Injuries
Below is a list of all my documented injuries.
There are 40 of them organized by descending date.Knee Pain
November 15th, 2006
Induced by overuse during the action of running. Suspected conditions include bursitis, tendonitis, and patellofemoral syndrome. Treatment: Ice and NSAIDs. Prevention: Nothing to my knowledge. Evaluate proper running distance and appropriate stage of training by trial exercise, and avoid over-exertion.
Bug Bite
May 17th, 2006
Monday evening I itched my leg, playful and innocent, no harm done. Tuesday, a massive quarter-sized beat-red lesion appeared on my leg. I scantily remember taking a shower and something big and brown falling out of my hair. I think I may have been attacked by my arch-nemesis, the spider. I went to the doctor and received no resolution. "A bug bite," she said. She quickly wrote out a prescription for some antibiotics I could get ahold of all by myself. Treatment - Don't itch it! Take antibotics three times a day. Prevention - Destroy all forms of spiders within visible distance.
Cut on Finger
May 15th, 2006
On an expedition up north, I was able to cause a small bothersome laceration to my right index finger. I guess there is a little story behind it. I caught a 6.5 pound walleye. Reeling him in was quite fun and eventually I got him into the boat. I tried to remove the hook from the inside of his mouth when he closed his mouth on my finger. One of his teeth cut into my finger rather nicely across the tip of my finger. I knew right away because it was painful and bleeding all over the place. Treatment: Wash 'er off with lake water. Prevention: Wear fish armor.
Sunburn
May 8th, 2006
I spent my first real time out in the sun this weekend. I applied suntan lotion sparingly hoping I could inherit a suntan. Instead, I inherited a sunburn, mostly where I put little suntan lotion if any at all. The locations vary considerably, but I was burnt the worst under my right arm and down my right side. Additional locations include around my waist above my shorts, my arms, and my legs on the side that was facing the sun. Rather painful upon sleeping and playing basketball in the lane. Treatment - Apply Aloe. Preventative - Use adequate and uniform amount of suntan lotion on body. If it can't be reached, ask for help.
Bruise
May 4th, 2006
Per Richard's request, I am updating this injury to the database. I went over to my grandparent's house this afternoon to take my grandpa's lawnmower out of his trunk. I went over for moral support also :) Later I was rearranging some things in his shed when I lost my balance. I was lifting a 50 pound bag of bird seed into a corner when my left foot caught on a cultivator. Life slowed down to slow motion as I gently twisted to my right. My shoulder easily landed on the box holding the ice auger. The box slide on the two 2x4's holding it up in the air as my 5/6th rib came down upon one of them. My grandpa watched as things started falling down on me. I wasn't about to show any pain so I slowly got out of the corner and moved the bag despite the pain in my side. I'll live. Treatment - None.
Joint Sprain
February 15th, 2006
I played basketball tonight. I wasn't really playing, I was trying to get into the groove for tomorrow night. Someone tossed a bad pass and I tried to grab it. I reached out and smacked it away but not before hyper-extending my right ring finger. I sprained the proximal inter-phalangeal joint... bad. After it happened, it ballooned up. I kept playing but after I took one three, I knew I was done. I could barely move it. I got someone to sub in for me and I left. Treatment: Ice it and anti-inflammatory medication (Aleve, 2 tablets twice daily).
Cramp
February 10th, 2006
I had a cramp or I guess you could have called it a charley-horse. It was the worst pain I've felt in some time, besides heart-break. I went running a few days ago. It had been a long time since I ran, so my muscles really were strung up. I was just laying peacefully on my bed last night when I felt my calf (gastrocnemius) muscle tightening up on me. I did what I always do, adjust my leg to counteract the tension... except this time it didn't work. My leg got tighter and tighter until it was unbearable, and then it got tighter still. I screamed at the top of my lungs. It didn't go away. It stayed for a good minute or so. When I couldn't scream anymore I was reduced to tears. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it went away. I slowly got out of bed and I could barely walk. Treatment - Take it easy.
