I’ve had a bit of an amusing Saturday afternoon. Well, amusing in hindsight, at least. Have been reminded of my very pithy first-aid skills, but as I sit here by my little fireplace with a purring cat and music in the speakers, well, perhaps I’m also reminded that life isn’t so bad.. “If this is hardship, life is ok..”

Anyway, earlier today when I was making lunch (“Sauerkraut”, yum), slow-cooking in a big pot – well, I lifted the lid a little to look inside and, predictably you’d think (I’m not so great with cooking haha) steam escaped from the gap and burnt my fingers. Fine. I know what to do, it wasn’t such a bad burn, just run it under a tap for a while.

A few minutes later the burn hurt, so got some ice cubes out and wrapped them in a teatowel around my fingers. Still fine, you know? I’ve done this many times before.

Well then it didn’t get better, and while I was working afterwards, playing with the kids, building lego or whatever, I kept refilling my icecubes when they melted, for that little relief, but as soon as they were gone and it wasn’t icy cold anymore, it ached, a lot — and worryingly there were a little row of bubbles on my right forefinger. I was a little concerned about that, never seen THAT before. Ouch. So, this must be a worse burn. I kept running my finger in cold water; kept refilling the ice cubes in my towel- on my walk I dipped my fingers in the snow- anything for relief, you know?

If you know anything about first aid, you’re probably laughing. It wasn’t helping, if anything it was worse, the bubbles looked bigger, aahh! What do you do? Well, google it, of course. And lo and behold, google tells me: initally, run your burn in cold water. After that, despite the pleasant feeling it may give, do not apply ice or ice water – it makes it worse.

Fantastic!

Instead, soothing gel and gauze bandage on top. So then I wandered around the kitchen making pancakes (home alone, haha) with my bandaged fingers awkwardly spread in some permanent ‘peace’ sign, singing very loudly swedish pop and generally laughing at myself– next time maybe I’ll google first?

Oh well. You live, you learn, and all that. At least it was my own fingers I’m experimenting on, and not anyone else’s! Now, I have my little fire, and a gorgeous purring cat in my lap, and so maybe it doesn’t matter much that I’m typing with eight fingers.

Hoping all your fingers are happy!
Jess

This post was deigned to fit best into the category "Living" and went live on the 31st January, 2010 at 6:20 am