Wednesday, December 15, 2010

At least my tetanus shots are all up to date...

I'm clumsy. This is no secret. I'm known to be a bit accident prone.

***note...those who get mildly queezey at the sight/thought of injury...don't read this (or don't look at the picture (Hailey, this warning is mostly for you)***

This morning I was cutting a roll and thought, why stop there? Why not just cut my finger a little? Ok. That part isn't true (the roll part is...just not the thinking part which I've so cleverly italisized). But I did cut my finger...I just didn't really intend to. So now I'm rocking a very cute bandaid on my left pointer finger.

I know what you're thinking...not really a noteworthy injury and definitely not needing a tetanus shot. Granted. Don't worry...there's more. So, I took this morning off work to get some Christmas time glory done. Included in this was sewing the annual matching Christmas pajama pants for Adam and myself. Now I'm no seamstress (which is why I shall use the non-word "sew-er") but I'm a decent sew-er (not to be pronounced sewer). I make pajama pants every year for the two of us. I've been sewing since I was a little girl. I made our Christmas stockings, MANY quilts, and loads of other stuff with no incident. But sometimes, paying attention isn't really my thing. Example:

Today, while sewing, I sewed right through my finger (Right birdie if you're curious). The sewing machine needle entered through my finger nail and then came out the other side (as pictured below). After mumbling some much merited "s words" (don't judge...or do...I guess I don't care), I decided to remove the foreign body. I tried sending it back out the way it entered, pulling it all the way though, engaging the use of other objects (i.e. tweezers) to aid in my endeavor. Fail. On all counts. It hurt a little when it first happened but after messing with it for about twenty minutes or so it hurt kind of a lot. Like a mother as some may put it (sans naught "f word" I don't say that swear...just eh "s word"). I tried calling Adam (just to tell him of my championship in grace). No answer. So, I called my mom. She taught home-ec - I thought - this has had to have happened to one of her students at some point! And I was right. But it came out fairly easily when her student sewed through her finger. She told me to go the to dr. I texted Adam something a little dramatic to freak him out and make him call me back fast. It worked. He left work for a spell and came and took me to the dr. (maybe I didn't really need the ride but it was nice to have a good fellow by my side).

*Exhibit A*
I don't know if it looks painful...but I believe it was. That is blood, not nail polish (on my finger...it's definitely nail polish on my toes which look freakishly tiny at this camera angle) and that was after a little rinseroo. Ouch!

Oh...and I forgot to mention, once it entered, it broke off and the broken end kind of got trapped in/around/under my fingernail...which is why it's hard to see.

Also, pardon the crappy photo. It's a cell phone picture and I was a little distraught at the time. I tried to call/text work to tell them I wouldn't be making it and I got no response. So I sent them this picture so they knew I wasn't faking.

Side note: while at the doctor's office, the MA went to put the oximeter on my previously mention, purple bandaged left pointer. Then she and Adam had a good laugh at me. Haha! Clumsy old Jen, always good for a laugh (like crazy old Maurice...name it?).

The nice, old, southern doctor injected some Lidocaine into the old third digit (or is it second...do you count the thumb?...I forget). This hurt. There's a lot going on in the finger tip! Then he removed the foreign body. Hip hip! Next was the tetanus shot for good measure. I did the old "tense-up-to-prepare-so-it-doesn't-hurt-so-much" that I learned from childhood shots (and from the previously mentioned injected Lidocaine which was hurty). I felt nothing. Maybe I remember shots hurting worse than normal, the tetanus shot really is practically un-feelable, or the stabbing pain in the right birdie was making the rest of my body invinsible (proabably all three). I felt kind of like a dork for doing the "tense-up-to-prepare-so-it-doesn't-hurt-so-much". Nonetheless. I was ship shape and back out the door good as new...plus, now I'm sporting 3 band-aids which is awesome and kind of makes me feel like I'm six (which is also awesome).

My right arm is starting to get a little sore from the tetanus shot. Kind of like I recently lifted some weights which certainly isn't the case. And I'm typing like a newb even though I'm normally a fairly proficient "typist".

And in case you were wondering, the pajama pants still lie, unfinished, in the sewing machine (sans needle). I might take a little break from sewing and make my mom or sister finish for me.

But on the bright side, the next time I'm asked, "have you had a tetanus shot in the last five years?" I don't have to say "I don't know...probably not."

(Remember that time I took FOREVER to say that I sewed through my finger and here's a picture? Sorry about that.)

3 comments:

*Aliese* said...

HaHaHa! Not laughing at the situation. Well, okay, maybe part of it. But certainly not ALL of it. Definitely not laughing at your owies, just that you managed to get them all out in one day. Good job. Crazy old Maurice is totally from Beauty and the Beast and you had to know I'd get that reference instantly. I've had the show memorized for nearly two decades. I'd be happy to finish those pants for you, but we won't be traveling up 'til Christmas Eve. Can you wait that long? Or you can bring them down and play for a couple of days as I have the entirety of next week "off." Enjoy your three band-aids.

Michelle Stocking said...

I can relate on all accounts. I definitely live in the world of the clumsy/accident prone. I've cut my finger on more than one occasion. A little blood in the dinner never hurt anyone, right?
Anywho...I totally sewed through my finger in 7th grade home ec. It was awesome. And I had to get the tetanus shot and all. Although the needle didn't stay in the finger. That's a new one.

Holly Knackstedt said...

#1 I remember when chelle' sewed her finger, #2 I laughed #3 then I went Ewwww....#4 then I showed Diane at work and she went double ewww...and got mad at me for subjecting her to the image. #4 I love using the word "hurty". #5 I love you!