Hematoma
January 9th, 2006
I am notorious for my speed while playing basketball. I catch people when they are lazy with the ball. They usually have their back to me and I will stealthily run behind them and grab it from them. Tonight however, my plan was foiled. As I sped behind a friend of mine, he turned back right into me. His forehead landing perfectly on the zygomatic bone of my skull. For layman, we'll just say under my eye. The blow was quick and strong, I was knocked literally off my feet. I landed on my back and blacked out. I woke up about a second later. Tony helped me to my feet and I continued playing. I knew my face was bleeding but I didn't care. It felt like my upper jaw had shifted about a quarter of an inch to the right. My back two molars and premolars felt like they were gonna fall out. Oh, and it was painful. I played for another hour and a half and finally left. I took one look in the mirror at my house and shook my head. It looked like someone had taken a swing at me, and didn't miss. Oh well, I could get some good stories out of this. Treatment: Ice it. Therapy: Play with pain. I'll make up for it tomorrow at adult pick-up :)
Pulled Groin Muscle
November 24th, 2005
There is a muscle in your groin called the rectus muscle. I was playing basketball tuesday night and I pulled this muscle. We were running full court when my teammate threw a wild pass. Spinning a 180 to my left in the air saved the ball, but put me in immense pain. I played out the game which we won and stretched afterwards. No good. I played the next game but my mobility decreased steadily. I could barely walk after the game was done. I went home and iced the area. The pain was difficult to describe. I had my neighbor (who is an ER doctor) come over and diagnose me. The only other differential is an inguinal hernia, which would require a trip to the doctor or an uncomfortable visit from my neighbor. Treatment: Take it easy, 2 Aleve twice daily, don't stretch.
Scratches
November 21st, 2005
I was holding a very large cat for a blood draw. The cat did not want to cooperate and scratched me on my inner elbow and my left ring finger. The cat had claws like daggers. I was bleeding all over the place while we struggled to get the blood. The scratch on my ring finger is especially painful because it is across one of my knuckles. The next day I got scratched by an overweight basset hound. He had nice blunt nails and scratched my left bicep in two places. I don't know what is worse, sharp or dull nails, but they hurt. Treated them with some antibiotic ointment which supposedly takes the sting away. Supposedly. No work limitations. You know you are a honorable employee when more of your blood is on the animal than the animal's own blood.
Basketball Injuries
November 1st, 2005
Yes, more of these. First someone scratched me on my wrist. It looks like a poor attempt I made to slash my wrists. Treatment: Leave it be. On a more conclusive note, I re-jammed my left thumb. There is nothing that can describe the pain I felt. Almost twice as worse as a couple weeks ago. The swelling could be described as... gigantic. It is almost three times the size of my other thumb, just imagine that. I think I will be done for two or three weeks again. Very disappointing. I kept playing though, you just can't stop unless someone needs an ambulance. I'm just upset that I can't play the guitar now. :( Treatment: Take it easy, with an ice pack. Physical therapy: Thumb wars.
Skin Scrape
October 15th, 2005
Cause: Chasing a ball towards a fence. Lost the race. Ended up grabbing the fence and jumping up it to avoid a collision. My wrist came down on the wiring and scraped a huge piece of skin off. Miraculously, no blood. Treatment: Keep playing until something else happens to offset the pain. Maybe antibiotic ointment later.
Jammed Thumb
October 15th, 2005
Cause: Taking out some aggression playing basketball. I was doing a behind-the-back dribble and when I tried to grab the ball, my thumb jammed into my other hand. I had to quit playing basketball that evening. I re-jammed it a few days later; and I re-jammed it today, but not as bad. Treatment: Keep pulling it out and pushing it back in. Ice it maybe. Play with pain, definitely.
Long-Awaited Fall
July 24th, 2005
I have never fallen inside at the animal hospital, but now I have. When you fall for the first time someplace, you usually fall hard and so I did. I fell on July 11th. I apologize for the delay in posting this injury, but I've been rather busy. I was cleaning cat cages in the cat ward. For anyone who has seen our cat ward, the quarters are tight. I was trying to get by an open cage when my shoelace caught in one of the cage doors. I tried moving my foot out of it and started losing my balance. I was holding a squeegee in one hand and with my free hand I reached out for something to hold on. I grabbed ahold of a faucet. The faucet just bent and I went plummeting to the floor. It was weird, I felt like I was moving in slow mo. I saw the cages turn side ways and I felt my body spin. Then bang, I was on the floor. My left pinky suffered a severe gash. My right arm had a huge laceration from the faucet. My lower-lumbar back had an abrasion which was incredibly sore. I took my mangled body into the back and asked someone if they could see bone on my pinky, they said, "No, that's cartilage." That didn't make me feel any better. I washed everything out good and put antibiotic ointment on. I went back to work. One of the managers advised me to get an updated Tetanus shot. So I did after work. First time I filed worker's compensation. I waited forever for that stupid shot. The next few days were not only painful because of the injuries, but because it felt like someone punched me in the arm (Tetanus booster). Lesson: Take your time and be careful!
