A little over two weeks ago, while taking my daily walk to try and get in my 10,000 steps, I had a “wince and curse” kind of fall. All apologies to baby Jesus and any other soul who was in earshot but I was at least a mile and a half from home with no cellphone and a little free-flowing blood action happening below the knee, so I pulled out the top shelf expletives. With this build-up, you might think that I would high-tail it to the doctor. Unfortunately, I let my eternal optimism override my common sense. I decided that the fact that I was able to walk home meant that I did not in fact have a medical situation requiring attention, gaping wound hole be damned. Apparently, despite having parented for over 19 years and through several ER trips with my kids, learning when a cut needs stitches is a lesson I would be learning the hard way.
Lucky for me, I saw Ellen a few days later. One look and gasp from Ellen told me that I was in trouble. One “you know I wrote a post about this already” told me I was in deep. The fact that I had a wound that was large, deep, and not closing was an issue. An even bigger issue was that I would be traveling to Mexico in 3 days with a gaping wound. Ruh-roh.
Mexico or bust for the family wedding!
“You will be going to your primary physician tomorrow, right?” Ellen said.
The next day, my ego took quite the hit as I had to explain OVER and OVER and OVER again to a multitude of concerned and confounded medical personnel my decision to not get medical attention right away. There really was no excuse for it. I know that there is a small window for getting stitches. I know that if you miss that window, you still need medical attention. I know that missing the window increases the risks for infection and scarring. Sometimes, knowing isn’t enough. I waited, because it was inconvenient at the time to make the time.
You also run the risk of reopening the wound. This is the picture of my cut over a week later after I slipped on some wet tile on the way to dinner. Yikes!
BUT because I waited, I had to have my wound flushed out with hydrogen peroxide and the necrotic tissue debrided (y’all can google that if you want. It’s dang nasty, and it hurts!) I needed to take 4 doses of antibiotic a day PLUS a topical antibiotic PLUS I had to wear a waterproof bandage the size of a small island nation every time I even looked at water. Yay, this girl really knows how to cue up a fun international vacation with her family!
This was the type of family fun I almost missed from my stupidity. Dumb! Dumb! Dumb!
Seriously though, learn from my lapse in judgment, read Ellen’s article, use her easy checklist to assess your wound, and then take the time to get the attention your wound requires.
Read How to Know If A Cut Needs Stitches Here!
Read all about it.
Then all your days, not just your vacations, will be full of unicorns and rainbows. Or at the very least, they will be full of healthy wound care.
-Erin
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