Accident

So I had a small accident. I injured my hand. And for the first time since I have been in the US I had to go to the Emergency Room. NOT a good experience. The accident happened around 11 am on a Monday almost two weeks ago, hence no blogging. It also coincided with a person coming from Europe here to Portand kind of last minute so I have been busy with that. Basically driving them around and helping out with the DMV, banking stuff and looking for a vehicle and housing for them. Yes I am also many people's private assistant and a go to person when they are in need. I should open up my own private assistant business. Good idea actually.

OK back to my hand injury. The doctor at the Emergency Room decided to put four stitches in my hand. I have a REAL fobia of needles so when she numbed my hand SIX times I almost fainted and yes I cried LOUDLY. Then I was given a tetanus shot, one antibiotic pill, a prescription for antibiotics and told to go home and take some Tylenol or something for pain. I was not offered any kind of Tylenol or anything at the Emergency Room. Oh no. They are avoiding giving out any form of pain management in case you happen to be an addict looking to get high. I came in looking very disheveled so they probably thought I was homeless or something (they probably thought I was an addict, it would not suprise me).
Two days later by Wednesday my hand was getting very swollen, warm and red. The day after, so Thursday I go back to the Emergency Room in the evening and ask if this is what my hand is supposed to look like? No of course not. I was seen by a doctor a bit after midnigt and was told that I had to spend 24-48 hours in the hospital on an IV antibiotic drip.

I was like.....say what?! 😱

Again, I have a REAL fobia of needles (this stems from an extended VERY traumatic hospital experience as a child).
I NEVER had an IV. I almost passed out sitting down when the doctor told me this.
Also, I brought NOTHING with me going there cause I did not expect a longer stay. No toothbrush, no contact lense case, no glasses, no face cream, no comb - NOTHING.
Then the moment when the nurse came in to put the IV in my arm. OMG...sheer TERROR for me. Somebody came in to see if everything was alright cause I screamed so loud and they had to close the doors to the room I was in to not alarm the other people waiting to be seen. From then on I received a bag of antibiotic IV drip every six hours, it felt cold in my arm going in. Uncomfortable.

I could barely move my right arm that the IV was lodged into and I did not like the feeling in that arm plus I had no function of my left hand that was injured. To make things even MORE fun.....there was an abscess in my hand.
The stitches prevented the pus from coming out so my hand got infected. A hand surgeon came to look at it while I was sobbing and told me he had to take the stitches out and clean the wound really good. And in order to do that he had to numb my hand with Licodaine that came in a long needle that he had to basically stick into and around the wound. Like six times to numb my hand. I could not believe that this was happening to me. Again, LOTS of loud screaming (like horror movie style screaming) and crying on my end but I did not yank my hand away, I kept it still. 
He told me afterwards that some people get combative and try to punch him. I just felt terror and sadness.
And on top of it, the last night a nurse came in to my room at around 4 am to get more blood from me....I was like ABSOLUTELY NOT! So she came back with "my" nurse and my nurse told me it was necessary for them to get a blood sample, so I gave in.
I spent like 36 hours in there, or more? I lost count, it was all a blur. Got out last Saturday afternoon. The food was good though! I had vanilla latte twice. Yummy breakfast burritos. Mac and cheese and mashed potatoes. The nurses were nice but somewhat neglectful and not on top of things which was surprising. And of course those four stitches should had never been put in my hand in the first place, I would had been better off with no stitches. Got sent home with a prescription for more antibiotics, lots of gauze and a great thing called xeroform gauze dressing. Everybody needs that at home. I am feeling much better today.....almost back to normal now. I never ever want another IV again, I hope I never need one. I do never ever want stitches. Or another hospital stay. 

So in case you wondered where I have been... I was in the hospital and also been occupied with a lot (drama with others and trying to help others while injured). I hope next week will be less hectic so I can spend more time on the blog.