Achilles Tendonitis
July 4th, 2005
Cause: Improper footwear, stretching, running and training. Occured last week wednesday. I was walking dogs for a second time around noon and my ankle felt extraordinarily weird. I assumed my boots were the culprit but they were not. It got worse throughout the day. I played basketball later that evening and I could barely move. I went online and read up on possible diagnoses. I asked our marathon running veterinarian. She said stay off it for a week. I decided to cut out on my race on July 2nd. I talked to Larry today, an ER doctor. He confirmed the online diagnosis I found. He said stay off it for 2 weeks, no basketball for a month. This was a heart-breaker, middle of summer and no basketball. This is torture. We will see how it goes. Treatment: RICE. Rest, ice, compression, elevate. Aleve. Time is my ankle's best friend, but I'm impatient. :)
Injured Ankle
July 2nd, 2005
Cause: Unknown. I went running on tuesday. I ran six miles pretty hard. I did some unregular stretching at the end. The next day I walked dogs. Around noon my ankle really started to hurt. It continued to get worse and worse. It felt like someone was jabbing a spear through my achilles tendon. I believe I damaged some tendons and there was consequent inflammation impairing my walking/running. Consequence: Dropping out of Afton Trail Run 25K. Suggested Treatment: Ice, Anti-inflammatory's (Aleve). I've taken one Aleve (I hate medication) but I haven't used any ice. The ankle is getting better, but still gets sore late at night. My treatment: Rest. *Crossing fingers that it isn't Achilles Tendonitis*
Bruises, Bites, Scratches
June 15th, 2005
Many different causes to all of these. I have a bruise on my left elbow from banging it into a kennel. I was testing the strength of the kennel infrastructure, it passed. I have a very large scratch on my medial, distal right leg. The cause isn't exactly known, but I was destroying a bush at work. I was kicking it rather forcefully and breaking branches. I think I might have grazed my leg over the top of something sharp. I just found another scratch on my right arm, cause definately unknown. This morning I decided to test the integrity of a wall in kennels with my fist. This left a nice gash on the back of my right pinky, it stings. Last night a cat put three hole punctures into my right palm. I was trying to put a pill into the cat's mouth and it decided to say no and push me away... with it's front paw talons. They also sting. Treatment for all of these include: Watching for, waiting for, fighting against infection.
Hyper-extended Knee
June 7th, 2005
Eye-foot coordination is the culprit of this one.I was taking up some sod at work around an apple tree. The purpose behind this little task was to make other tasks easier. See, we have these three apple trees at our work and they are rather arrogant. They don't like to move very much when you are mowing the lawn and can literally rip you to pieces when you go by them. So, it was a quick yet conscious decision to remove the grass around them and replace it with mulch. Whatever the case, I was throwing my foot at the shovel and I missed. My foot flew in the air and I swear to God my knee was going to snap. It took me a few minutes to get going again but the damage had been done. Treatment: Run it off.
Sunburn
May 25th, 2005
First sunburn of this summer. I was at work mowing the lawn on our new riding lawn mower. I decided that it was a good day to tan. I had my shirt off and was mowing during peak sun time. I put suntan lotion on... by myself. Later that night I looked in the mirror and I have a triangular sunburn on my back, the part of the back I cannot reach. Lesson learned: Have someone else put suntan lotion on. If Jill, Leah or Matt were at work I would've asked them, but none of them were there. And I don't feel comfortable with anyone else over there. So my punishment is: Sunburn.
Sty
April 7th, 2005
This is not really an injury but an annoyance. I have a sty in my eye. Yay for rhyming eh? Wearing contacts proves rather disturbing. I can feel it moving across my eye every time I blink. WebMD says to leave it alone and let it destroy itself. You get the pretty picture. Three days tops, then this short-lived condition will be over. *Hopefully*
Rolled Ankle
March 31st, 2005
My first game of basketball outside this year. Played with an old friend at Edgewater, Tony. Haven't seen him in quite awhile. He was playing with his friend Josh when I arrived. He didn't even recognize me. I was going to go for a run but decided to run after. I set down my stuff and we picked up another player and we played some 21. My first drive, I really rolled my ankle. I fell flat on my chest and slid across the ground. Worst part was, I didn't make my shot. Everyone was like, "Are you alright?" I wasn't but I didn't care about that, I just cared about the shot. I played it off and won the game. I won the following game. I then decided to run Colby lake anyways. I got home, sat for a bit and now it is super sore. I can barely walk. I iced it, put a supportive sock on, and hot-packed it. Not much more I can do. Play With Pain
Rollerblade Ignorance
July 13th, 2004
A small branch from a tree caught between my brake and back wheel on my right rollerblade. I bent over and pulled most of the obstruction out. A tiny leaf was still lodged. Picked up my right blade while skating in order to fix it. Couldn't get it out. Set blade down and tried that way. Finger got caught inbetween wheel and the brake and was pulled into the plastic. A 1/2 cm cut followed with excessive bleeding. Treatment: Bandaid and more ointment. Consulted physician. Read more on the details here.
