So, after yesterday’s exciting events, I went back to the hospital at 7:30 this morning. I had to wait a while until a doctor saw me. She removed the overnight plaster and unwrapped the bandages and inspected the wound. It bled a bit so she wrapped it up again within a few minutes, but I got a good look and some photos. She tested motion and sensation in my fingers and thumb, which were all fine. And I got to see the x-rays taken last night, which showed no damage to any bones.
After this inspection they scheduled me for surgery later in the morning. They said it could be done with local anaesthetic and I’d be released in the afternoon. I had a bit of a wait, until almost 11 o’clock, and all the while being unable to eat or drink anything (since dinner last night), so I got pretty hungry, as well as bored of just sitting around and waiting.
Eventually I went in and the surgery didn’t take very long, with me conscious the whole time, although they had a screen up so I couldn’t see what they were doing. I emerged with the hand bandaged up and still numb, but that’s worn off now and it aches a bit. They put in ten stitches, although I won’t see them until a follow-up appointment in 2 weeks when they’ll remove the bandages. Until then I have to keep the hand and bandages dry.
They brought me some sandwiches and water while I was in recovery, and gave me a prescription for oral antibiotics. By 2:30pm I was allowed to go home. Which makes a total of 11 hours in the hospital since yesterday.
My wife had to cook dinner tonight, since my left hand is useless for the time being, bandaged and in a sling to keep it elevated. I normally do 99% of the cooking, so this was a bit of an adventure, but she did well, making miso chilli Brussels sprouts with a little direction from me, adding sesame seeds and pine nuts on her own initiative, which worked well with it.
Now to hope I can sleep okay with the bandage and the low level pain. They said to take paracetamol or ibuprofen, so I’ll have some before bed.
New content today:
Hey, sorry to hear about the accident! It’s good that all seems to have gone relatively well this far. I hope your hand heals fast and no permanent damage.
I’m glad to hear it turned out to be relatively straightforward! I hope that they are right and there will be no lasting damage.