The DU Lounge
Related: Culture Forums, Support ForumsWelp... guess I screwed up again
Shot my left index finger with a nail gun last Monday. Refused to go to ER. Didnt have them examine it at a routine doctor visit either (2 days later) although they offered.
Thought it was finally getting better yesterday. Then last night the pain increased and the aspirin didnt help. Kept me up all night. This morning it was noticeably redder.
So here I am at the ER, expecting maybe an antibiotic prescription. Instead they are gonna hook me up an IV and transport me by ambulance to the main hospital where they have hand specialists.
Sigh
BittyJenkins
(587 posts)Hang in there.
niyad
(119,881 posts)SheltieLover
(59,599 posts)OAITW r.2.0
(28,361 posts)Don't want to bloody up the deck railing. Never put a nail thru my hand before. How did that happen? Missed a bone, right?
BWdem4life
(2,463 posts)It was a metal brad, way longer than needed for a picture frame. Didnt go in straight, came out the side where i was holding the frame. Fairly shallow, not like I had to pull it out or anything. But right on inside of knuckle.
OAITW r.2.0
(28,361 posts)Anti-biotics, for sure. Next time, keep your hand out of the nail line of travel.
onecaliberal
(35,787 posts)MLF1981
(211 posts)People think that only applies to rusty metal, but I assure you it does not. In any case, best wishes for a speedy recovery.
BWdem4life
(2,463 posts)And I keep not knowing, but was within last 10 years
womanofthehills
(9,265 posts)Although our CDC says every 10 yrs, some Univ studies now say tetanus shots can be good for 30 yrs.
Adults do not need tetanus or diphtheria booster shots if theyve already completed their childhood vaccination series against these rare, but debilitating diseases, according to research published in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases.
The conclusion aligns with the World Health Organizations recent recommendations to only routinely give adults tetanus and diphtheria vaccines if they didnt receive a full series of shots as children. In the U.S., the CDCs Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices still recommends all adults receive booster shots every 10 years.
(Tetanus is extremely rare now - According to WHO records in 2018 and 2019 there were no tetanus cases in US. Last few yrs average about 20 cases a yr according to WHO. )
https://news.ohsu.edu/2020/02/25/adults-dont-need-tetanus-diphtheria-boosters-if-fully-vaccinated-as-children-study-finds
Srkdqltr
(7,656 posts)Last guy i knew who did that lost most of the finger. He was stubborn too.
OAITW r.2.0
(28,361 posts)You're going to experience injuries. Shit happens. My worst injury was driving the top of my middle finger over a table saw blade. No, it wasn't running, I was breaking the nut on the saw blade when the wrench slipped.
A bunch of stitches, then off to Stephen King's house in Bangor, Me. for a social of folks who were caucusing for Gary Hart. That was a hoot. Had to hold my bandaged middle finger up all night, Steve got a chuckle out of that.
2nd worst was with a chainsaw Kinda bounced it off my knee cap. A little bloody, but no serious damage.
soldierant
(7,892 posts)Knitting and crocheting have been kind to me, probably because I mostly use big needles and hooks (is the little one that puncture). Jewlry making less so, tough I've still been fairly lucky.
But even reading can give you paper cuts.
(P.S. I hope you've already voted.)
OAITW r.2.0
(28,361 posts)I will vote and it will be all D. Except, for local elections, they never state party affiliation. I need to know that. Is there a site where I can find who the Democrats are in my local elections?
soldierant
(7,892 posts)short of going to the local partiy's offices and asking for advice. They don't sak for party affiliation, but sometimes a candidate will mention it, and sometimes a candidate will say something which makes it clear which side they are on.
If any of this is any help to you, I'll be very glad i put the PS in my reply to you that I meant for the OP.
electric_blue68
(17,977 posts)A ? Crochet D3 was my smallest.
Oooo, what kind of jewelry making do you do? Metal smithing?
soldierant
(7,892 posts)- mostly earrings and pendants and other kinds of drops - but if you do it long enough you may find yourself needing to ream out some of th pre-drilled holes to get them to fit where you want them to - especially if you also crochet and/or knit and having see needles and even some hooks with bead toppers want all of your to have those too.