Rollerblade Accident
July 9th, 2004
Cause: Rollerblades got caught in mud. Did a front flip going about 20 mpH down a hill. Landed on right elbow and right hip. Bounced on the asphalt. Skidded for about eight or so feet on left side. Sustained a large amount of tissue loss to back of left shoulder. Right elbow has a 2 cm gash. Blood everywhere. No cranial damage. Minor scratches to cd player. Treatment: Shower. Ointment to all affected areas. Very painful scrub of all abrasions. Read for gory details here.
Scratch
April 11th, 2003
Trying to take a temperature on a cat in a room. Cat was a freak. Ended up with two scratches and three punctures. Treatment: Betadine and surgical scrub. *Note to self: Owners don't know how to hold their animals...*
Bruise
July 24th, 2002
Playing bb and somebody came down and elbowed me in eye. I could hardly see for about 10 mins because my contact was screwing up my vision. Treatment: Ice pack and don't play with f***ing ***holes like that.
Scratch
July 18th, 2002
Cause: Raspberry Bush. Mowing a lawn and stupidly walked into it. Caution: Berry bushes usually have thorns! Treatment: None.
Scratch
June 28th, 2002
Cause: Dog on table. Holding lateral for a NT. Didn't quite work out. Treatment: Betadine and Surgical Scrub.
Bruise
June 25th, 2002
Cause: 17# digging bar fell on the back of my head. Damage to the cranial cavity above the occipital lobe and the cerebellum. Not to the structures themselves thank god... otherwise I would not be able to see you nonetheless walk towards you. The bump was about an inch in height but after treatment it reduced in swelling. I tested vital functions by driving... Treatment: Ice pack.
Scratch and Bite
June 24th, 2002
In room with a client trying to help. Cat was a freak. Treatment - Surgical scrub and betadine.
Loss Of Skin
June 22nd, 2002
While roofing my g-ma's house I lost skin on my right palm. I was ripping shingles off the house in 90 degree weather and I suppose the heat in combination of me grinding my palm into the butt of the shovel caused the injury to occur. Hurts to be moved. Treatment: Mycitracin
Ganglion Cyst Reoccurence
June 17th, 2002
It has reoccured. Same area. Not as big yet but I'm sure it will get bigger. Treatment: Look Below.
Scratches
June 16th, 2002
Scratched by a young kitty... again in our isolation ward. I was petting it nice and it turned evil. It left me to bleed and to swell up, but I still love KiKi. Treatment - Surgical Scrub and Betadine
Scratches
June 14th, 2002
Scratched by a young kitty in our isolation ward. I was petting it nice and it turned evil. It left me to bleed and to swell up, but I still love KiKi. Treatment - Surgical Scrub and Betadine.
Scratch
May 30th, 2002
Scratched by a young puppy in a exam room. I was helping a technician show an owner how to do a nail trim and the puppy scratched me. I do not think the owner saw, although I was bleeding in visible view. Treatment - Who cares.
Sunburn Again
May 29th, 2002
Very badly this time. Shoulders, arms and whole back. Same cause - Sun and lack of lotion. Treatment - Lots more of Aloe.
Sunburn
May 26th, 2002
Not necessarily an injury. Cause - Sun and lack of lotion. Treatment - Aloe.
Jammed Two Fingers
May 22nd, 2002
Jammed two fingers in my right hand while playing basketball. Also, I believe I hyper-extended my right wrist. Cause - Someone passed the ball and I attempted to steal only resulting in a loud crack coming from my wrist and the ball going out-of-bounds. Treatment - Play with pain.
Ganglion Cyst
April 30th, 2002
A ganglion cyst on the back of left wrist. Measures
about 3/4 of a inch after protrusion. Possible treatments are
aspiration or surgical excision. I prefer latter, hopefully soon.
Occured relatively around the weekend of 4/20 and 4/21. Pictures
available. 1 2 3
Blood Blister
April 16th, 2002
Bitten by a sexist poodle. No pictures are available.
Chronic Radial Head Dislocation
April 15th, 2002
Chronic radial head dislocation of the right arm. ~90% extension, ~85% abduction rotation, 50% adduction rotation.
