I Had A BAD day at work, got bit by a dog & ended up at the ER ***UPDATES**

[Catlady711]

We were SUPPOSED to leave on our annual mushroom hunting trip today after work......BUT........

While I'm at work today, I got bit by a dog, no warning, just SNAP right on my finger. Darn thing wouldn't stop bleeding. The receptionist called my mom, who had just left from her errands 1/2 hr away, while I headed over to the ER clinic. Mom met me there just as the dr. came in.

Turns out I needed SEVEN stitches. He didn't seem to think there was any further damage. The stitching wasn't bad as I couldn't feel it (I've never had stitches before). BUT man alive did the numbing hurt!!!!! I screamed and cried like a 6 year old, (I HATE needles) but I didn't move a bit.

They had to give me a shot of valium to calm me down, freeze the area before they could give me a shot, and the dr. was doing some kind of acupressure and relaxation technique which helped some. As it was I'm sure the people outside could hear me cry. Once they got me numb they let me be propped up to watch him sew and I was checking out his sutures and needles compared to what we use at work. LOL I whined about not having my camera to take pix of it, so the nurse whipped out the cell phone and took a pix and text it to me. LOL

Now I have a splint on my finger for the next week, antibiotics to take, and the lidocaine is wearing off, and I have to type one handed. Needless to say we aren't leaving for our mushroom trip until tomorrow because they said I can't drive because of the valium shot.

So how was your day? LOL

Here's a few pix of the splint.

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l17/Catlady711/IMG_9722Medium.jpg

http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l17/Catlady711/IMG_9723Medium.jpg

Here's the one the nurse took.....Graphic, but difficult to see well..

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http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l17/Catlady711/suturespg.jpg

[ILoveMyAbbyGirl]

Ouch! Being a dog groomer, we run the same risk every day. You just never know! Fortunately, I've never been bit hard enough to break the skin, but quite a few of the other girls have.

So sorry about your finger! Get better soon! :)

[jazzcat]

I guess you did have a bad day! I'm sorry. I hope the worse is over for you now and you can enjoy your trip tomorrow.

[Catlady711]

Thank you for your well wishes.

Actually I've been very fortunate, that in 7 years working there this is only the second time I've been bitten. The other time was by a cat and only required antibiotics and a tetanus shot, no stitches that time. That was in either 2003 or 2004.

[KYS]

I can relate. :rolleyes:

4 weeks ago, I was making breakfast and cut my ring finger with
a knife. The cut was deep in the shape of a smile and I got down to the
Tendon and cut some nerves. The worse part for me was the numbing shot
too. (I am such a woosh):p I could not watch the Doc put the stitches in.

I was careless, and in your case their was nothing you could
do to prevent the dog bite.
Sorry you had to miss your mushroom hunting trip.
Sending many many good healing wishes for your finger to heal
perfectly.

[ramanth]

OW!!! I can sympathise. :( *hugs*

[moosmom]

OMG!!! I'm so sorry for your pain. I got bit by a pregnant stray. There's no feeling like it. I was on a very strong antibiotic rather than rabies shots. It was a provoked attack on my part.

Hope they gave you something more for pain.

[Freedom]

Ouch! I am so very sorry you had the experience. Ya know, it would have been OK to go through life without first hand knowledge of this one!

I am terrible in hospitals too. I've had the acupressure and relaxation, and the calming shot. Usually I end up passing out. :rolleyes:

Prayers that you heal quickly.

[catmandu]

THE FOUND CAT TRIO ARE SORRY THAT YOU HAD A BAD DAY, AND THEY WISH YOU COULD CURL UP IWTH THEM, SO THIER PURRFECT PURRING WOULD HELP YOU FEEL BETTER.
WE ALL HOPE THAT YOUR OUCHIE FINGER HEALS UP VERY SOON.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v621/catmandu/cat%20angels/cats1012314.jpg

[Medusa]

Yowch! Your entire hand looks soe! I hope you have some good pain meds once the Lidocaine wears off.

[CountryWolf07]

OUCH! I'm sorry. Blah.. those aren't always fun to go through!

[krazyaboutkatz]

I'm so sorry that this happened.:( I hope you'll heal up quickly and feel better soon.

