How Would You Like Your Fingers Sir? Well-Done or Medium Rare?
Last night I 'burned' four of my fingers on my right hand in the oven. My mom was making baked macaroni which I was to bring to Bible Study that night. The menfolk in our household are usually assigned to do the hazardous tasks like turning the oven on but since it was just my mom and myself at home, I was left to do the job. I unsuccessfully tried to turn the oven on 5 times during which time, unbeknownst to me, gas had been building up inside. On the sixth try, I struck a match, put it inside the oven and there was a whoosh as the gas ignited. I let out a shriek as my hand exploded in exquisite pain. It felt as though someone had roasted my hand over a bonfire. There were no blisters but the pain was so intense that the only way to alleviate it was to soak my hand in freezing water. I decided to attend our dinner cum Bible Study -- after resolving to drop off the food and then go home -- with my hand submerged in ice water during the meal and the entire session [I had brought a tabo with me; my mom was horrified when she later found out.]
My hand continued to hurt until 4AM. I was lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, with my hand dangling over the side of my bed into a bucket of water. Thoughts of getting my fingers surgically removed due to major burns kept running through my head so my burning fingers, along with my paranoia, kept me from my only escape from the pain: sleep. I then decided to give my brother a call to ask for advice, him being a med student and so wise in the pains and cures of the mortal body. He told me to refrain from soaking my hand in ice water since it didn't help my blood circulation and was probably making the situation worse. I told him it was nearly impossible to do such a thing without going mad from the pain but I promised I'd try. I also said I'd take some painkillers. My brother assured me that I would be keeping my fingers since if it had been a third-degree burn, I wouldn't be feeling any pain anymore would I? So back to bed I went, hand still submerged in water that was getting warmer by the minute. Whether it was the effect of the acetaminophen or my blood finally circulating through my fingers, the pain finally vanished and I fell asleep.
Despite the pain last night, I kept thanking the Lord that it hadn't been worse like getting my face burned. It also gave me a chance to pray for those who were in a situation far worse than I was in. I prayed that He would give them the strength to endure. I also thought of Job who suffered both physical and personal pain yet whose faith never wavered. Here I was, four fingers hurting, and I was already complaining. I felt ashamed.
I am happy to report that my fingers are fine. They are somewhat reddish although there aren't any blisters. Best of all, I no longer have to do my tasks single-handedly. Literally.
My hand continued to hurt until 4AM. I was lying in bed, trying to fall asleep, with my hand dangling over the side of my bed into a bucket of water. Thoughts of getting my fingers surgically removed due to major burns kept running through my head so my burning fingers, along with my paranoia, kept me from my only escape from the pain: sleep. I then decided to give my brother a call to ask for advice, him being a med student and so wise in the pains and cures of the mortal body. He told me to refrain from soaking my hand in ice water since it didn't help my blood circulation and was probably making the situation worse. I told him it was nearly impossible to do such a thing without going mad from the pain but I promised I'd try. I also said I'd take some painkillers. My brother assured me that I would be keeping my fingers since if it had been a third-degree burn, I wouldn't be feeling any pain anymore would I? So back to bed I went, hand still submerged in water that was getting warmer by the minute. Whether it was the effect of the acetaminophen or my blood finally circulating through my fingers, the pain finally vanished and I fell asleep.
Despite the pain last night, I kept thanking the Lord that it hadn't been worse like getting my face burned. It also gave me a chance to pray for those who were in a situation far worse than I was in. I prayed that He would give them the strength to endure. I also thought of Job who suffered both physical and personal pain yet whose faith never wavered. Here I was, four fingers hurting, and I was already complaining. I felt ashamed.
I am happy to report that my fingers are fine. They are somewhat reddish although there aren't any blisters. Best of all, I no longer have to do my tasks single-handedly. Literally.