Time of occurence is actually unknown. Possible cause: Breaking boards. Treatments
include: Severing the radial head and refitting it into the ball and
socket joint of the humerous bone. Risks include possible earlier signs
of arthritis, not much noticable change in extension or rotation and/or
excess pain. Keeping it as is currently. Pictures available. 1 2 3 4 5
Knee Pain
November 15th, 2006
Induced by overuse during the action of running. Suspected conditions include bursitis, tendonitis, and patellofemoral syndrome. Treatment: Ice and NSAIDs. Prevention: Nothing to my knowledge. Evaluate proper running distance and appropriate stage of training by trial exercise, and avoid over-exertion.
Bug Bite
May 17th, 2006
Monday evening I itched my leg, playful and innocent, no harm done. Tuesday, a massive quarter-sized beat-red lesion appeared on my leg. I scantily remember taking a shower and something big and brown falling out of my hair. I think I may have been attacked by my arch-nemesis, the spider. I went to the doctor and received no resolution. "A bug bite," she said. She quickly wrote out a prescription for some antibiotics I could get ahold of all by myself. Treatment - Don't itch it! Take antibotics three times a day. Prevention - Destroy all forms of spiders within visible distance.
Cut on Finger
May 15th, 2006
On an expedition up north, I was able to cause a small bothersome laceration to my right index finger. I guess there is a little story behind it. I caught a 6.5 pound walleye. Reeling him in was quite fun and eventually I got him into the boat. I tried to remove the hook from the inside of his mouth when he closed his mouth on my finger. One of his teeth cut into my finger rather nicely across the tip of my finger. I knew right away because it was painful and bleeding all over the place. Treatment: Wash 'er off with lake water. Prevention: Wear fish armor.
Sunburn
May 8th, 2006
I spent my first real time out in the sun this weekend. I applied suntan lotion sparingly hoping I could inherit a suntan. Instead, I inherited a sunburn, mostly where I put little suntan lotion if any at all. The locations vary considerably, but I was burnt the worst under my right arm and down my right side. Additional locations include around my waist above my shorts, my arms, and my legs on the side that was facing the sun. Rather painful upon sleeping and playing basketball in the lane. Treatment - Apply Aloe. Preventative - Use adequate and uniform amount of suntan lotion on body. If it can't be reached, ask for help.
Bruise
May 4th, 2006
Per Richard's request, I am updating this injury to the database. I went over to my grandparent's house this afternoon to take my grandpa's lawnmower out of his trunk. I went over for moral support also :) Later I was rearranging some things in his shed when I lost my balance. I was lifting a 50 pound bag of bird seed into a corner when my left foot caught on a cultivator. Life slowed down to slow motion as I gently twisted to my right. My shoulder easily landed on the box holding the ice auger. The box slide on the two 2x4's holding it up in the air as my 5/6th rib came down upon one of them. My grandpa watched as things started falling down on me. I wasn't about to show any pain so I slowly got out of the corner and moved the bag despite the pain in my side. I'll live. Treatment - None.
Joint Sprain
February 15th, 2006
I played basketball tonight. I wasn't really playing, I was trying to get into the groove for tomorrow night. Someone tossed a bad pass and I tried to grab it. I reached out and smacked it away but not before hyper-extending my right ring finger. I sprained the proximal inter-phalangeal joint... bad. After it happened, it ballooned up. I kept playing but after I took one three, I knew I was done. I could barely move it. I got someone to sub in for me and I left. Treatment: Ice it and anti-inflammatory medication (Aleve, 2 tablets twice daily).
Cramp
February 10th, 2006
I had a cramp or I guess you could have called it a charley-horse. It was the worst pain I've felt in some time, besides heart-break. I went running a few days ago. It had been a long time since I ran, so my muscles really were strung up. I was just laying peacefully on my bed last night when I felt my calf (gastrocnemius) muscle tightening up on me. I did what I always do, adjust my leg to counteract the tension... except this time it didn't work. My leg got tighter and tighter until it was unbearable, and then it got tighter still. I screamed at the top of my lungs. It didn't go away. It stayed for a good minute or so. When I couldn't scream anymore I was reduced to tears. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, it went away. I slowly got out of bed and I could barely walk. Treatment - Take it easy.
