Clearing Webs

Looks like a fracture

On Sunday I was throwing the football with Man-man and J.T. and jammed my finger. It hurt. And of course it was my left ring finger, the only one I wear jewelry on. It swelled up fast and throughout the night began to get tingly; I could tell my circulation was starting to get a little cut off. What you need to know is that I have no health insurance so I was trying to hold out until Monday when I could go to the GA Tech clinic ($80 covers the whole summer term). So I prayed for God to keep the swelling down until Monday, replaced my ice-pack and re-elevated my hand. And He did, with no more tingling until about 2:35 Monday afternoon, five minutes before I got to the doctor. She looked at it and ordered some x-rays. The radiologist took the pics but said he wouldn't be surprised to see me back in a bit to redue them after they cut my rings off. Sure enough, the doc looked at the rays, said she saw a fracture and sent the nurse looking for their ring cutter. My platinum rings were not impressed by their little rotary cutting mechanism. So they went for the metal cutters and the male nurse. What they usually do under these circumstances is cut the ring(s) once on the palm-side of the ring then bend the rings outward. One cut, minimal contact with said broken finger. Mmm-hmm. My platinum apparantly required the aforementioned male nurse to grab the fractured digit for leverage as he spent the next twenty minutes making the initial one cut in my wedding band. At this point they finally realized they might not be up to bending platinum and would therefore need to make a second cut, on the topside of the ring, so they could just take the rings off in two neat pieces. I decided I needed to discuss this with Andy. These rings gotta last me the rest of my life. I believe my words were, "Let me talk with my husband. I might rather lose the finger than the rings." One of the nurses commented, "That's some love right there!" Sidenote: Marriage is a promise for life that you commit to, not that you are lucky enough to fall into. When you seek first God's kingdom and righteousness He adds the rest on. So, not wanting to lose this symbol, I found Andy and my darling boys in the waiting room and we called a jeweler. Having been reassured the jeweler could weld my rings back together, I went back to inform the nurse and doctor they could indeed keep the rings from cutting off circulation to my finger (What did I think I was going to do if the jeweler said no? I guess I just needed to feel in control). On proceeding the nurse found out my rings are thicker on the top than bottom, a-like this. This made cutting through opposite from the initial cut impossible. So the nurse gauged how far towards the top he'd be able to cut and managed to cut my band in two. On moving on to the engagement band, the nurse underestimated the amount of room needed to slide my finger through. He therefore ended up cutting my diamond ring in three places and forcing the now ragged-edged ring off, as my finger continued to swell into whatever room was made for it. I got new x-rays made showing the same thing as before and got my finger splinted and buddy taped. The doctor tried to give me a prescription for codeine which I refused, especially since I'm nursing. She seemed shocked, ''What will you do for the pain?" I told her I'd take Tylenol if it got bad. She raised her eyebrows at me and I giggled inside. What's a fractured finger compared to childbirth? I didn't even take Tylenol for that (yeah, shameless plug for how tough I am). They sent me off with the pieces of my rings in an envelope and instructions to keep my finger iced, elevated and immobile. Iced? Check. Elevated? Check. Immobile? I have a six-month old and a two-year old. This finger's in for kicking, poking, licking, sticking, stomping and aggressively sympathetic kissing. Aah, nothing like the healing power of love.

Now, praise me for writing such a long entry with a broken finger. Oh, and feel free to send sympathy Starbucks gift cards by mail or in person.