I stepped on a long, dirty and rusty nail

  • Thread starter heartless
  • Start date
In summary: ER.In summary, someone stepped on a nail at work and now their foot hurts a lot. They are worried it will affect their income, but after consulting with others, they decide to go to the doctor.
  • #106
I just noticed this thread. Heartless I really hope you went to the hospital, this isn't something to play around with. Your parents should have taken you there right away. Please post to let us know whether you got your ride there or not.
 
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  • #107
Ok, I'm back.
I got a lift to a hospital and since I thought no parent is necessery, I sent them back. First nurse told me that I certainly need a parent or guardian with me just because I'm below 18. So I waited, and waited and waited and kept on calling my house. Nothing. Nobody answered my call. After nearly 2 hours, I tried to ask again whether I need a parent or guardian and lady told me I don't. They can just call my house and get permission - All that is necessary. I signed up, after an hour they called upon me (3 hours already wasted without anything, and in matter of fact I didn't take any book with me, I asked a nurse for something to read, but apparently no one had anything interesting.) I was about to enter a room, when they asked me for parents, and of course I was there entirely alone. Again, I kept on calling and calling, and finally I decided to call my grandma. She was willing to come and she came together with rest of family, she somehow succeeded at home calls. At once I got there everyone I have. I got an x-ray - everything was good. They gave me an antibiotic, and vaccination against tetanus, washed out the wound and I got a receipt for some medicine. As far everything has gone ok.
There is something more, you guys were all right! They told me that I already started to get an infection and I came just in time. Then everyone kept on telling me that I should have come yesterday. (I didn't :( ).

Great Thanks everyone for great words and advices. You really got me scared by all replies and links, especially that one by Astro, later reposted by was it Evo or Moonbear?, don't remember which got me to fight for a drive to a hospital.

Again, ThANKS!

p.s. By the way, my parents were on the tarace and couldn't hear a phone.

//ed, Yepp, sorry that was Rach3 and reposted by Evo.
Thanks for that!
 
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  • #108
Thank goodness you finally went! The tetanus shot needs to be given within 48 hours, so you went in time.

I think you have Rach to thank, it was his post that I repeated. It scared the Cr@p out of me, so I was hoping it would have the same effect on you.

Of course every one here was equally concerned about you.

Now keep that wound clean and try to stay off of it for awhile
 
  • #109
They gave me an antibiotic, and vaccination against tetanus, washed out the wound and I got a receipt for some medicine. As far everything has gone ok.

There is something more, you guys were all right! They told me that I already started to get an infection and I came just in time. Then everyone kept on telling me that I should have come yesterday. (I didn't :( ).
Very good news! Welcome back, heartless! I am pleased that you did go and get treatment. Take ALL of the antibiotic - don't stop just because it feels better.

Next time you know what to do - but I do hope there won't be a next time. :smile:
 
  • #110
Almost had another darwin awards candidate going for us...
 
  • #111
Yay! I'm glad you finally got a ride there and got the treatment you needed...and in time! :smile: Now all there is left to say is that I hope you have a very speedy recovery without any further complications. Maybe your parents will even feel guilty enough about not taking you sooner to spoil you a bit for a few days. :wink:
 
  • #112
WOW! I can't believe you, and your family, were stupid enough to hesitate in going to a hospital after stepping on a nail! Good to hear you are OK now, but seriously you should not mess around with such things.
 
  • #113
Pengwuino said:
Almost had another darwin awards candidate going for us...
:rofl: haha


heartless:
I'm glad you got to keep your foot, it usually comes in handy when doing most everyday things.
 