Hematoma
January 9th, 2006
I am notorious for my speed while playing basketball. I catch people when they are lazy with the ball. They usually have their back to me and I will stealthily run behind them and grab it from them. Tonight however, my plan was foiled. As I sped behind a friend of mine, he turned back right into me. His forehead landing perfectly on the zygomatic bone of my skull. For layman, we'll just say under my eye. The blow was quick and strong, I was knocked literally off my feet. I landed on my back and blacked out. I woke up about a second later. Tony helped me to my feet and I continued playing. I knew my face was bleeding but I didn't care. It felt like my upper jaw had shifted about a quarter of an inch to the right. My back two molars and premolars felt like they were gonna fall out. Oh, and it was painful. I played for another hour and a half and finally left. I took one look in the mirror at my house and shook my head. It looked like someone had taken a swing at me, and didn't miss. Oh well, I could get some good stories out of this. Treatment: Ice it. Therapy: Play with pain. I'll make up for it tomorrow at adult pick-up :)
Pulled Groin Muscle
November 24th, 2005
There is a muscle in your groin called the rectus muscle. I was playing basketball tuesday night and I pulled this muscle. We were running full court when my teammate threw a wild pass. Spinning a 180 to my left in the air saved the ball, but put me in immense pain. I played out the game which we won and stretched afterwards. No good. I played the next game but my mobility decreased steadily. I could barely walk after the game was done. I went home and iced the area. The pain was difficult to describe. I had my neighbor (who is an ER doctor) come over and diagnose me. The only other differential is an inguinal hernia, which would require a trip to the doctor or an uncomfortable visit from my neighbor. Treatment: Take it easy, 2 Aleve twice daily, don't stretch.
Scratches
November 21st, 2005
I was holding a very large cat for a blood draw. The cat did not want to cooperate and scratched me on my inner elbow and my left ring finger. The cat had claws like daggers. I was bleeding all over the place while we struggled to get the blood. The scratch on my ring finger is especially painful because it is across one of my knuckles. The next day I got scratched by an overweight basset hound. He had nice blunt nails and scratched my left bicep in two places. I don't know what is worse, sharp or dull nails, but they hurt. Treated them with some antibiotic ointment which supposedly takes the sting away. Supposedly. No work limitations. You know you are a honorable employee when more of your blood is on the animal than the animal's own blood.
Basketball Injuries
November 1st, 2005
Yes, more of these. First someone scratched me on my wrist. It looks like a poor attempt I made to slash my wrists. Treatment: Leave it be. On a more conclusive note, I re-jammed my left thumb. There is nothing that can describe the pain I felt. Almost twice as worse as a couple weeks ago. The swelling could be described as... gigantic. It is almost three times the size of my other thumb, just imagine that. I think I will be done for two or three weeks again. Very disappointing. I kept playing though, you just can't stop unless someone needs an ambulance. I'm just upset that I can't play the guitar now. :( Treatment: Take it easy, with an ice pack. Physical therapy: Thumb wars.
Skin Scrape
October 15th, 2005
Cause: Chasing a ball towards a fence. Lost the race. Ended up grabbing the fence and jumping up it to avoid a collision. My wrist came down on the wiring and scraped a huge piece of skin off. Miraculously, no blood. Treatment: Keep playing until something else happens to offset the pain. Maybe antibiotic ointment later.
Jammed Thumb
October 15th, 2005
Cause: Taking out some aggression playing basketball. I was doing a behind-the-back dribble and when I tried to grab the ball, my thumb jammed into my other hand. I had to quit playing basketball that evening. I re-jammed it a few days later; and I re-jammed it today, but not as bad. Treatment: Keep pulling it out and pushing it back in. Ice it maybe. Play with pain, definitely.
Long-Awaited Fall
July 24th, 2005
I have never fallen inside at the animal hospital, but now I have. When you fall for the first time someplace, you usually fall hard and so I did. I fell on July 11th. I apologize for the delay in posting this injury, but I've been rather busy. I was cleaning cat cages in the cat ward. For anyone who has seen our cat ward, the quarters are tight. I was trying to get by an open cage when my shoelace caught in one of the cage doors. I tried moving my foot out of it and started losing my balance. I was holding a squeegee in one hand and with my free hand I reached out for something to hold on. I grabbed ahold of a faucet. The faucet just bent and I went plummeting to the floor. It was weird, I felt like I was moving in slow mo. I saw the cages turn side ways and I felt my body spin. Then bang, I was on the floor. My left pinky suffered a severe gash. My right arm had a huge laceration from the faucet. My lower-lumbar back had an abrasion which was incredibly sore. I took my mangled body into the back and asked someone if they could see bone on my pinky, they said, "No, that's cartilage." That didn't make me feel any better. I washed everything out good and put antibiotic ointment on. I went back to work. One of the managers advised me to get an updated Tetanus shot. So I did after work. First time I filed worker's compensation. I waited forever for that stupid shot. The next few days were not only painful because of the injuries, but because it felt like someone punched me in the arm (Tetanus booster). Lesson: Take your time and be careful!
