Warning: This post contains some pretty gross images. Don't read on if you have a weak stomach or are easily grossed out.
If you don't know about my finger injury, you can read about it here:
http://ineedtopaintmytoenails.blogspot.com/2013/07/week-4-i-think-we-have-emegency.html
Basically what happened is almost two weeks ago I was cutting apples and the knife slipped and sliced off the top 1/4 inch (or so) of my finger. Not enough to reattach, so they cauterized it to stop the bleeding. Talk about ouch!
This was taken at the hospital very shortly after the cauterizing.
Yes, I am aware that the bandage resembles a condom. No, I didn't think it was funny at the time. Yes, I have heard a lot of jokes about it. No, I will not share them now.
So basically they instructed me to keep it dry and covered. So I followed these instructions, and put off changing the bandage for two days.
This is my finger two days later. A piece of gauze stuck to it as you can see. And I was still in crazy amounts of pain at the time, taking acetaminophen and ibuprofen as many times a day as the directions allow.
I then changed the bandaging once every day or so, sometimes less often because to be honest the sight of it made me nauseous.
Yes, I took pictures even though they made me nauseous.
This is my finger about five days after the "incident". It was so dry and hard that every time I moved my finger it pulled the skin around it and hurt really bad. The scab was also much darker.
That evening, while rebandaging it, I tried to cut off some of the gauze that had been stuck. This pulled at the scab and caused it to bleed, quite a bit, but it stopped within minutes. Then it oozed for another hour or so. I figured I might as well wait to see the doctor in the morning rather than go back to emerge.
The following morning, six days into recovery, I had an appointment to see a plastic surgeon.
Now, I know what you're thinking. How vain of me! I'm lucky I still have a finger, why should I care what it looks like?
Well actually, as it turns out most people with breaks or fractures or serious injuries involving the arm, hand or fingers go to see a plastic surgeon. Not for cosmetic purposes, but to keep an eye on the healing process and make sure there is no nerve damage or infection.
So upon arriving there (after an hour long sit in the over-crowded waiting room), they were somewhat surprised by the state of my finger. It was so dry!
*gasp*
The doctor instructed me to keep it covered constantly with polysporin to prevent infection and keep it moist. She said I was lucky it wasn't already infected because of how dry it was.
Umm… infection? Ew.
Also to wash it one or two times a day when I change the bandage. She went on to explain that what I had thought was pus oozing out was in fact broken-down fat, an after-effect of the cauterizing (barf).
So she had me wash my hands, souped it up, wrapped it and sent me home. This whole process took less than five minutes.
Fresh out of the doctor's, goopy and hurting from all the man-handling.
So I followed the doctor's instruction even though it was basically the opposite of what I was told in emerge, but I figured she knew what she was talking about.
This is my finger two days after my appointment (eight after I originally cut it). This is when I began to notice some big changes. The scab was lighter and softer, it hurt significantly less, and it had started to ooze (I know, gross).
This is a couple days later. And my finger looked absolutely disgusting.
This is the same day as the picture above (in the evening), but with flash. To emphasize how nasty it was, I suppose.
As you can see, the scab had cracked and the fat beneath had started to seep out.
This is my finger ten days after the incident. The scab is partially gone and some of the stained skin (from the silver nitrate) has peeled off. I apologize for the awful lighting.
And this, dear readers, is my finger last night. The scab is gone, the skin has mostly peeled away and it resembles a finger again! Hurray! Don't get me wrong, it still hurts and I seem to bang it off something every five minutes, but it is healing.
I made it through the last week and I know with God's help I can make it until my baby comes home!
God bless you all and have an amazing week.
- M
PS: My advice of the day? Don't cut your fingertip off.
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