2012 So Far: Thumb Down

I like to end a year by finishing all of my old business, so I can hit the ground running on January 2.

That's what I like to do, but it's not what I've been able to do for a few years -- and 2012 is starting out worse than ever. I have unfinished business (missed deadlines and other commitments) that should have been completed in early December. So I started out yesterday with a plan and a long to-do list that mixed both work and errands...

...beginning with picking up our dog from the kennel, where we left him before visiting my sister up in Sacramento. 

I confess that I was more than a bit preoccupied on the drive over there. For one thing, I had forgotten to take my cell phone (which can be a problem, since I usually have to call them to tell them I've arrived). 

I'm not actually sure what I was thinking about when I got out of the car and smashed the door on my thumb -- but I know which words came to my mind when it happened (and none of them are printable).  The nail already started to blush pink, and there was bleeding below the bed, where the skin had broken. It hurt like hell.

Fortunately, the gate was unlocked and I went in (quickly explaining to the ladies there why my right hand was being firmly squeezed in my left armpit, like Mary Katherine Gallagher. The kennel owner gave me my dog and an icepack, and I took them both home...

...and then, I took a vicodin. Ironically, I'd never even opened the vial meant to ease the pain after my last outpatient procedure. I guess that's a good thing, because I don't think I would have gotten through the day without it.

It's better now: still swollen and bruised and painful to touch. If you see me wearing black or purple nail polish this winter, you'll know why.

Comments

[M&Co.]

Did you ever do anything to relieve the pressure under that nail? That was a nasty looking injury. I'm so sorry because it made my hand hurt to just look at it.

[Donna]

I found a recommendation on WebMD that said it wasn't necessary to do that, and since the idea of piercing the nail made me even more squeamish than the original injury, I decided to wait and see if the swelling got better or worse. And I'm happy to report that two days after the injury, it's much, MUCH better. That said, I don't know if I would have lasted if I hadn't had that supply of vicodin in the house on Monday (I'm only using Advil now).