Xiomara Diaz: Injuries Run in the Family

After going through a frightening time with Louie, it was my turn, today. I wanted to make a makeshift planter to pot a flower that had fallen off of one of my plants. I found a plastic container and decided to make a tiny hole at the bottom of it so that the water could drain. Tiny is an understatement!! The knife slipped into one side of my left middle finger and out the other (at that moment I only thought I cut myself).

With blood spewing everywhere, I opened the faucet and started washing my injury. I grabbed a bunch of paper towels, wrapped my finger, and applied pressure on it. My stove, sink, and counter top were full of blood. I wanted to call Dan, but was unable of letting go of my hand. If I did, I would bleed profusely. So very calmly, I rang my best friend's door (man do I love that she lives next door) and asked her if she was busy. I knew she was getting ready to leave for school and felt horrible for doing this. I didn't want to upset her on her first day of school. She quickly realized what was going on since there was blood all the way down to my elbow.

I asked her to please call Dan for me because I couldn't. We finally get Dan on the phone and I asked him to come home immediately. Sal wanted to drive me to the hospital, but for some stupid reason I refused. I felt that I had control of the situation. Luckily, her mother-in-law was over and I stayed with her until Dan got home. While talking to Debbie, I felt my blood pressure drop and began feeling queasy. I asked her for some juice, which always works. The queasiness didn't stop until I threw up. My body always reacts in that manner when something like this happens. Afterwards, I felt better.

Luckily, the only pain I felt was when I actually stabbed myself. The whole time I waited for Dan and to be taken to the er, I was fine, which wasn't so bad. Needless to say that when Dan finally made it home, he was very upset that I hadn't gone to the hospital. I don't blame him. My finger was a lot worse than what I had anticipated.

We went to Montifiore Hospital in the Bronx, which luckily is within walking distance of our apartment. We decided to drive over, which turned out to be a disaster since there was no parking. I had Dan drop me off and go back home. Once he got home, he took a cab over. I was in the er for two and a half hours. Not bad! I expected to be there a lot longer. The last time I was in the er for an allergic reaction, I stayed for six hours. Most of the time, I sat there with an oxygen tank on my lap.

Once I was inside and the doctor was checking my finger out is when I learned that I had actually stabbed myself. We also found out that the numbing I had (or still have--I can't tell right now) could be possible nerve damage. A second doctor came in and also took a look at it. They both told me that I need to see a hand specialist to have my finger checked out. I might need surgery to repair the nerve. I definitely wasn't expecting that.

The doctor proceeded to stitch me up. He injected me with anesthesia, which was extremely painful. I did squirm on the bed. After my finger became numb, he stitched me up. I got five stitches on one side and five on the other. He also injected me with a tetanus shot. I got a prescription of antibiotics and vicaden (luckily it's not that strong because I'm only feeling slightly sleepy). I was very happy with the way I was treated at this hospital. Everyone was very nice and helpful.

After we left the hospital, we grabbed a bite to eat and walked over to my doctor to see if she could refer me to a specialist and to write down what happened in my chart. By the time I got home, I was pretty drained. Dan picked up my medicine and I've been relaxing ever since. Tomorrow morning I'll call the specialist. Hopefully, he could see me right away. And hopefully, I won't need surgery!!

Dan took some pictures of me at the hospital. Here's is the picture of the bigger wound: