Whew! What a crazy week this has been. Last Wednesday started out fairly normal. Luke and I spent the morning at home doing normal stuff. I had to work Wednesday night so around lunchtime I started preparing our dinner. I like to do all the prep work while Luke finishes his lunch so that I can nap while he does, and then when we get up I can pop dinner in the oven so that it is ready before I have to leave for work. I was preparing a potato casserole and was grating potatoes on a coarse grater.
I'm not sure what happened next--either I looked away or the grater slipped, not really sure, but I ended up grating off a good portion of my right thumb knuckle. I realized right away what had happened and grabbed a kitchen towel to put tight pressure on it. I wanted to bandage it tightly.
Gene had used some bandage tape a few weeks ago so I called him at work to ask him where he had put it. While I was on the phone with him I got real nauseous and headed to the bathroom because I thought I was going to be sick. Surprise! I was not going to throw up, I was going to pass out. Luke had followed me into the bathroom and grabbed my hairbrush off the countertop. My vision started to black out so I layed down on the floor becasue I didn't want to fall and hit my head. I never completely lost consciousness but I did drop the phone. Luke had been brushing my hair (which was in a ponytail, so he was really just creating snags and tangles) but dropping the phone distracted him enough to stop. He then picked up the phone and hung up on Gene. Of course this caused him to panic a little and he jumped in his car and headed home to check on us. After a minute or so, I felt better so I sat up and phoned Gene to let him know we were both okay. He came home to check on us anyway.
He convinced me to go to the ER where I ended up getting a few stitches. The skin had not completely detached so the doctor was able to sew it back on. He said it would be like a skin graft, but because the area wasn't highly vascularized, it would probably turn into a scab and fall off. In the meantime it would provide a good protective barrier and speed healing. I also had to get a tetanus shot. My arm hurt almost as much as my thumb.
The first time I changed the dressing, I got real light-headed and my vision got blurry. I had to lay down and deep breathe for a few minutes before I could finish. Long story short, ths skin graft has gone from blue to purple, and now it is turning pink and flesh colored. I've decided that the skin graft is thriving and is going to survive! My little knuckle wrinkle is going to make it! Must be the excellent nursing care it has received.
Thursday we celebrated our fourth anniversary. Gene and I went to dinner and a movie while Luke stayed at home with my parents. We exchanged gifts--Gene got a season of the Sopranos and a fancy bottle of scotch. I got a new pair of Uggs.
I had the weekend off, so we just had a nice family weekend around the house. We doggy-sat for Justin and Ashley over the weekend. We had an extra Jack Russell bouncing around, but their dog is so sweet and so much calmer than Hank.
I've been out of work for a week now with this thumb, but I'm going to go back tomorrow. I don't think I can afford to stay off until it heals completely. It is difficult to write and I can't really bend it much. If I hit it on something I get a little light-headed still--but I've been focusing on taking deep breaths and relaxing through the pain. It actually is starting to feel much better and doesn't throb as much.
And a few pics to end this post.. . . .
Luke checking out the train at Trinity park a few weeks ago. He was fascinated by it.
One of Luke's classmates had a birthday party at school. Luke enjoyed the hats so much his teachers sent his home with him. We got LOTS of use out of the had before it disappeared.
And the whining begins. . . .
