The Saga of the Sliver

Back on March 3rd, Susan wanted to change the banners we have at church from the winter theme to the spring theme. We use this large wooden pole with a hook on it to lift the banners up to the wall hook about twenty feet up on the wall.

After I got the second banner hung, I let the pole slide down through my handle and caught a sliver in my right hand ring finger. There was a little tip sticking out and I did my best to grab it and pull it out. It broke off, leaving a lot of sliver still in my finger.

Throughout the week, I tried in vain to dig it out using a variety of non surgical instruments that I had on hand. Pins, tweezers, xacto knives, all were useless.

Last Friday, I finally made my way to Providence Express Care. I saw a Physician’s Assistant named Ashley. She shot me up with Lidocaine  and dug around in my finger but never really found anything. And believe me, she looked. I watched as she put those tweezers deep in the wound.

She sent me for an X-ray to see if it showed anything. I was later informed that an X-ray won’t show anything organic, so that was a waste.

I finally called my Doctor because it was suggested I need an ultrasound. An ultrasound would show an organic foreign body but I needed a referral from my doctor to get one.

So I trundled into my doctors office on Tuesday and saw another P.A. He wanted to refer me to a hand doctor and then see if they would order the ultrasound. I would hear back from him on Thursday or Friday.

Last night, I removed the bandaid to squeeze out the puss and put on a clean dressing. When I squeezed, I suddenly noticed a sliver sticking out of my wound. All the way out. I just flicked it off.

They all said the body would eventually expel it and the body finally did. Above is a picture of the little wood chip with a postage stamp for size reference.

The wound on my finger is still tender but I think I have been cured by my own self. Stan, heal thyself!