[elizabethann]

Ouch. That looks so painful. I hope you have a better day today.

[pitc9]

OUCH!!

:eek:

[Randi]

Uhh, that must have hurt! I hope you'll feel better soon and your finger will be back to normal.

[jackie]

Ugh, anything involving needles and stitches makes me physically retch.

I am sorry you had such a bad day.

[lizbud]

Sorry about your finger. It looks like it would be sore.:(

Sounds like the numbing shot was worse than anything.:eek:

[MoonandBean]

No good...so sorry you got bit! In my profession, we have to worry about HIV and Hepatitis C...I'd rather get bit, hehe :)

[Aspen and Misty]

I was pilling a lab (putting my fingers in a dog mouth, prying it open and putting a pill down his throat) about 2 weeks ago at work when he decided he didn't want to take his pills any more. I was extremly lucky though, since my fingers were already in his mouth he could have seriously injured me but luckly I only ended up with 7 bite wounds between both hands. I had to wear some funny bandages but I consider myself lucky!

You can't imagine how much a dog bite can hurt untill you acctually get bit. Yikes! I'm glad you will be ok and there will be no perminant damage.

Ashley

[beeniesmom]

I am so sorry about your day. That looks like a bad ouchie!

I have to admit that I had to look at the third picture twice because it looks like someone was getting thier "peter" snipped off. :o

snip snip... hehehe :D

[Catlady711]

I'm tired right now but I'll 1 hand type more tomorrow. I'm obviously back from vac. and had sutures out today.

[Freedom]

Welcome back...so if the sutures came out, then the healing is on track. Great news!

[Catlady711]

The stitches are out and it feels alot better now, no more burning and pulling sensations. I'm still supposed to wear the finger splint and not bend it until Tues, but typing is a BEAR if I have that thing on, and it is feeling better. Still hurts like the dickens if I bump it.:(

You never realize how many things you use a body part for until it's injured! I figured just a single finger wouldn't be a big deal, but it affects pretty much EVERYTHING! I can't wait until it heals up completely. There is still a bit of swelling right under the injury but the rest of the swelling has completely gone. I guess I'm not going to take for granted a single finger ever again. lol

BTW the dog's name that bit me......

Happy!!!

Guess he wasn't too happy that day huh??

[lizbud]

BTW the dog's name that bit me......

Happy!!!

Guess he wasn't too happy that day huh??

Pretty ironic huh? :) By the way, did you ever find out what set the dog off? He wasn't a vicious dog was he?

[Medusa]

So glad to hear that you're healing nicely. I can only imagine how sore your hand must have been and still is. Happy needs a new name. LOL

[Catty1]

Wishing you Happy Healing! (sorry....) :love::love::love:

[Catlady711]

Lizbud - we figure the dog probably had arthritis and he may have just been achey when I picked him up. The dog has never been ornery at all before

BAD NEWS!!!! My wound is now infected!!! Yesterday I saw some pus oozing out, so I put a huge gob of antibiotic ointment on it with a bandaid last night and today the whole thing has opened up, and is oozing nasty stuff.:eek: It feels warm and puffy underneath the open area as if there is more infection under there. I already took my last antibiotic pill Thurs. so I guess I'll have to get more now. *sigh*






**WARNING**
For the strong stomach people there is a big pix of it this morning below...

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http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l17/Catlady711/IMG_9771.jpg

[Medusa]

Yikes, that looks nasty, girl! It looks like an alien is ready to pop outa there! Call your dr. and start another round of the antibiotic ASAP!

[Catlady711]

Ok, so a HUGE gob of Watkins salve overnight and cleaning good with peroxide in the morning then only a plain gauze during the day seems to do wonders.

Best I can tell is the dying skin around the bite was causing the infection and the splint the dr. wanted me to wear was keeping the air circulation down and keeping the infection in. So no more splint!



*pix from this evening below* ***WARNING***


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http://i92.photobucket.com/albums/l17/Catlady711/IMG_9773.jpg

[Catty1]

Good work - it just needed to breathe and dry up!

Ain't peroxide GREAT?

I hope it heals even faster now. :)

[Medusa]

Ok, it's looking better. The last pic was something else!