Don't do this at home!!

kathryn

kathryn

Cathlete
Yesterday was the first day I haven't worked out (at least a wee bit! like 3 sets of 20 crunches or 10 minutes of stretch) since December 1. But there's a good (though somewhat embarassing) reason.

I was going to watch a bit of TV before working out, so I plopped down on the sofa, heard and felt a "pop" or "snap" under my right leg, which I thought was a pencil or pen breaking, so I lifted my leg up, and saw a pencil....STICKING OUT OF MY LEG! I pulled it out--intact: it has been in me about 3" (think "movie where someone pulls an arrow out of self", it was a rather surrealistic moment). I washed it off, called the doctor, then headed out there to get it thoroughly washed, then probed by the doctor (I've been probed!) then get a tetanus booster, a pressure bandage on the wound, a scrip for antibiotics, and some Aleve (just in case, I didn't think I'd take it, because my pain tolerance seems pretty high--maybe being poked in about the same area with long acupuncture needles for the last year or so has something to do with that--but it ended up hurting bad enough to convince me to take one dosage before bed!).

While the doc was probing, he said there was a bit of tissue that had come out (I thought I'd seen something, but couldn't investigate too easily on my own.) It was fatty tissue, so that's better, IMO, than something more useful!

Feels much better today, and I can take off the pressure bandage and take a shower, and get rechecked tomorrow.

It's just not a particularly 'exotic' injury (despite the "probing"), although the pencil WAS a colored art pencil (and survived the encounter with no damage!).

I don't know how long I'll have to take it easy, but it seems like from what the doctor and nurse said that it will heal on its own pretty quickly. I'm just concerned about flexing or stretching the muscle and how that might reopen the wound (or hurt like @!#*#!).

I hate to ask this, but has anyone had a simliar injury (a puncture wound to the leg muscle---pencil not necessary!). How long did it take to heal up?

ANd please, feel free to post about your "stupid injuries and wounds" so I won't feel like such a doufus (who can't even spell that word, probably!).

x(
 
I don't have experience with puncture wounds but just wanted to say that I hope you heal quickly!! And by the way, what a strange and amazing story! The pencil must have been pretty sharp to penetrate that deep!

As far as stupid injuries, I've had many. The latest one included me trying to pick up my cat while he was chasing another cat(REAL smart idea). Once I got him he turned on me and my face! The right side of my face was COVERED with major cat scratches. He barely missed my eye! It truly looked like I had been in a fight with a tiger or something. It looked just awful! But after 2 weeks or so, it was totally gone.

Carolyn
 
Wow, Kathryn! That does sound rather surreal. I can only imagine.

I haven't had any puncture wounds. I'm good at the barbed wire sort, however. My stupid injury (one of them) happened when I was a stupid teen. Mad at my parents for some stupid reason... left the house at night and ran across the field - straight into a 5-strand barbed wire fence. I still have some very nice scars across both thighs from that little escapade. They were livid and purple scars for several months which tended to attact some unplesant attention!

Moral of this story: If you're going to run away at night, bring a flash light.
 
Ouch! My DS once sat on a toothpick that got stuck in his butt. I'm sure it hurt, but it sure was hard not to laugh. Not that I'm laughing at you, Kathryn. Although the telling of the tale was rather entertaining. Fast healing! You were due for a rest anyway. You couldn't read the writing on the wall (because the pencil was stuck in your leg.)
 
OMG Kathryn, I'm cringing beyond belief just reading your post. I hope you heal quickly. When I was three I fell on a nail and had to have it removed from my stomach. I don't remember the incident, but I still have a scar by my belly button. Not quite the same as what you've been through, but it's my only puncture wound.

Take care,
Sandra
 
I was sitting on the floor one day playing with a puppy when I felt something painful in my calf muscle. I couldn't see anything so I just ignored it. A few days later my leg become huge with swelling and redness. I went to the doctor who ordered an xray. There was some pin-like object imbedded deep in my leg muscle. It turned out to be a sewing needle--1/2 of a needle, that is. It must heve been buried in the nap of the carpet. It required minor surgery to remove it but it healed very quickly. I hope your wound heals quickly, too;).

Michele:)
 
> The pencil must have been pretty
>sharp to penetrate that deep!
>
Actually, it wasn't! In fact, the end was rounded off, because I'd used it to color some things. Gotta say, whatever brand color pencil that was (a lovely robin's egg blue, by the way!), it's hard as @#(%R! That's why I though the " pop" or " crack" sound I heard was a pencil breaking. That's what a normal pencil would do!
 