  • #114
FrogPad said:
I'm glad you got to keep your foot, it usually comes in handy when doing most everyday things.
Too true. There are some sexual positions that demand 2 healthy legs.
I didn't post in this thread before because everyone else had it covered, but you really did have me quite concerned. I won't fault you for being a bit cavalier about the incident, but your parents and boss were both almost criminally negligent. If you're going to return to that job, which you seem to enjoy, get steel-cap/steel-shank boots. And rubber-soled while you're at it, in case you start mucking about with electricity.
Anyhow, welcome back. Don't put us through that kind of **** again. :grumpy:
 
  • #115
Danger said:
If you're going to return to that job, which you seem to enjoy, get steel-cap/steel-shank boots. And rubber-soled while you're at it, in case you start mucking about with electricity.
Anyhow, welcome back. Don't put us through that kind of **** again. :grumpy:
Yeah, I have a pair of Brahma boots I bought for $10 on sale at Walmart that would help. I wear them when I go down into my basement.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=3933882
 
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  • #116
Wheew, heartless!
Thank you for coming to your senses finally.
I hope all will go well with you now.
 
  • #117
Evo said:
I wear them when I go down into my basement.
That's for all of those meeces and crickets and other things with huge fangs that live down there?
 
  • #118
Danger said:
That's for all of those meeces and crickets and other things with huge fangs that live down there?
And water mocassins, and crocodiles.
 
  • #119
heartless:
Please remain on the alert the next couple of weeks. Do NOT trivialize any signs of being ill.

Perhaps you should see your family physician in a couple of days, so that he may ascertain whether your foot is healing well, or if there are subtle signs of a lingering infection.
Only a qualified doctor has the competence to do this.

I won't fault your parents with this as much as I find
fault with your boss.
After all, love makes blind, they say, and many parents have a hard time realizing that something really dangerous can happen to their child.
 
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  • #120
Glad you are getting proper treatment now heartless. Are tetanus shots only required for dirt-related puncture wounds and animal bites?

One time (probably 10 yrs ago) I sliced my palm on a shell when plunging into a fresh water lake, I treated it with jodium and covered it with a bandaid. After a few days it started swelling and hurting a lot to the point I could not move my hand. My parents kept saying I was exaggerating. Finally they took me to the doctor, who diagnosed an abcess, it was cleaned out and I was given a topical antibiotic and that was it.

There was also a time that my parents had a dog who was very possessive and who would bite me and my sister. According to the doctor I didn't need a tetanus shot, now I think it is stupid that they didn't just give a booster as I was well against the 5 yr limit (the last shot must have been given in primary school).
 
  • #121
I think it's usually any dirty wound. Puncture wounds are the most likely to harbor tetanus bacteria, because the deeper parts provide good anaerobic conditions for the bacteria to thrive.

It was interesting to read the one site that commented that people don't always realize when something has punctured through their shoe into their foot that while the sharp object is not left behind, bits of sock and rubber from the shoe sole might be still embedded in the wound. But, I guess with feet, they're almost always dirty, whether it was the shoe the object punctured through, or that you've been walking around barefoot through dirt. Every site I went to was especially particular about foot wounds needing a tetanus shot and immediate medical treatment.

But, I'd suspect if I got anything more than a superficial scratch while working at the farm, they'd want to give me a tetanus booster. As it is, even though most people get a regular booster every 10 years, I'm now required to get them every 5 years since I work in an environment where injuries that could expose me to tetanus bacteria are pretty likely.
 
  • #122
Monique, there's a possibility that your case was an allergic reaction. While I don't know the particulars, I do know that a lot of shells contain toxins of the same kind produced by the shellfish for defense. If you have a seafood sensitivity, that would just make it worse.
 
  • #123
Danger said:
Monique, there's a possibility that your case was an allergic reaction. While I don't know the particulars, I do know that a lot of shells contain toxins of the same kind produced by the shellfish for defense. If you have a seafood sensitivity, that would just make it worse.
Oh, but there was no actual animal in the shell. It was a beach made out of old shells instead of a sand beach, so anywhere that you'd hit the bottom there'd be shells. The weird thing was that when the doctor had opened the wound all the pain was gone and I could move my hand again.
 
  • #124
Well, I wasn't actually referring to the presence of the organism. The point is that some of the biotoxins are incorporated into the shell while it's growing, and remain there permanently. Coral is absolutely notorious for that. Just about anyone who has nicked himself on a reef has severely regretted it. The symptoms that I've read about are identical to yours.
 

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