Bankaging a Cut Finger (bleeding, teeth, doctor, healing)

[kjbrill]

Four weeks ago tomorrow night, I fell down my 2nd floor stairway. I am 74 so what can I say, had one of those senior relapse moments. I fell on the evening of the 28th of January.
I will say I have changed one thing, no more going up and down stairs in sock feet. Way too easy to slip and fall.

I really can't remember where I was on the stairway, certainly not the top or the bottom, probably like halfway. After the fall, I just remember thinking that was not good, but I don't feel that much pain, so I hope I didn't break anything, which apparently I did not.

Then I noticed I had torn the underside of my little finger of the right hand right off. Not the bone, it was still sticking out and not broken. But the flesh was gone, I mean just gone!

So I am gushing blood everywhere out of the finger, all over my lower staircase, the floor, everywhere. My daughter was home so I have her get some pressure bandage and since it was evening we go to an Urgent Care facility close by. They clean it, apply a bandage and dress it. They tell me to come back the next day and have them change the dressing. Of course I get a tetanus shot, some antibiotics, the whole nine yards.

I go for the next 5 days days and have them change the dressing. It is still bleeding like a stuck pig, when they remove the dressing it is blood saturated. Then I decide I can do what they are doing. The bleeding had slowed down a lot, but it still bleed when the dressing was removed.

I am concerned the fleshy portion of the wound doesn't seem to be doing anything.

I had a regular appointment with my GP for a checkup.

Which is the Point of my Post. Actually two points.

1) My GP looks at the wound and remarks yes it is nasty, healing slowly, but it will heal.

2) Just keep changing the dressing, and it will be fine.

Then he gave me his secret potion.

Take a surgcial glove, the type they have in virtually every doctor'office to prevent the transmission of a discease between patients and cut off a finger.

Turn it inside out and roll it over your finger, an instant waterproof bandage.

[kjbrill]

With my bandaged finger I am not typing too well. That must be the reason I misspelled this thread and all the misspells in my original post.

But I can type with a few fingers much better than I can write. Went to the bank last Saturday to make a deposit. Couldn't hold a pen to fill out a deposit slip or endorse the check. Apologized to the teller for the inability to read my writing. But she deposited the check regardless.

Oh yes, tip number 2 from my GP. He gave me two baby diapers. Said to take a scissors and cut out the soft lining, slice it into gauze size pieces, and apply ointment to the side coated for moisture resistence, it won't stick to a wound, but is about 10 times more adsorbent than gauze.

Decided last night I definitely had to take a shower, a process I have been putting off due to the clumsiness of the finger and having to redress it each time. The finger looks much better, the flesh is closing in. But I will definitely have a nasty scar type hole on the tip. I left it exposed to the air for a few hours, but the docs told me to keep it moist with ointment, since if it dries out and cracks the healing will be inhibited.

I decided I needed to redress it, which is the reason I am up and writing this at an ungodly hour of the night.

Amazing how a wound to one simple appendage can inhibit your ability to do so much. I can't write worth a damn, shave, brush my teeth, etc. Tried the left-handed method - forget it. After over 70 years of age, shaving with the left hand was impossible, my hand-eye coordination was nonexistent. Even brushing the teeth was just about as bad.

Just thought I would share my experiences with many of you.

Just remember; (1) baby diaper liner for a soft dressing of a wound, (2) cut the finger off of a latex glove intended for isolation of germs between personal contact, cut a finger off the glove and roll it over your finger for an instant one-piece, waterproof bandage.

Two things I have learned via this experience, it just took me over 70 years to get here.

[Annie53]

Those are great tips, KJ.

Now, if I can just remember them if I ever need them. LOL

Hope your finger is all better sooner than later.