Good lord, Kathryn! That's like something out of "Young Frankenstein." :) I'm so sorry about this. I hope you feel better soon!!

Marie
 
OK! You made my stomach feel like it was on a roller coaster ride. In fact, I'm a bit nauseous now!:eek:

Here's one of my stupid injuries: One day at work, I was working on a patient but I had to go to the bathroom - REALLY BAD! so as soon as I finished I ran into the bathroom and slammed the door on my own finger. Then, we had to take x-rays just to be sure I didn't break it. It was really hard to clean people's teeth for a few days because my finger was so sore!

Anyway, hope you're feeling better.
 
>You were due for a
>rest anyway. You couldn't read the writing on the wall
>(because the pencil was stuck in your leg.)

ROFL!!!!!:):):):):):):) That's histerical!!!!!
 
OUCH, Kathryn. I don't know what else to say! Hope it heals w/o any problems.

No puncture wounds, but I'll share stupid story.

You know the cartoons & comedies where people step on the end of a shovel & are smacked in the forehead with great force by the handle?
Yep, done that.
 
Kathryn,

I think you've given the boards a collective gasp! How awful! Maybe a site or message board that caters to ice skaters or machine shop employees would have some information on dealing with a puncture wound (another gasp!).

My dumb story: I once got a large ice cube firmly lodged right over my air passage. I was paralyzed, on all fours, trying to get up to get to some hot water! Luckily, the cube melted enough in my few moments of panic to dislodge. If I were a writer of mystery stories, an ice cube would be something I'd use in the perfect murder...

Hope you heal well,
Paula
 
Oh Kathryn!

I had a puppy when I was about 12 years old who decided to swallow a small rubber ball whole (gosh, they eat anything). Anyway...he was in a bad mood the rest of the day. I decided I wanted to tease this grumpy puppy by taking his bone away and throwing it (mean dumb kid that I was) and he retaliated by biting me right on my face. I am still missing hair on one of my eyebrows from it. My ego was wounded, I had a few stitches and I learned to stay away from grumpy puppies that swallow rubber balls;).

I do hope you heal real fast!!

Robin:)
 
Not really a punchure wound, but I had surgery on my knee a few years ago and thye cut a lot of small slits into my leg that went all the way down to the bone. They healed the fastes of all of my lovely little cuts. I had one long cut, it took longer. But anyway, I would say it took just a couple of weeks for me to be back on my feet. Then maybe another 2 weeks after that to start to do things again like steps up onto the step to start the strngth building again. So, I'd guess that you should be ready to go. Just start out slowly and see how it feels, then work your way up to your regular routine.

Kathy
 
uh...wow....and how? you sat on a couch and got the pencil in your leg? like you calf? where was the pencil? i just can't picture this in my head...owie...
maddie
 
Kathryn I hope your feel better
soon.

When I was a freshman in high school, I
gave myself the biggest hickie ever.
I was watching television and drinking tea.
As I finished the tea, I started sucking on the glass
and holding it like that for quite a few minutes
not paying attention. It left a big round purple
circle around my mouth. I looked like
Droopy. The worst part was that although
I stayed home for two days, the purple circle
around my mouth did not go away completeley for
a whole week. I sure never did that again.


Kathy
 
Kathryn, I got a 'yucky' feeling reading your post, I just couldn't imagine pulling a pencil out of my leg! OUCH!

Mine is like Kathy's. I was playing with one of those basketball hoops that you attach to a window with 2 suction cups. For whatever reason, I stuck one of the suction cups to my forehead. Well, the more my family laughed at me, the more I did it. The next day I woke up and had a big round hickey on my forehead...stayed there for several days too! LOL

Gayle
 
oooooooooooooo, Kathyn, I am so sorry! I haven't had a pencil poke, but I did have a needle go all the way through my hand (don't ask, REALLY stupid!) and it healed up in a matter of days. I don't think it will take that long, though. I hope that you feel better soon! :)

Missy
 
Let's see Kathryn, one time I was doing aerobics on the carpet and ended up with half a sewing needle in my toe, which I didn't know was there for a week or so except my toe starting hurting more and more. Xray and minor surgery fixed that! (High five Michele for same thing.)

On my honeymoon, on the way into our room from the patio, dripping wet and naked from the hot tub, I walked straight into the sliding glass door with my head. Bonk.

;-)

Bella
 
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