KiwiBro
Mill 'em, nails be damned.
Having not had nor knowing much about these palms and their thorns, I am living proof that ignorance is most certainly not bliss. So just a little heads-up in case anyone else is stupid enough to be pruning these with less than adequate protection.
A month ago I trimmed some at my sister's new place. Long story short, a frond fell on and spiked my foot - just where big toe meets rest of foot. No biggie I thought, a bit sore from the spike but figured it came out with the rest of the frond when I picked it up off my foot.
First lesson: these spikes have nasties that infect a puncture wound, even if the spike doesn't break off.
Well, was a bit sore for a few hours then blew up later that night and couldn't walk for two days. It calmed down after about 5 days to a dull ache but blew up whenever I even as much as tried to walk normally rather than on the outside of the foot. Let me tell you, it ain't no fun and ain't safe on uneven terrain dropping trees when your toe screams at even involuntary movement caused by automatic balance control.
As if reinforcing my own stupidity I followed a pattern of resting it for a few days then trying again only for it to be cruel agony after just 1/2 an hours work.
So, realising this ain't healing itself and I'd have to overcome my natural distaste for medical centres and hospitals I approached the former, did a weeks course of oral antibiotics and rest followed by 2hrs of work, lay on the couch in tears too sore to drive for a day and admitted myself to hospital the following day. therein I've had IV antibiotics - a 'shock dose' up front, then boosters every 6 hrs for a few days, scans have found a tiny fragment, a mere speck of the spike (or something that was on it) in my toe, and here's what I'm doing (or have at least been prescribed) for the next two weeks:
11 days of oral ab's (this on top of the first week of oral and the few days of IV ab's).
antiflams when needed
50 tablets of paracetamol
20 tablets of tramadol
30 tab of Morphine sulfate
oh, and don't forget the time off and laxatives to counter the clogging caused by the drugs I've had or are yet to take, although I'm not taking the tramadol or morphine as unless I'm almost fainting from the pain because i really hate the idea of drugs like these and the over prescription of 'em. I'm also scornful of the over prescription of ab's too but what's a guy to do when they won't cut it out? Yes, I've entertained the idea of seeing if I can dig it out myself - the scan pin-pointed where it is and I still have the pen mark on my toe.
Oh, and no, they aren't going to fish this speck out but have decided to ply me with drugs and let the body deal with it instead. So that's a total of about 6 weeks and pain I never thought could ever come from just a 'sore toe'.
If I only knew then what I know now...
A month ago I trimmed some at my sister's new place. Long story short, a frond fell on and spiked my foot - just where big toe meets rest of foot. No biggie I thought, a bit sore from the spike but figured it came out with the rest of the frond when I picked it up off my foot.
First lesson: these spikes have nasties that infect a puncture wound, even if the spike doesn't break off.
Well, was a bit sore for a few hours then blew up later that night and couldn't walk for two days. It calmed down after about 5 days to a dull ache but blew up whenever I even as much as tried to walk normally rather than on the outside of the foot. Let me tell you, it ain't no fun and ain't safe on uneven terrain dropping trees when your toe screams at even involuntary movement caused by automatic balance control.
As if reinforcing my own stupidity I followed a pattern of resting it for a few days then trying again only for it to be cruel agony after just 1/2 an hours work.
So, realising this ain't healing itself and I'd have to overcome my natural distaste for medical centres and hospitals I approached the former, did a weeks course of oral antibiotics and rest followed by 2hrs of work, lay on the couch in tears too sore to drive for a day and admitted myself to hospital the following day. therein I've had IV antibiotics - a 'shock dose' up front, then boosters every 6 hrs for a few days, scans have found a tiny fragment, a mere speck of the spike (or something that was on it) in my toe, and here's what I'm doing (or have at least been prescribed) for the next two weeks:
11 days of oral ab's (this on top of the first week of oral and the few days of IV ab's).
antiflams when needed
50 tablets of paracetamol
20 tablets of tramadol
30 tab of Morphine sulfate
oh, and don't forget the time off and laxatives to counter the clogging caused by the drugs I've had or are yet to take, although I'm not taking the tramadol or morphine as unless I'm almost fainting from the pain because i really hate the idea of drugs like these and the over prescription of 'em. I'm also scornful of the over prescription of ab's too but what's a guy to do when they won't cut it out? Yes, I've entertained the idea of seeing if I can dig it out myself - the scan pin-pointed where it is and I still have the pen mark on my toe.
Oh, and no, they aren't going to fish this speck out but have decided to ply me with drugs and let the body deal with it instead. So that's a total of about 6 weeks and pain I never thought could ever come from just a 'sore toe'.
If I only knew then what I know now...
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