OT:Need a little doctoring help

[SamIAm]

I was smart enough to allow my hand to be under a lawn mower yesterday when someone else pulled the cord to start it up.

The blade chopped through my fingernail and into the tissue underneath. It is by no means a gaping wound, but extremely painful. There is essentially a hole in the otherwise intact nail.

Blood seeps through this hole and it doesn't stop. It is a very slow trickle, but it just won't stop. I have to change the bandage every few hours. The cut itself does not appear to be deep, but it won't clot.

Any suggestions outside of me going to the hospital/doctor. I have had a tetanus shot recently so that is not a concern.

[thwart]

Elevation (above the heart) and compression.

Oozing wounds that just won't stop can be treated with topical clotting meds... but that involves a visit to the clinic...

[MattTuck]

well, my first advice is obviously to seek real medical help.

if you don't have insurance, or some other reason, and can't see a doctor, I'd suggest 3 things.

1. Elevate, pressure, etc.
2. Nuskin
3. Make sure your vitamin K levels (required for clotting factors) are adequate.

Good luck.

[SamIAm]

well, my first advice is obviously to seek real medical help.

if you don't have insurance, or some other reason, and can't see a doctor, I'd suggest 3 things.

1. Elevate, pressure, etc.
2. Nuskin
3. Make sure your vitamin K levels (required for clotting factors) are adequate.

Good luck.

No issues in seeing a real doctor other than that its inconvenient. My blood clots quite well elsewhere, but I feel the location of this wound is problematic.

[CNY rider]

Foreign body would be my chief concern.
Something tiny and filthy may have gone down in that hole and be causing the problem.
Go get it checked out.

[Ken Robb]

reminds me of my misadventure with a axe when I was 12 years old. Hurt like blazes and I was a bit in shock for a while until the pain subsided a bit. I cleaned it applied iodine (state of the art in first aid kits at the time) and taped it tight. No long-term damage but jeez, what an ugly purple thumb with the jagged gash in the middle of the nail for weeks until it grew out. I was too young for liquid painkillers but you have that option/excuse. Sorry Pal.

[Fixed]

tetanus shot ?
cheers
hand under lawn mower :no:

[Hank Scorpio]

I have no advice other than to go to a hospital to have it treated.

Question: Can you use your other hand to punch the idiot who pulled the cord in the face?

[CNY rider]

Question: Can you use your other hand to punch the idiot who pulled the cord in the face?

Yeah, I forgot about this part.
I always disconnect the sparkplug before working under a mower but even that can't defeat this level of stupid!

[Viper]

Had the instant loss of a thumb fingernail when a cinder block fell off the counter and landed on my thumb, which was resting on the cement floor. Rock, hard place. I was eight years old and believe it or not, making out with my cute neighbor up the road. We had no idea what we were doing. She was my play friend. We were watching Happy Days, the scene were Joanie and Chachi have their first kiss. The next I thing I know, on our next play date, my friend says, "Let's kiss." She and I made out. Everywhere. We wound up in the garage and we were on the ground smooching and the next thing BAM...a cinder block on the work bench fell and smashed my thumb.

The nail fell off immediately. I tried not to cry cause at any age, you have to be macho. Her mom heard the SPLAT in the garage, her daughter's scream and she helped. The mom ran my thumb under cold water for like thirty minutes. It bleed like an open dam.

I'd ask you to do the above advice, but also add that putting the finger into a basin with maybe Hydrogen Peroxide (or whatever thwart/CNY thinks) for quite a while, every day, several times a day.

I did. I was eight and I lived to make out again. Thumb stopped bleeding and the nail grew back.

Check this out:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uezuM9llq4o

I bump into my old girlfriend once every ten years and we crack up.

[AngryScientist]

CNY is a doctor, so i would defer to his advice about foreign matter, especially if it hurts like hell, that might indicate an infection starting.

aside from that, liquid bandages are awesome! it's basically like caulking that will stop the bleeding:

http://images.shopletcdn.com/productimages/300x300/JOJ3937_1_2.JPG

[SamIAm]

I have no advice other than to go to a hospital to have it treated.