I do occasionally use the steel hooks for doll clothes - I prefer knitting but the really cool patterns are for crochet - the historical ones with the hoge sleeves and the hats that reach out past the shoulders and even earlier designs (also newer if they're special - ;as I look one could get a pattern for Princess Di's wedding dress,) Even then I need a hook 2 sizes bigger than recommended if I want them to fit.
(I have knitted and dressed a Kamala Harris doll and a Nancy Pelosi doll, though. The latter has the Max Mara coat and sunglasses LOL)
electric_blue68
(17,977 posts)semi-precious stones!...
I still have plain, and dyed 🧡 water pearls, 🧡 turquoise, maaaaybe a part of a strand of 🧡 labradorite, and from waaaay back small brass "washers".
When I had more $ I'd get sterling silver beads, too.
I ended up in my early 30's making my own usually very unique wire jewelry , w or w/o beads put through the wire, or attached. Worked in SS, and brass. This way I could still have some beads if I wanted. Rings, pendents, bracelets, ear cuffs.
With beads I still have I can put them through wire, I might have to stringing materials again. I still never got to buy moonstone! I'd just begin to look at them when Covid shutdown hit by the end of last week. Now my money is less. Would take a fair amount of time to save up for a strand. And I'd love to have some labradorite, too.
Waaaay later I got a special hammer that has a rounded edge instead of the very pronounced edge of a regular hammer; so when you use to flatten your wire it doesn't mar the flattened area with the sharp edge.
Now I use plated SS. Still will use brass.
Your Nancy and Kamala dolls sound like fun! 👍
I think even though it makes a thicker fabric - crochet is more ?manuverable for making doll size clothes than knitting.
I do both, but not much beyond beginners, maybe easy intermediary. They're my 4th & 5th creative expression. First is drawing/painting, then jewelry, then would be assembled sculpture again.
soldierant
(7,892 posts)but it also doesn't have the smooth look that stockinette knitting does which is why it's taking me so long on putting together RBG and KBJ with fin black rayon for the satin robes. If I live long enough to finishe Michelle Obama's first inaugural gown, I'll be a happy camper. But I'm not counting on it.
electric_blue68
(17,977 posts)Ohhh, boy, fine black rayon for RBGB's robe! You should feel proud on finishing that!
Ah, and Michelle's first inaugural gown. Creative ambition! 👍
soldierant
(7,892 posts)I actually have the perfect dolls for all of these, and all the materials, and photos collected to work with. Alas, I also have other things that need doing.
electric_blue68
(17,977 posts)soldierant
(7,892 posts)Srkdqltr
(7,656 posts)Open working on the car he went to the er for cleaning and stitches. Nails are dirty, infection can happen if you pass up treatment. The poster went to a doctor but didn't let him look at it. It's not like he didn't have time.
My husband cut his leg with a weed wacker , not a large cut, a few days later his leg was red and he was in the hospital 2weeks for infection.
I know how you men are and some women. Injuries happen. Treatment should be done. That was my point.
OAITW r.2.0
(28,361 posts)Went to urgent care, cost $125.00 for the visit, problem dealt with and solved. That should be your 1st location to go to. If they can't handle, they will express you into the hospital.
progressoid
(50,743 posts)That sounds like something I would do!
Hope everything healed up OK.
OAITW r.2.0
(28,361 posts)So it goes....
progressoid
(50,743 posts)my left index finger is still a little numb from a utility knife incident from last year. The scar is bigger than the emergency room doc said it would be but I can't complain. Everything still works.
I have Essential Tremor so a few scars here and there is no big deal. I'm just happy when I get through the day without a needing a bandage.
OAITW r.2.0
(28,361 posts)electric_blue68
(17,977 posts)it's possible.
Either way thanks for keeping an aye out for our forest ecosystems. 👍
Walleye
(35,658 posts)Karadeniz
(23,415 posts)Fla Dem
(25,681 posts)Hope it's not a decision you'll greatly regret. All the best to you.
babylonsister
(171,602 posts)Earthrise
(15,704 posts)Hopefully if its intense over the next day or two everything will resolve for the better.
