she's earned it and did a wonderful solo job at the service.
Mark noted on his podcast how Anthony was his favorite to accompany him on "Mary Did You Know." Indeed, his playing on that track is sheer virtuoso. If you've taken notice, you can easily hear Anthony's played some great licks on many Homecoming tracks, with different styles. One of my favorites was as he's accompanying GVB on "Promises One By One" on "Hawaiian Homecoming"--that one has pure funky soul and I did tell him how cool he was on that track. The only other pianist in my opinion that ranks close to Anthony in style, speed and diversity is my friend Richard Dworsky, who plays for Garrison Keillor on "A Prairie Home Companion." A talent like Anthony's is hard to replace.
*****************
Last week I signed up for Leslie Sansone's Walk Club. It's a online venture with many features, including availability of full videos. With it came a walking book and a 1 mile walking DVD. I also bought a 3 mile DVD of hers, so now I should have enough to regularly rotate in my training. The book has a structured plan which I'll try to follow somewhat...heaven knows I can use the structure until it warms up and spring comes calling. (I did try the 3 mile DVD this weekend and got through it! Yay! )
By the way, the walking book package and my t-shirt for the MS Walk arrived the same day. Coincidence? Perhaps not. It could be my kick in the tail to get motivated and get moving, because May will be here before we know it. After all, Mark' Lowry's Senior Trip is now a month away. Time do fly!
Speaking of Mark's Senior Trip, now comes the news that Mark has been injured in a motorcyle accident, suffering a broken leg. Word is it won't keep him from being at Senior Trip. We can be thankful he wasn't killed...I don't think we could take one more unimaginable heartache on top of another. Keep him in your prayers.
I did get to see the funeral rebroadcast on Friday. It was part funeral, part Homecoming showcase. I think Anthony would have liked it. With all due respect, may I say it was SO good to hear David Phelps sing "These Are They". The guy can still bring it.
I hope at some future point if she's willing that the Homecoming tour will retain Lori. I think she's earned it and did a wonderful solo job at the service.
Mark noted on his podcast how Anthony was his favorite to accompany him on "Mary Did You Know." Indeed, his playing on that track is sheer virtuoso. If you've taken notice, you can easily hear Anthony's played some great licks on many Homecoming tracks, with different styles. One of my favorites was as he's accompanying GVB on "Promises One By One" on "Hawaiian Homecoming"--that one has pure funky soul and I did tell him how cool he was on that track. The only other pianist in my opinion that ranks close to Anthony in style, speed and diversity is my friend Richard Dworsky, who plays for Garrison Keillor on "A Prairie Home Companion." A talent like Anthony's is hard to replace.
*****************
Last week I signed up for Leslie Sansone's Walk Club. It's a online venture with many features, including availability of full videos. With it came a walking book and a 1 mile walking DVD. I also bought a 3 mile DVD of hers, so now I should have enough to regularly rotate in my training. The book has a structured plan which I'll try to follow somewhat...heaven knows I can use the structure until it warms up and spring comes calling. (I did try the 3 mile DVD this weekend and got through it! Yay! )
By the way, the walking book package and my t-shirt for the MS Walk arrived the same day. Coincidence? Perhaps not. It could be my kick in the tail to get motivated and get moving, because May will be here before we know it. After all, Mark' Lowry's Senior Trip is now a month away. Time do fly!
Speaking of Mark's Senior Trip, now comes the news that Mark has been injured in a motorcyle accident, suffering a broken leg. Word is it won't keep him from being at Senior Trip. We can be thankful he wasn't killed...I don't think we could take one more unimaginable heartache on top of another. Keep him in your prayers.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)