This first photo, taken two days after the accident, shows that there was apparently good circulation present across the top of my finger. There were hopes that the entire top would 'simply' heal back to the rest of the finger and all would be normal-like. The finger was torn at an angle as I pulled upwards to free it. I can't quite remember, but I think there were about 11 stitches in there. As it turned out the stiches were not allowing the top of the finger to heal to the bottom, they were pulling the top piece in to provide structure for the healing that would be taking place from the inside out. The end of my finger was just a smudge on the x-ray - the bone was obliterated.
From the beginning of the healing process I sat out in the yard next to the zinnias and took pictures of butterflies. I couldn't drive while on the narcotics, so I was only at the house for awhile.
One stitch went through the nail. It was interesting that much of the way this all felt was exactly as you would expect it to feel - that stitch ended up feeling like something permanently stabbed under my nail.
It was immediately evident that the top layer of skin was going to go. We left it in place to provide a cap to stuff antibiotic ointment under. Mom did all the wound dressing on it at first. She boiled water and allowed it to cool. I then soaked it in that water with dish soap. We smothered it in antibiotic ointment and wrapped it all back up again. I also began to learn how to use my camera in 'macro' mode.
I think these are called sulfur butterflies. They are very common and rather easy to photograph - but hey, I was injured.
After a week and a half I went (with a date) to get the stitches out. (First date) After the stitches were out we went out hiking, but I didn't take my camera. The stiches wouldn't have stayed in much longer, the flesh was just mush. When he pulled the stiches out I realized that this wasn't going to heal like I had thought it was. Two pieces weren't going to grow back together because all of one piece was goo. Whatever finger I was going to get back was going to grow back from the inside - using the goo as a blueprint. (As it turned out it was also the last date.)
This butterfly (an admiral, I think) is a bit harder to catch a picture of.
Life did go on - I just watched more than was part of it. I took this picture of Grandpa's wagon wheel while everyone else unloaded stuff out of the hay mow.
The picture of the sunset at Tainter is one of my favorite. I took about 30 shots of that sunset, but I won't put them all here.
All that flesh that looks like a green glob of goo - died. It is now the reason that my finger is considerably shorter than it was.
The whole flap could be lifted relatively easily. I felt like I was dissecting myself, but it kinda looked that way too.Swallowtails are not always sitting about waiting to be photographed. This one is altered to look watercolored. Perhaps someday I will learn to watercolor for reals and then I won't have to have the computer make it look like watercolor.
The flesh glop on the end of my finger looks less
and less like part of my finger.
I decided to remove the skin just because it was there and I could. Without the flap of skin, the living tissue was apparent. The normal feeling in my finger now is on the live side of the finger in these pictures.
The palm-frond-like thing is from Sheryl and Mark's wedding.
The flowers were a get-well gift from Mom and Dad.
This is not how my finger looks now, but it is how it looked for a long time. The dead tissue gradually grew smaller and smaller. Eventually I had to pull a chunk of it out/off and that seemed to allow the remaining hole to seal up. Now my finger is shorter than it was. The part of it that was that green glob did not completely regenerate and my finger nail quickly grows out over the dip on the left side. But I do have a finger nail and I can feel most of it in some capacity. There seem to be bone chips working out of it, but it rarely (really) hurts. I suppose all's well that ends well. I can play the piano and type, I don't suppose much more is needed.
We went to see the Body Worlds exhibit at the Science Museum of Minnesota last Friday. There was the skeleton of a left hand on display so I went to go look at what the bone of my finger is supposed to look like and the display hand was missing the last digit of its middle finger! Apparently it is a common accident - in December of last year Mom did the same thing to her right hand. Hers is a cleaner cut, but with more nerve damage. So it looks more normal, but feels less so.
That was one year ago. One year from now I don't know where I will be working or living. I would like to stay in the area, but may end up in South Dakota or North Carolina. It will all depend on what surprises (or lack of surprises) this year brings.For I know the plan I have for you...
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