I've gotten so many splinters over the years that it's something I usually don't even think about. But about three weeks ago I was picking up an empty pallet (skid) off the floor when I felt a slight stab on the underside of my index finger near the hand. I found a long very thin sliver had slid in almost at right angles to my finger. I gave it a little tug and it slid right out without any drama and it looked like nothing at all.
I then forgot about, as you tend to do, but a day or so later it started to swell a bit and look red and felt a bit stiff and tender. I thought perhaps a bit of the sliver stayed inside but I couldn't see anything there. I soaked in in hot water with salt periodically for awhile and eventually I was able o squeeze some stuff out of it. Eventually it healed and the swelling went away, or so I thought.
The underside of my finger, where the sliver had entered, healed completely but then the side of my finger began to swell a bit. It didn't hurt and I wasn't overly concerned yet, but I continued to soak it and eventually I was able to squeeze more bad stuff out. This went on for about a week and I thought it was healing only just slowly.
But today things were different. It looked okay when I went to bed last night and I didn't even think about for much of the morning. But around noon I happened to look under the bandage and I didn't like what I saw. It was swelling more and starting to turn dark. That's it, I'd waited long enough. If it had changed so much within a day, and for the worse, I wasn't of the mind to wait for however long to see my family doctor.
I went to the local hospital emergency--something I've only done once before in my life (for a bladder problem about 25 years ago). After checking in it took about 40-45 minutes to see the doctor. And when I did see her I was with her for only about ten minutes. She took one look and opined that my finger was indeed infected. The only real drama was when she gave me a local anesthetic shot that hurt like fucking hell...then nothing. She sliced it open and squeezed all the bad crap out. With tweezers she rummaged around a bit yet said she couldn't see anything there. She thought that I had indeed gotten all of the sliver out initially but that it likely must have been contaminated and that's what gave me the delayed infection. She cleaned it out, dressed it (yet no stitches) and gave me some extra dressings. Before sending me on my way she wrote me a prescription for antibiotics to help kill any further infection. She said I should be fine within a few days, and in the interim take the antibiotics, continue to soak the finger occasionally in hot water and salt and change the dressing. If it doesn't clear up in about five days then return to see her.
I was in and out of the hospital in about an hour. The prescription took about twenty minutes to fill and cost me a whopping $26.14 (CAN).
Two things observed. Public health care is nice. And seemingly harmless and small events can turn unexpectedly nasty. Also a good thing I didn't wait any longer before seeking treatment because even a small infection has been known to rather quickly into big trouble in any number of ways.
Other than playing Santa this has been my little excitement just before Christmas.
I then forgot about, as you tend to do, but a day or so later it started to swell a bit and look red and felt a bit stiff and tender. I thought perhaps a bit of the sliver stayed inside but I couldn't see anything there. I soaked in in hot water with salt periodically for awhile and eventually I was able o squeeze some stuff out of it. Eventually it healed and the swelling went away, or so I thought.
The underside of my finger, where the sliver had entered, healed completely but then the side of my finger began to swell a bit. It didn't hurt and I wasn't overly concerned yet, but I continued to soak it and eventually I was able to squeeze more bad stuff out. This went on for about a week and I thought it was healing only just slowly.
But today things were different. It looked okay when I went to bed last night and I didn't even think about for much of the morning. But around noon I happened to look under the bandage and I didn't like what I saw. It was swelling more and starting to turn dark. That's it, I'd waited long enough. If it had changed so much within a day, and for the worse, I wasn't of the mind to wait for however long to see my family doctor.
I went to the local hospital emergency--something I've only done once before in my life (for a bladder problem about 25 years ago). After checking in it took about 40-45 minutes to see the doctor. And when I did see her I was with her for only about ten minutes. She took one look and opined that my finger was indeed infected. The only real drama was when she gave me a local anesthetic shot that hurt like fucking hell...then nothing. She sliced it open and squeezed all the bad crap out. With tweezers she rummaged around a bit yet said she couldn't see anything there. She thought that I had indeed gotten all of the sliver out initially but that it likely must have been contaminated and that's what gave me the delayed infection. She cleaned it out, dressed it (yet no stitches) and gave me some extra dressings. Before sending me on my way she wrote me a prescription for antibiotics to help kill any further infection. She said I should be fine within a few days, and in the interim take the antibiotics, continue to soak the finger occasionally in hot water and salt and change the dressing. If it doesn't clear up in about five days then return to see her.
I was in and out of the hospital in about an hour. The prescription took about twenty minutes to fill and cost me a whopping $26.14 (CAN).
Two things observed. Public health care is nice. And seemingly harmless and small events can turn unexpectedly nasty. Also a good thing I didn't wait any longer before seeking treatment because even a small infection has been known to rather quickly into big trouble in any number of ways.
Other than playing Santa this has been my little excitement just before Christmas.
