Just another example of me being "Grace" :)
Linda's post reminded me that I hadn't posted my own "woe is me" moment as of late...
Last Wednesday morning, I took Tiger out for the morning walk. I was actually thinking how nice the weather was becoming. The door didn't close like it should, so I shifted the leash into my left hand and turned to shut the door. I am usually more alert and aware than I was, but I didn't notice that at that point, the friendly cute neighborhood bunny decided to move from his "hiding" spot (usually just sitting at a nearby bush and staying deadly still is his hiding move - thinking that way the dog can't see him, and doesn't think about the keen sense of smell that dogs have). Tiger took off and yanked me with him. Usually, I either see it coming and can brace my self to contain him, or I just let go of the leash. But, because I was caught off-guard he pulled me down the cement step onto the pavement and my hand, arm, and knees scraped all over the sidewalk. I limped up and and Tiger rushed to my side. We made it back into the house and I took a look at the damage. My two fingers were cut really deep (left hand thankfully and only my pinky and ring man - so not the most used fingers), but I thought I cleaned them out well and put bandages on and went off to work.
As the day went on, they were still bleeding a little bit and my arm, neck, and shoulders were REALLY sore. My one co-worker helped with afternoon triage and many thought I shouldn't have gone to work at all, but it was just cuts - I wasn't dying or anything. But, toward the end of the day I started to get numbness and pins and needles in my arm and I thought it would be best to have it looked at. So, on my way home, I stopped off at Howard County ER. It was freezing in there, which didn't help the aches and pains at all. They seemed to get me back into a room quite quickly (within about 20 minutes or so), so I was hopeful that this would not be the "ordeal" I had originally feared. But that turned out to be misleading. The Physician's Assistant didn't come in until about another hour or so later. She thought that I did a great job cleaning the wounds (which is what I tried to tell everyone) and unfortunately they couldn't do any stitches because too much skin had come off (I figured as much as well). I did point out that the one dark spot in the middle of the one finger I thought was dirt. She assured me it wasn't and I assumed it was dried blood. She didn't need to tell me that it was a tendon - that made me cringe.
She was concerned that because of the pins and needles that I may have fractured something in my neck or back that may have been causing the numbness. To be on the safe side, they put me in a stupid and uncomfortable collar brace (seriously? I had been moving my neck around all day and hadn't died - why now?) and wheeled me down to x-ray. The ladies were nice, but I was in a lot of pain by that point and them manipulating me into uncomfortable positions didn't help.
Nothing broken (no suprise to me, but I suppose better safe than sorry)! The PA said that it is basically called a "cervical strain" where my neck and shoulder muscles have been "traumatized" and are strained and having spasms, which in turn puts pressure on my shoulder nerves, which causes the pins and needles. She prescribed motrin, rest, moist heat, and muscle relaxers and sent me on my way. Although, now it is almost 11 pm. I drive myself out to Elkridge to the only 24 hour pharmacy I know of. I get my prescriptions, grab food at the Taco Bell drive-thru (not much else is open) and head home finally. When I get in the house, it looks like a crime scene from CSI. I didn't realize that I had dripped blood almost everywhere (including smeared on the door - good thing I didn't have any packages delivered that day). I took Tiger out (good boy waited all that time - and he was very gentle around me knowing I was hurt). I cleaned up the house (and myself) as best I could and crawled into bed around 1:00 am.
I feel a lot better, but since they are fingers and the cuts are at the knuckles and REALLY gross with no stitches to assist, they are healing VERY slowly. If my shoulder pain continues (which it has gotten much better), the PA referred me to an orthopedist that I can see, but I am hoping to avoid that "fun".
Growing up how I did, I have ALWAYS had to take care of myself, so this is all nothing new to me. I am used to figuring it out and making it through just about anything all on my own. I know I have a great network of friends, but it just isn't the same as curling up with someone, having them rub your head and just tell you that everything is going to be ok (even if it may not be). I just join Linda in the sentiment that I am sick of it - I don't want to HAVE to ALWAYS take care of myself. And although I will continue to be an independent woman for all of my life, it would just be nice to have someone to lean on when I get home and who can take some of the burden off if I choose to let him.