Achilles Tendonitis
July 4th, 2005
Cause: Improper footwear, stretching, running and training. Occured last week wednesday. I was walking dogs for a second time around noon and my ankle felt extraordinarily weird. I assumed my boots were the culprit but they were not. It got worse throughout the day. I played basketball later that evening and I could barely move. I went online and read up on possible diagnoses. I asked our marathon running veterinarian. She said stay off it for a week. I decided to cut out on my race on July 2nd. I talked to Larry today, an ER doctor. He confirmed the online diagnosis I found. He said stay off it for 2 weeks, no basketball for a month. This was a heart-breaker, middle of summer and no basketball. This is torture. We will see how it goes. Treatment: RICE. Rest, ice, compression, elevate. Aleve. Time is my ankle's best friend, but I'm impatient. :)
Injured Ankle
July 2nd, 2005
Cause: Unknown. I went running on tuesday. I ran six miles pretty hard. I did some unregular stretching at the end. The next day I walked dogs. Around noon my ankle really started to hurt. It continued to get worse and worse. It felt like someone was jabbing a spear through my achilles tendon. I believe I damaged some tendons and there was consequent inflammation impairing my walking/running. Consequence: Dropping out of Afton Trail Run 25K. Suggested Treatment: Ice, Anti-inflammatory's (Aleve). I've taken one Aleve (I hate medication) but I haven't used any ice. The ankle is getting better, but still gets sore late at night. My treatment: Rest. *Crossing fingers that it isn't Achilles Tendonitis*
Bruises, Bites, Scratches
June 15th, 2005
Many different causes to all of these. I have a bruise on my left elbow from banging it into a kennel. I was testing the strength of the kennel infrastructure, it passed. I have a very large scratch on my medial, distal right leg. The cause isn't exactly known, but I was destroying a bush at work. I was kicking it rather forcefully and breaking branches. I think I might have grazed my leg over the top of something sharp. I just found another scratch on my right arm, cause definately unknown. This morning I decided to test the integrity of a wall in kennels with my fist. This left a nice gash on the back of my right pinky, it stings. Last night a cat put three hole punctures into my right palm. I was trying to put a pill into the cat's mouth and it decided to say no and push me away... with it's front paw talons. They also sting. Treatment for all of these include: Watching for, waiting for, fighting against infection.
Hyper-extended Knee
June 7th, 2005
Eye-foot coordination is the culprit of this one.I was taking up some sod at work around an apple tree. The purpose behind this little task was to make other tasks easier. See, we have these three apple trees at our work and they are rather arrogant. They don't like to move very much when you are mowing the lawn and can literally rip you to pieces when you go by them. So, it was a quick yet conscious decision to remove the grass around them and replace it with mulch. Whatever the case, I was throwing my foot at the shovel and I missed. My foot flew in the air and I swear to God my knee was going to snap. It took me a few minutes to get going again but the damage had been done. Treatment: Run it off.
Sunburn
May 25th, 2005
First sunburn of this summer. I was at work mowing the lawn on our new riding lawn mower. I decided that it was a good day to tan. I had my shirt off and was mowing during peak sun time. I put suntan lotion on... by myself. Later that night I looked in the mirror and I have a triangular sunburn on my back, the part of the back I cannot reach. Lesson learned: Have someone else put suntan lotion on. If Jill, Leah or Matt were at work I would've asked them, but none of them were there. And I don't feel comfortable with anyone else over there. So my punishment is: Sunburn.
Sty
April 7th, 2005
This is not really an injury but an annoyance. I have a sty in my eye. Yay for rhyming eh? Wearing contacts proves rather disturbing. I can feel it moving across my eye every time I blink. WebMD says to leave it alone and let it destroy itself. You get the pretty picture. Three days tops, then this short-lived condition will be over. *Hopefully*
Rolled Ankle
March 31st, 2005
My first game of basketball outside this year. Played with an old friend at Edgewater, Tony. Haven't seen him in quite awhile. He was playing with his friend Josh when I arrived. He didn't even recognize me. I was going to go for a run but decided to run after. I set down my stuff and we picked up another player and we played some 21. My first drive, I really rolled my ankle. I fell flat on my chest and slid across the ground. Worst part was, I didn't make my shot. Everyone was like, "Are you alright?" I wasn't but I didn't care about that, I just cared about the shot. I played it off and won the game. I won the following game. I then decided to run Colby lake anyways. I got home, sat for a bit and now it is super sore. I can barely walk. I iced it, put a supportive sock on, and hot-packed it. Not much more I can do. Play With Pain
Rollerblade Ignorance
July 13th, 2004
A small branch from a tree caught between my brake and back wheel on my right rollerblade. I bent over and pulled most of the obstruction out. A tiny leaf was still lodged. Picked up my right blade while skating in order to fix it. Couldn't get it out. Set blade down and tried that way. Finger got caught inbetween wheel and the brake and was pulled into the plastic. A 1/2 cm cut followed with excessive bleeding. Treatment: Bandaid and more ointment. Consulted physician. Read more on the details here.
