(un)luckily i always seem to have a minor accident involving rusty metal and a decent cut on my person every few years or so. this keeps my tetanus shot up to date and i am not prone to develop lockjaw overnight if an unforeseen mishap should (and usually does) occur.
demolishing a couple walls, floors and a small section of roof took an interesting turn when i popped the heel of my right hand (thumb side) on a large-diameter nail that was hiding in plain sight on a portion of fiber board that i was attempting to shove out of the second-story wall. it left an “x”shaped hole from the crisp diamond point sinking just up the start of its rounded shank.
being no stranger to cuts and gouges, i went to wash out the laceration right away with warm water, lots of soap, and a fair dose of hydrogen peroxide.
the area looked mostly bruised and a bit red from the cut and some irritation.
by the next morning, after a couple courses of soaking the hand in warm soapy water and antibiotic ointment applications, the red area had spread (obvious infection) and i consulted some friends on whether or not i should seek medical advice. having no insurance, my friend found a clinic that i could apply for financial assistance since i am of a lower income bracket. (self-employed)
all went well finding the clinic, many forms had to be filled and signed, tax information copied (for assistance), and i was ushered to an examination table.
vitals were taken: temperature (ear—normal), blood pressure (arm—very good), weight (boots on—174—acceptable).
the doctor was a nervous woman of approximately 50 years of age, with heavy makeup on a pallid face. the lipstick was a rusty purple color on a pair of weighty lips. her odd manners made me wonder if i was in a candid camera skit. “could she be a real doctor?” “she seems to know what she’s talking about, but she gives out information like i was asking to buy black market goods.” i can only assume that she was an actual doctor, as the prescription she wrote was valid, this being a seven-day intensive supply of heavy antibiotics which ran around $74.
i hope to keep my thumb, it being worth more than the cost of the antibiotics.