It happened so fast.
On Sunday I changed the nails in the nail gun, putting smaller nails in for the project I was working on. One long nail remained in the chamber, and when I pulled the trigger, it penetrated my finger just below the second knuckle. It bled, and hurt like a son-of-a-gun, but I cleaned it up, bandaged it, and went back to work. I finished building the bat house, cleaned the garage, and chopped some firewood.
That night it hurt so bad that I took a Percocet. Without it, there would have been no sleep. When I woke up, the finger had about doubled in size. Monday afternoon I found out I had a very serious infection, and was scheduled to consult with Dr. Klingler first thing in the morning.
When a hand surgeon you just met tells you to go straight to the hospital for antibiotics, it’s a scary thing. Before the afternoon had passed, I had done some research on my condition, and learned how serious it was. People lose their finger if the infection sets. They lose their hand. Ignore it long enough, you lose everything.
Dr. Klingler visited me in the hospital Tuesday afternoon, and we decided to go with the surgery, which Dr. Klingler performed that night (the anesthesiologist turned out my lights at 8:26 PM according to the clock on the OR wall). I checked myself out of the hospital the next evening, after Claire’s Wednesday work day.
Yesterday was Monday, and the stitches were removed from my finger. I have about 85% of my motion back already. The remaining ability to flex my finger is restricted by some residual swelling, but it is doing very well. Dr. Klingler is very happy with my progress.
Today, the finger began to itch. It began to itch in the middle of my finger. Where no amount of scratching will get to the itch. I guess that makes sense. The infection was in the sheath that surrounds my flexor tendon. Right next to the bone. It’s healing – and it itches like a cut itches when the wound is really starting to heal. It’s a good thing… but oh, how it itches!
By the end of the work day, it throbs something fierce, but I haven’t had anything for the pain in several days, so I am counting myself extremely lucky.
I can see one more picture of my hands in this photo journal. Once we’ve gone from healing surgical sites to simply hands. Three new scars, yes, two quick slashes and a V, but just back to being hands. Hands with which I work, both at home and in the office.
Hands which will no longer be taken for granted.
