Mr. Christian Bill
September 30th, 2009“Mr. Sluggo Needs Your Help With the Scenery!”
Can I tell you what a delight my leg injury has been?
On Sunday, I went to my church to help dismantle a set. I was in the way the whole time, and I achieved nothing. But someone managed to drop a set on me from behind, removing a whole lot of skin from my ankle and leaving a marvelous 3″-square raspberry on my lower back.
I began treating the ankle by hosing it with Bactine once a day and then applying gauze and soft tape. Let me say right now that I’d like to punch the ad guy who made up the lie about Bactine not stinging. It’s like pouring hot sauce and lemon juice on the wound. Before doing these things, I washed it in the shower with a washcloth. That was pretty awful, but not as bad as the Bactine.
I started smearing it with Neosporin before taping it up. I developed some soreness, so I thought it might be getting infected. Now I’m changing the dressing twice a day, and I’m starting each change by rubbing the wound with alcohol, to clean the crap off. WOW does that open your eyes. First that, then the horrible Bactine, then Neosporin.
I have to keep up with this thing, or it will take forever to heal. Guess I better hit the drugstore and get supplies.
Don’t let anybody drop anything on you. Spare yourself this misery. I can’t even imagine what a big area of road rash would be like. This is the same sort of thing, but it’s only a few square inches.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:30 PM
Healing prayers are for this kind of stuff too.
September 30th, 2009 at 9:30 PM
Bactine? Are you serious? My kids don’t bat an eye at that stuff.
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Suck it up, buttercup.
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As for alcohol… It’s what I use for aftershave. A lot cheaper and not as offensive as Aqua Velva.
September 30th, 2009 at 10:02 PM
What if you were to apply some of that stuff that they use for sore gums? It’s a topical ointment called “Numzit” or some damn thing.
Put that stuff on first to deaden the area and then spray the Bactine.
Worth a try.
September 30th, 2009 at 11:14 PM
A large area of road rash sucks. Like a Hoover on steroids hooked to a generator.
Alcohol? Geez, guy! Take off the old bandage and use soap and water; it’ll get the old crap off with a lot less pain. And the antibiotic you use with the new bandage should take care of anything trying to sneak in.
October 1st, 2009 at 9:43 AM
“My kids don’t bat an eye at that stuff.”
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It’s like pouring boiling water on my ankle. I used to have the same reaction to Solarcaine.
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All us buttercups scrub our giant wounds with alcohol.
October 1st, 2009 at 10:08 AM
In my 20’s, I radiator cap failed on a overheated car I was standing by and I got showered with boiling radiator fluid…1st, 2nd, and 3rd degree burns over 15% of my body.
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During recovery, I had to scrub out the burns in the shower; I would have screamed, but my lungs were empty after the first “oomph” and I couldn’t seem to breathe in through the pain. Just keep going “oomph, oomph, oomph”…I sounded like Horshack.
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Anyway, I had to use Silvadene Antibiotic Cream to avoid infection of the burns. This stuff is not for open wounds, but if your wounds are closed, it could help with secondary skin infections. It worked pretty well (no infections or scars and I got my normal skin back!) It didn’t sting, in fact it was rather soothing, but YMMV.
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See:
http://www.ehow.com/about_5243107_silvadene-cream.html
October 1st, 2009 at 11:08 AM
Careful with that alcohol — not really for open wounds. It’s so drying it will delay healing. [Same with hydrogen peroxide]
Some of that “icky” fluid is actually good for the wound healing. Maybe check with a doc or a Practical Nurse for some advice? [You had your tetanus shot?]
October 1st, 2009 at 12:23 PM
Silvadene rocks. My daughter burned her hand when she was about 4, touching the exhaust of a motorcycle. 3rd degree burns, and the doctors at the ER said to bandage it up and apply the stuff once a day, and come back later to talk to a plastic surgeon and see how much mobility she’d lose.
After some (better) medical advice, my wife slathered it over her hand, changing the bandages and the cream 2 or 3 times a day for weeks. In the end there was no scarring at all and no loss of motion.
October 1st, 2009 at 2:37 PM
You could try biting on a bullet. I am given to understand you have a few of those laying aobut the place.
October 1st, 2009 at 2:57 PM
Regarding the advice about what to put on the wounds – Wouldn’t hurt to go to an urgent care center to find out what over the counter or prescription medication is best, and to ask about a tetanus shot if you haven’t had one recently.
Also, I continue to pray for you, your sister and your father. Please let us know the outcome of the MRI scan.
October 1st, 2009 at 3:17 PM
Rick C,
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I agree, it rocks. Silvadene was prescribed by my plastic surgeon, but even he was surprised at how well I recovered. I wasn’t expected to be able sweat on that side of my body or have normal oil-gland production, but I think since Silvadene helps prevent scarring, it helped my skin regain these functions. It took about two years, but now I have been “normal” ever since.
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Like your daughter, I had to change it three times a day and scrub it out and reapply it after the morning shower; reapplication seems to be key. I was using so much (again, 15% of my body was burned) I found a medical supply company that allowed me to buy tubs in bulk, thus avoiding the silly 2.5oz tubes (and saving a boat-load of money).
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Steve, if you’re changing bandages often, you may want to call your doctor’s office and ask who supplies them. It can save you a ton compared to the local pharmicist.
October 1st, 2009 at 3:17 PM
I fell off(actually knocked off) of a Flat tracker once many years ago at about 90mph. No broken bones but even with full leathers I had a couple 5-6 inch strawberry’s one of which was on my left but cheek. It would dry up and crack then ooze the clear stuff. My mother forced me to put some kind of horse medicine on it and within a couple days the scabs were gone with no more cracking. I just wish I could remember the brand name of the horse goop. I would not tell the complete story for years, always left out the horse liniment part. Maybe it was mule liniment?
October 11th, 2009 at 2:27 PM
I tend to favor bag balm. It says for veterinary use only, but magically it is for sale at the people pharmacy. When I was a cowboy… cowboys get cut a lot, you can bet that every cut a cowboy gets is filled with cow-poop.