True Dough
(20,243 posts)that Simon and Garfunkel had it right. Rather be a hammer than a nail!
Get well soon, BWdem4life!
multigraincracker
(34,068 posts)My wife the RN drags me to the ER all the time. Saved my life more than once.
Hope it gets better quickly for you.
Skittles
(159,240 posts)I truly understand trying to avoid the ER but sometimes - you just need to GO........hope you will be OK.
LoisB
(8,639 posts)MustLoveBeagles
(12,552 posts)Sounds painful. I hope you have a quick recovery.
GoYouPackersGo
(133 posts)My dad would totally do exactly that. Speedy recovery!
Jack Valentino
(1,327 posts)and then drove himself to the hospital.
Another time he nearly killed himself with carbon monoxide poisoning inside the garage while doing auto repairs. Luckily he managed to drag himself outside and into the house before he passed out. He was treated at the hospital.
He lived to be 91 years old, by the grace of the gods! LOL
GoYouPackersGo
(133 posts)He's basically indestructible...or so he thinks, even as a very old man.
Jack Valentino
(1,327 posts)I still miss mine... especially when working on my garden.
That's one of the things we did together in his last years---
as we did when I was a child. (He came from 'farm stock',
before he became a city man but did his planting in our city back yard)
I took the "chive patch" from my childhood home when he died,
and transplanted it into the garden at my new home.
It's been growing continuously for nearly 60 years...
cadoman
(888 posts)Thank you for your work and the risks you take in helping to create homes for us.
yourout
(8,062 posts)Skittles
(159,240 posts)ewwwwwww
Kali
(55,735 posts)nothing to mess with
my severely autistic brother's hand looked a bit swollen and was shiny red - he wouldn't answer when I asked if it hurt so I poked at it and he winced badly - he ended up staying in the hospital overnight.....absolutely it is nothing to play around with
womanofthehills
(9,265 posts)According to World Health Organizations charts, the US had no cases of tetanus in 2018 and 2019 and in recent yrs - 5 to 25 cases a yr.
Now- poor rural women in places like India having their babies at home have the most cases of tetanus. Dirt can get into the umbilical cord.
Klarkashton
(2,063 posts)forgotmylogin
(7,674 posts)OMFG. Glad you're okay.
I understand the reluctance to run up a hospital bill. I gashed my forehead open on a trash can several months ago and ended up paying about $900 out of pocket for the ER, but my cousin who is an RN came to my rescue and was like "oh no, I'm driving you to the emergency room once I clean you up..."
Did the nail gun not hit bone? At minimum you need to update your tetanus shot if it's not recent.
All the best vibes for recovery!
chicago guy
(24 posts)Started in the trades in the late 80s and believed that I was indestructible. All those little mishaps add up! 2 new knees, and a stiff neck now for every! Good luck guy as we age the parts age also
Joinfortmill
(16,381 posts)cachukis
(2,666 posts)angrychair
(9,732 posts)Good thoughts ✌️
slightlv
(4,325 posts)You sound just like me, tho... wait until the very last minute to get it checked out, and then stand in amazement at everything that needs to be done! The only time I didn't do that was when I knew my leg was broken. THAT one took me to the ER immediately. Other than that, I avoid hospitals like the plague! Good luck to you and your hand. You nailgunned yours... my hubby once cut off the entire end of this thumb!
electric_blue68
(17,977 posts)Used (a little different but) a Staple gun for stretching canvas on a frame for painting in Art College. Luckily no accidents bc that's would have sure hurt, too!
JoseBalow
(5,138 posts)one of my favorite movies.
Skittles
(159,240 posts)are you alright?
BWdem4life
(2,463 posts)hoping to be discharged tomorrow.
Skittles
(159,240 posts)don't take chances like that again! ESPECIALLY with hands and feet
Tweedy
(1,134 posts)To get on the road to recovery. Here is hoping you heal quickly with no permanent injury