Warning: Do not be an idiot with knives!

Can I tell you what an idiot I am? This is so stupid you won't even believe it! Back in December, I had an accident in the kitchen. On Sunday, December 18, I was preparing this absolutely delicious meal of fajitas with all the trimmings. I had planned this wonderful dinner since my brother-in-law and his wife and son were visiting from Japan and I also planned to take leftovers for a friend who had recently had a baby.

So the girls are having a snack at our kids' table in the kitchen and my husband it outside grilling the meat. While everyone is occupied, I decided to make my homemade guacamole. I cut the avocado in half...now this is the stupid part...I then hold the half with the pit IN MY LEFT HAND and tightly grasped a steak knife in my right hand. Then I proceeded to STAB the pit, but while my hand was in motion, the avocado slipped...gasp... The knife instead went into my hand at the base of my middle finger and was stopped by bone. I screamed like I never screamed before...not from pain, but from the realization of what I did. I started cursing like a sailor, stuck my hand under running water and yelled for my husband. My finger immediately went numb and I kind of was in shock. My level-headed husband wrapped my hand in a clean kitchen towel and had me hold my hand up in the air. Meanwhile, the girls are completely unfazed, thank God...they just continued eating their pretzels. I was going to drive myself to the ER, but we called a neighbor who came over till my husband's family could come (his brother-in-law and family who were visiting relatives elsewhere). So my husband drove me to the ER, he is my rock, let me tell you! I knew it was bad.

The following is excerpts from my complaint letter to the hospital:
"After we arrived at the hospital, and I was called back, I told the triage nurse the details of my accident. I told her I accidentally cut/stabbed my hand at the base of my middle finger of my left hand while trying to get the pit of an avocado out. I told her it was very deep, the knife hit my bone and my finger went numb. She had me bend my finger, I was able to touch my palm while bending my middle joint.

Then I was brought to a bed to wait for the doctor. Dr. S examined my injury and after my wound was cleaned, he injected a local anesthetic and put 2 stitches in to close the wound. A nurse put ointment over the wound and a band aid. I complained to the doctor that my finger was numb; he touched it and asked if I could feel that. I told him I could feel pressure, but it was numb as if it had fallen asleep, he said it would be fine. Dr. S told me to have the stitches taken out after 7-10 days and he even gave my husband the scissors and tweezers so we could take the stitches out ourselves. The discharge paperwork advised me to have my stitches taken out after 7-10 days.

That night and the next day, I notice I was not able to bend the tip of my middle finger and my finger was still numb. I was able to see my primary care physician, Dr. J, on December 20th. She got me an appointment with an orthopedist with M Orthopedists on Thursday, December 22nd. I saw Dr. W, who told me a tendon was cut, as well as a nerve. She then proceeded to get me an appointment the same day with a hand specialist, Dr. S, who ended up performing surgery on my hand on Friday, December 23rd. He repaired 2 flexor tendons and a nerve in my left hand. One tendon was partially cut the other tendon was completely severed, as well as, the nerve.

The ER doctor should have called the orthopedist on call to look at my injuries and a splint should have been placed on my hand/wrist to prevent the tendon from retracting too far down my hand. At the very least, he should have advised me to see my primary care physician the very next day which he did not. He was very nonchalant about the whole deal. I know that it was not a life threatening injury, but my expectation when going to SR Medical Center was to receive a more thorough and more knowledgeable exam.

If not for a chance visit with a friend’s husband, who had a similar injury in the past, and his advice to see a specialist to determine nerve and/or tendon damage, I may not have full use of my finger and/or hand at this time and still do not know if I ever will. I am undergoing weekly physical therapy after my surgery and may face another surgery to remove scar tissue. Again, if not for luck, it would probably be too late to have any chance of regaining full use of my finger/hand."

It's been 8 weeks since surgery, I've been going to physical therapy for the last 6 weeks. I have only been allowed to use my left hand/arm in the last 2 weeks, life has been hard taking care of 2 kids and my husband while being one-handed, but it's getting better.