"Getting rid of everything that doesn’t matter allows you to remember who you are. Simplicity doesn’t change who you are, it brings you back to who you are."

Wednesday, September 3, 2014

The More You Know...

This public service announcement is brought to you by Ding-Bat Tami who somehow managed to grab ahold of a pair of long handled loppers (who know, for trimming branches and stuff) from the back of the pick up as SM drove away and managed to stick the sharp end of stick into her leg.

Oooooooo.....

I was pretty impressed as it didn't hurt and hardly bled and other than noting the nice clean edge (a scalpel couldn't have done a better job) it wasn't worth going in for stitches, cleaned it up and went about my business.

The word tetanus strolled through my mind but SM pointed out that those shots are good for 10 years or so.

So fast forward to Tuesday as we're all telling war stories of the long Labor Day weekend and I mentioned my war wound when one of my co-workers who is heading to Ecuador in a few weeks (and so has suffered upteen travel vaccinations) said she thought I'd better roll it by my Dr as it was a "deeper wound." 

Glad she mentioned it.  I spoke to the nurse who put me on hold and came back on with a "Yep...we need to see you."

So this afternoon I left work early for my "booster" tetanus shot.  Turns out that the rule is "Puncture wounds or lacerations need to be within 5 Years."  We estimated that my last shot was likely in the neighborhood of 7-8 yrs.

"So am I gonna die since it's been 3 days since I got stabbed?"  I asked my Doc before she left.   

(I am not without my own kind of drama.)

"Nah.  Not today.  Now if you end up in a car wreck tomorrow..."  She ventured.

"A distinct possibility what with driving into Charlotte day after day."  I finished for her.

So there.

Now you know.



Go get your tetanus shot.

3 comments:

  1. Lol! I know how you feel, I tried to get at least one friend or neighbor to tell me I didn't need a shot after stepping on a nail last summer! No such luck, I had to go get one! Hope yours is healing nicely!

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  2. I can't even remember the last time I had one. And funny thing is, every year when I go in for a checkup, the doctor never mentions it. Guess it's up to me! Glad you are covered.

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  3. Ooo! Ow! Ouch! Isn't it weird the way we can wound ourselves without even trying? Place me in the category of not being up-to-date on tetanus shots. Both times I've had one, I had an unpleasant reaction (whole arm swelled up so much I couldn't type with fingers on that arm/hand) so I've avoided them in the past many years. Here's hoping your "war wound" heals quickly.

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