Lane Meyer
02-26-2004, 11:39 AM
To set the stage, I idiotically sliced a 5.5 cm long semi-deep (well into the fat) gash into my mid thigh last Monday (10 days ago) with an x-acto knife.
I got five stitches at the old ER, and being too poor to afford a visit to Dr. Nick to get them out, I had the attending explain to me how to do it. Thing is, I was distracted by the parade of inmates through the the triage area who were shackled to themselves, eachother, and the walls and chairs. No shit, and no one wuld tell me why?
Anyway, here's what I need advice on:
1. They said wait 12 days. It's been 10, and the thing itches like a motherfucker. Also, the holes around where the sutures penetrate the skin on both sides of the cut are red, getting redder, and getting hot (infected, right?). So am I good to take those fuckers out now if the overall cut looks to be pretty sealed up? It's a low-skin stretch part of the body, and hasn't bled for 6 days.
2. Four of the stitches are easy enough looking, they go over the cut, with one knot on each side. Simpy cut below the knot, and pull out, right? I've been moving them around every night, so they're definately NOT stuck.
3. The stitch in the middle is different - it goes THROUGH the middle of the cut itself. On one side, there is no knot, but the suture comes out from the skin, surfaces, and goes back in through UNDER the cut to the other side, where two pieces of it energe and form a knot. To remove, I cut the middle of the part on the side without the knot, then just grab the knot on the other side and pull, right?
4. Hydrogen Peroxide, or Rubbing Alcohol, or Betadine to stem the flow of bloood that will emanate from the holes?
I really wanna get this right so as to not have to go back to Dr. NIck and give him another $500 for my own idiocy.
Thanks.
I got five stitches at the old ER, and being too poor to afford a visit to Dr. Nick to get them out, I had the attending explain to me how to do it. Thing is, I was distracted by the parade of inmates through the the triage area who were shackled to themselves, eachother, and the walls and chairs. No shit, and no one wuld tell me why?
Anyway, here's what I need advice on:
1. They said wait 12 days. It's been 10, and the thing itches like a motherfucker. Also, the holes around where the sutures penetrate the skin on both sides of the cut are red, getting redder, and getting hot (infected, right?). So am I good to take those fuckers out now if the overall cut looks to be pretty sealed up? It's a low-skin stretch part of the body, and hasn't bled for 6 days.
2. Four of the stitches are easy enough looking, they go over the cut, with one knot on each side. Simpy cut below the knot, and pull out, right? I've been moving them around every night, so they're definately NOT stuck.
3. The stitch in the middle is different - it goes THROUGH the middle of the cut itself. On one side, there is no knot, but the suture comes out from the skin, surfaces, and goes back in through UNDER the cut to the other side, where two pieces of it energe and form a knot. To remove, I cut the middle of the part on the side without the knot, then just grab the knot on the other side and pull, right?
4. Hydrogen Peroxide, or Rubbing Alcohol, or Betadine to stem the flow of bloood that will emanate from the holes?
I really wanna get this right so as to not have to go back to Dr. NIck and give him another $500 for my own idiocy.
Thanks.