Rollerblade Accident
July 9th, 2004
Cause: Rollerblades got caught in mud. Did a front flip going about 20 mpH down a hill. Landed on right elbow and right hip. Bounced on the asphalt. Skidded for about eight or so feet on left side. Sustained a large amount of tissue loss to back of left shoulder. Right elbow has a 2 cm gash. Blood everywhere. No cranial damage. Minor scratches to cd player. Treatment: Shower. Ointment to all affected areas. Very painful scrub of all abrasions. Read for gory details here.
Scratch
April 11th, 2003
Trying to take a temperature on a cat in a room. Cat was a freak. Ended up with two scratches and three punctures. Treatment: Betadine and surgical scrub. *Note to self: Owners don't know how to hold their animals...*
Bruise
July 24th, 2002
Playing bb and somebody came down and elbowed me in eye. I could hardly see for about 10 mins because my contact was screwing up my vision. Treatment: Ice pack and don't play with f***ing ***holes like that.
Scratch
July 18th, 2002
Cause: Raspberry Bush. Mowing a lawn and stupidly walked into it. Caution: Berry bushes usually have thorns! Treatment: None.
Scratch
June 28th, 2002
Cause: Dog on table. Holding lateral for a NT. Didn't quite work out. Treatment: Betadine and Surgical Scrub.
Bruise
June 25th, 2002
Cause: 17# digging bar fell on the back of my head. Damage to the cranial cavity above the occipital lobe and the cerebellum. Not to the structures themselves thank god... otherwise I would not be able to see you nonetheless walk towards you. The bump was about an inch in height but after treatment it reduced in swelling. I tested vital functions by driving... Treatment: Ice pack.
Scratch and Bite
June 24th, 2002
In room with a client trying to help. Cat was a freak. Treatment - Surgical scrub and betadine.
Loss Of Skin
June 22nd, 2002
While roofing my g-ma's house I lost skin on my right palm. I was ripping shingles off the house in 90 degree weather and I suppose the heat in combination of me grinding my palm into the butt of the shovel caused the injury to occur. Hurts to be moved. Treatment: Mycitracin
Ganglion Cyst Reoccurence
June 17th, 2002
It has reoccured. Same area. Not as big yet but I'm sure it will get bigger. Treatment: Look Below.
Scratches
June 16th, 2002
Scratched by a young kitty... again in our isolation ward. I was petting it nice and it turned evil. It left me to bleed and to swell up, but I still love KiKi. Treatment - Surgical Scrub and Betadine
Scratches
June 14th, 2002
Scratched by a young kitty in our isolation ward. I was petting it nice and it turned evil. It left me to bleed and to swell up, but I still love KiKi. Treatment - Surgical Scrub and Betadine.
Scratch
May 30th, 2002
Scratched by a young puppy in a exam room. I was helping a technician show an owner how to do a nail trim and the puppy scratched me. I do not think the owner saw, although I was bleeding in visible view. Treatment - Who cares.
Sunburn Again
May 29th, 2002
Very badly this time. Shoulders, arms and whole back. Same cause - Sun and lack of lotion. Treatment - Lots more of Aloe.
Sunburn
May 26th, 2002
Not necessarily an injury. Cause - Sun and lack of lotion. Treatment - Aloe.
Jammed Two Fingers
May 22nd, 2002
Jammed two fingers in my right hand while playing basketball. Also, I believe I hyper-extended my right wrist. Cause - Someone passed the ball and I attempted to steal only resulting in a loud crack coming from my wrist and the ball going out-of-bounds. Treatment - Play with pain.
Ganglion Cyst
April 30th, 2002
A ganglion cyst on the back of left wrist. Measures about 3/4 of a inch after protrusion. Possible treatments are aspiration or surgical excision. I prefer latter, hopefully soon. Occured relatively around the weekend of 4/20 and 4/21. Pictures available. 1 2 3
Blood Blister
April 16th, 2002
Bitten by a sexist poodle. No pictures are available.
Chronic Radial Head Dislocation
April 15th, 2002
Chronic radial head dislocation of the right arm. ~90% extension, ~85% abduction rotation, 50% adduction rotation. Time of occurence is actually unknown. Possible cause: Breaking boards. Treatments include: Severing the radial head and refitting it into the ball and socket joint of the humerous bone. Risks include possible earlier signs of arthritis, not much noticable change in extension or rotation and/or excess pain. Keeping it as is currently. Pictures available. 1 2 3 4 5