Although it would be nice to have the Prince come along, at this point a court jester will do just fine as well. :)
Last Wednesday morning, I took Tiger out for the morning walk. I was actually thinking how nice the weather was becoming. The door didn't close like it should, so I shifted the leash into my left hand and turned to shut the door. I am usually more alert and aware than I was, but I didn't notice that at that point, the friendly cute neighborhood bunny decided to move from his "hiding" spot (usually just sitting at a nearby bush and staying deadly still is his hiding move - thinking that way the dog can't see him, and doesn't think about the keen sense of smell that dogs have). Tiger took off and yanked me with him. Usually, I either see it coming and can brace my self to contain him, or I just let go of the leash. But, because I was caught off-guard he pulled me down the cement step onto the pavement and my hand, arm, and knees scraped all over the sidewalk. I limped up and and Tiger rushed to my side. We made it back into the house and I took a look at the damage. My two fingers were cut really deep (left hand thankfully and only my pinky and ring man - so not the most used fingers), but I thought I cleaned them out well and put bandages on and went off to work.
As the day went on, they were still bleeding a little bit and my arm, neck, and shoulders were REALLY sore. My one co-worker helped with afternoon triage and many thought I shouldn't have gone to work at all, but it was just cuts - I wasn't dying or anything. But, toward the end of the day I started to get numbness and pins and needles in my arm and I thought it would be best to have it looked at. So, on my way home, I stopped off at Howard County ER. It was freezing in there, which didn't help the aches and pains at all. They seemed to get me back into a room quite quickly (within about 20 minutes or so), so I was hopeful that this would not be the "ordeal" I had originally feared. But that turned out to be misleading. The Physician's Assistant didn't come in until about another hour or so later. She thought that I did a great job cleaning the wounds (which is what I tried to tell everyone) and unfortunately they couldn't do any stitches because too much skin had come off (I figured as much as well). I did point out that the one dark spot in the middle of the one finger I thought was dirt. She assured me it wasn't and I assumed it was dried blood. She didn't need to tell me that it was a tendon - that made me cringe.
She was concerned that because of the pins and needles that I may have fractured something in my neck or back that may have been causing the numbness. To be on the safe side, they put me in a stupid and uncomfortable collar brace (seriously? I had been moving my neck around all day and hadn't died - why now?) and wheeled me down to x-ray. The ladies were nice, but I was in a lot of pain by that point and them manipulating me into uncomfortable positions didn't help.
Nothing broken (no suprise to me, but I suppose better safe than sorry)! The PA said that it is basically called a "cervical strain" where my neck and shoulder muscles have been "traumatized" and are strained and having spasms, which in turn puts pressure on my shoulder nerves, which causes the pins and needles. She prescribed motrin, rest, moist heat, and muscle relaxers and sent me on my way. Although, now it is almost 11 pm. I drive myself out to Elkridge to the only 24 hour pharmacy I know of. I get my prescriptions, grab food at the Taco Bell drive-thru (not much else is open) and head home finally. When I get in the house, it looks like a crime scene from CSI. I didn't realize that I had dripped blood almost everywhere (including smeared on the door - good thing I didn't have any packages delivered that day). I took Tiger out (good boy waited all that time - and he was very gentle around me knowing I was hurt). I cleaned up the house (and myself) as best I could and crawled into bed around 1:00 am.
I feel a lot better, but since they are fingers and the cuts are at the knuckles and REALLY gross with no stitches to assist, they are healing VERY slowly. If my shoulder pain continues (which it has gotten much better), the PA referred me to an orthopedist that I can see, but I am hoping to avoid that "fun".
Growing up how I did, I have ALWAYS had to take care of myself, so this is all nothing new to me. I am used to figuring it out and making it through just about anything all on my own. I know I have a great network of friends, but it just isn't the same as curling up with someone, having them rub your head and just tell you that everything is going to be ok (even if it may not be). I just join Linda in the sentiment that I am sick of it - I don't want to HAVE to ALWAYS take care of myself. And although I will continue to be an independent woman for all of my life, it would just be nice to have someone to lean on when I get home and who can take some of the burden off if I choose to let him.
Although it would be nice to have the Prince come along, at this point a court jester will do just fine as well. :)