So instead of posting about a Memorial Day weekend filled with sailing over to St. John, participating in the 2011 Beach to Beach Power Swim, and sailing back, I instead I must report on what I refer to as the *Thumbpocalypse* of 2011.
There I was Friday afternoon, all shiny and happy after a great day on the water, unloading the boat and excited to put my new coral disease samples in the freezer, carrying a tank in my arms and with a tank on my back... when I stepped on a stray piece of broken dock (thanks Hurricane Earl) and found myself sprawled on the concrete landing with a mutilated thumb.
Tyler was walking ahead of me and heard me fall. When I barely responded, he came to check on me and we both stared unbelieving at how truly and utterly I had damaged myself. As I realized I couldn't move my thumb and as the pool of blood collected around me, the decision was rapidly made to head to the ER.
For visual reference, the scene:
I must admit, Caribbean hospitals and the stories I had heard of the St. Thomas hospital in particular were not inspiring great confidence in me. I was a little nervous to say the least. But mostly I was in pain. And heading towards shock. Against all odds, the ER was fast (amazing!) and professional, and I even had a UVI nursing intern give me an IV. She did a great job ...I think. At least, I thought it was exceptional when it delivered delicious painkillers directly into my blood stream. Four hours later I was sewed up but still jacked up with a referral to an orthopedic surgeon for after the holiday weekend.
I remember some things about that weekend: Tyler and Shaun completing the beach to beach power swim. Tyler did the 3.5 mile course and came in right in the middle. This was the toughest course which many pros participate in and he did amazing. At his pace, he would have won the intermediate 2.5 mile course. Go Tyler!
Other things I remember: taking painkillers and sleeping a lot.
Finally, on Tuesday the doctor unwrapped my finger for the first time since the accident. The result is the bloated disgusting thing in the photo. I had gotten 8 stitches at the ER including one to hold my nail on (yuck). We didn't get to see the doctor until late that day (we had to deal with workers comp first - joy) but finally we got the word that I needed the dreaded S word. Yes, surgery. Apparently, they needed to go in and clean everything out and put some pins in to fix the joint.I won't bore you with the details of waiting for surgery (which took about a day and a half). But in the end I had three pins inserted and was stitched back up.
They said it would take about 6-8 weeks for everything to heal up.
I'm still healing at the time of this writing so I'm not sure yet what the final outcome will be. Odds are that I will get full functionality back. But regardless, I'm going to have some bad-ass scars.
Currently in development is my better thumbpocalypse story involving a 20 ft great white shark and defending a class of kindergardeners ...or maybe a pod of baby dolphins ...or maybe kindergardeners playing with baby dolphins while a boat of kittens floated by... hmmmmm...
