How I Spent My Birthday

Yep - that's right. I've officially been around for a quarter of a century. My birthday was Friday and I'm sure it was a birthday I'll not be forgetting anytime soon. At least not for 4-6 weeks!

*If you are faint, squeamish or don't like TMI then you should probably close this post now.* 

I spent most of the morning laying on a table in a room that looked something similar to this:

all because I'm a clumsy goof who can't focus long enough to chop a handful of mushrooms without partially amputating my thumb! Yes, you heard that right. AMPUTATED THUMB!

Okay, okay its not THAT bad, as in my thumb is not amputated.... Buts it is pretty bad cause that's what diagnosis was on my discharge paper. I know this because I code at work, so I looked it up. Got it? Moving on....

I'm very squeamish and I'm not sure how I even managed to tough it out the entire night on Thursday after the incident and make it to the doctor on Friday morning. It was still bleeding 12 hours later.

When I arrived at the doctor on Friday morning, I still wasn't sure the damage I had done because up until this point, I couldn't look at it for fear of passing out or vomiting. When the MD took the bandage off and began to clean my thumb I got brave and decided to take a look.....whoa!

This is the best example I can give as to what I did to my thumb, except in this photo the thumb was cut on the side and  is still pretty much in tact - mine, not so much. From the end of my (very short) finger nail and above are now missing from my left thumb. I didn't just cut them and need stitches, I CUT IT OFF, completely. (I wish this is what my thumb looked like - its a paper cut compared to the butcher job I've done to myself)

Not only could they not reattach what I have cut off, due to the angle of the cut but they also couldn't do anything for the wound to close it. The verdict - special dressing to cover the open wound and the bandage has to be changed twice daily due to the fact that the said open wound will continue to drain until the skin grows back. All of this was decided after the episode of giving me a nerve block to attempt to stop the bleeding with some black liquid that burned and stung like a youknowwhat! So there ya go... Yay - Happy freakin' Birthday to me!

Does it hurt? Ummm, HELLZ YES! It hurts like the devil constantly and even worse every time I move my hand!

This is my new style for the next few weeks - you like?

Oh, and any tips on functioning with one hand would be helpful! You have no idea how long it takes me to shower and get ready without a left thumb. While not impossible, it sure is time consuming.