Question: Can you use your other hand to punch the idiot who pulled the cord in the face?

As it turns out it was my ex-wife. I was over picking up the kids and she asked if I could have a look at the lawn mower that wasn't starting.

She claims that she didn't know the blades moved until the mower was moving. Hmmm.

[br995]

As it turns out it was my ex-wife.

:eek::mad::no::bike:

[Johny]

Take care Rob. Listen to CNYrider. Good doctors didn't go through the long medical training for nothing. (:

[Joachim]

She claims that she didn't know the blades moved until the mower was moving. Hmmm.

Sorry to hear about your misfortune, but I couldn't help laughing a little at that....

[eippo1]

As it turns out it was my ex-wife. I was over picking up the kids and she asked if I could have a look at the lawn mower that wasn't starting.

She claims that she didn't know the blades moved until the mower was moving. Hmmm.

In that case, you're lucky only your finger was under there.

[Joachim]

she asked if I could have a look at the lawn mower that wasn't starting.


She did say "have a look"....

[jr59]

As it turns out it was my ex-wife. I was over picking up the kids and she asked if I could have a look at the lawn mower that wasn't starting.

She claims that she didn't know the blades moved until the mower was moving. Hmmm.


Sorry about your hand. Please at least go to the Dr and have it looked at.

:eek: Over it being your ex! Sorry guy, that's just plain funny.

It reminds me of the guy doing stand up. His ex calls and says, the light above the tub burned out. He told her to fill the tub first!

[AngryScientist]

"SamIam dear, can you go have a look under my anvil"

http://thumbs.imagekind.com/member/abd15f1e-6832-4c62-8b9d-0159f58e2cf3/uploadedartwork/650X650/762bf579-3718-423b-8115-596bad5df437.jpg

[tuxbailey]

Sorry to hear about the finger, but the ex-wife part is the best part of this thread :)

[CNY rider]

In that case, you're lucky only your finger was under there.

Yep, I bet she was hoping for more than the finger!

[goonster]

As it turns out it was my ex-wife.
Tell her that you have now lost use of your check-signing hand.

[Louis]

Heck, given the circumstances, you could loose your entire finger and still come out ahead. The terms I usually hear for this are "arm and leg."

[CNY rider]

Rob if she calls back and the wood chipper isn't working.......I'd be careful.

[Hank Scorpio]

Sam I am truly sorry if my original reply appeared glib or flippant to you. Your health is truly a serious matter.

Consider how much pesticide and fertilizer the blade likely came in contact with over the years not to mention all the different types of poo that are commonly found on lawns. You have your dog poo, cat poo, bird poo, deer poo, rabbit poo, bear poo and worst of all worm poo. That is really gross to think that some combination of the above could now be residing in your finger tip. The only upside I can see is if somehow the combination of poos and fertilizer gave you some kind of super power although Grassman doesn't sound very cool. I never read comics as a kid so I wouldn't even have a guess as to what your super power could be.

The hospital will provide a quick debridement which is a medical term from having a nurse scrub out your finger tip while you invent new combinations of curse words. Make sure when they bring you into the ER you aren't near any peds patients. While you are there you should probably get a tetanus booster, it couldn't hurt...(me)

Good luck

[Toddtwenty2]

Although this Debridement sounds miserable, it could help to remember that you're coming out better than Mr Bobbit did with his ex...

[slowgoing]

although Grassman doesn't sound very cool.

I think Grassman sounds really cool. :beer:

[Louis]

On a more serious note, the key is to prevent infection. Regular application of triple-antibiotic almost always works for me. If it's not infected (which you'll know due to the redness and pain) and you're not in the mood to have a professional look at it, then it probably won't hurt to wait and see what happens. Barring infection, it will heal on it's own eventually. However, if it does get infected, then you may need real medical help.