So
two weeks ago I got sick. Normally, I'm blessed with a beast of an
immune system that won't even let me get a cold or a stomach virus
because it's just that incredibly tough. Nothing beats my lymphatic
system because it's backed with mithril.
But
something managed to get through weekend before last and I spent
Sunday night feeling horrible because of a sore throat that hurt even
to turn my head and chills that made me feel like I was freezing in
78oF. I spooned honey and gargled salt water and sprayed
my throat and used Scope like there was no tomorrow, took a hot
shower, bundled myself in blankets, dosed myself with a toddy (a
remedy my grandfather swears by), and tried to sleep it out.
It
didn't work. A few days later I was feeling miserable with the worst
cold in human history and so I went to the doctor to get diagnosed
with a sinus infection. He gave me a prescription for drugs which
made me feel so much better after just the first dose that my brain
did a little dance to celebrate and I may have ended up being on a
feel-good high. It was an interesting few days before I got used to
feeling better.
The
thing about adults, though, is that they don't just let you walk in
for a doctor's appointment. They make you fill out lots of forms
about your medical history and family history and insurance and how
many pets you have and what you had for dinner two nights ago. I
wrote down many many things and may have even made some things up,
and then turned my paperwork in. They then informed me that they
couldn't take my insurance. So I paid for my visit and then waited
for the doctor to see me.
Once
I got my prescription, I went to the pharmacy to get my pills. They
too couldn't take my insurance, so I ended up paying for that as
well.
My
wallet took a hit, but all else was well.
Fast
forward a week. I'm at work (my second job, in which I am a prep cook
at a fancy hotel) and I'm cutting up sweet potatoes. I'm doing
splendidly, making chunks of orange tuber, and almost done, when my
knife slips and cleaves the tip of my thumb in twain. I begin
bleeding profusely and when I go to rinse it off, I notice that I've
lost the entire tip of my right thumb. The shock and the sudden blood
loss make me almost pass out, my boss piles on paper towels, rushes
me out of the kitchen, shoves an orange juice at me to keep me awake
(which is the most effective method I have ever encountered in the
many times I have fallen unconscious) (I have a very extensive
history of fainting), and my other boss drives me to the doctor,
conveniently located across the street.
He
and I fill out a multitude of forms (a common theme among adults, it
seems), I sign even more forms, and then he leaves to go back to work
while I wait to get bandaged up. They take me back, have a look, lay
me down on the exam table because I'm going to pass out again, put a
massive bandage on, and give me vague and confusing instructions on
how to take care of it.
Then,
the best part, they take me to the bathroom and have me pee in a cup.
Because apparently since it happened at work, there's a chance that
I'm high and my work needs to know if that's the case. Can't be
having any stoned employees getting pot fumes in the food.
Fortunately,
(or unfortunately, as the case may be) I was not stoned at the time
of injury (possibly because I've never tried anything stronger than
tobacco), so I got to go home from work early and didn't have to work
the next day either. I still had work at my first job, which, due to
unfortunate scheduling, I could not escape. So I got put on the cash
register and was given tasks that did not involve wearing gloves or
getting my massive bandage wet.
The best part of the incident is that since it was a work-related injury, my work paid for it, so I didn't have to dig into my already empty wallet. So here's my hint for life: If you get hurt, make sure you do it at work.
So
now, four days after the incident, I still have a massive bandage on
my thumb that has to get changed every day (no endeavor for the weak
of heart, I assure you. Especially if you only have one hand with
which to do it), a right hand that is relatively useless (I've gotten really good at doing things one-handed), and the fun of telling people what happened. Their faces are the best part. Eventually I may start changing it up by saying it was a lemur attack or aliens took a sample for research, but for the moment I'm just sticking to the basics.
The
doctor told me to keep it elevated, so I've developed a habit of
holding my hand to my chest in some sort of half-formed Roman salute.
Additionally, the way I hold it makes it look like I'm giving the world a thumbs up, which is not the case. I disapprove of the world in general. So I pretend it's an ironic thumbs up, which is actually more appropriate since I'm approving with a damaged digit.

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