Random Unthreadworthy Questions

[riser4]

Lunchbox pepper?

[old goat]

I have a Chase Freedom that has rotating 5% rewards, plus 2% on all purchases (if memory serves correctly). It’s blue though, not purple, so nobody’s impressed.

When I’ve been in Europe and used credit cards people seem more confused than anything: You don’t have a PIN number? It says here we need to get your signature?

It's been a few years since I've been in Europe but the last time they were still asking for a signature even though I have a chip and PIN card and a PIN. I'll have to ask my wife if that's changed when she gets back from England today--BA willing. One of the advantages of a chip and PIN card is buying things from a kiosk--like train and museum tickets.

Doesn't Wells still charge foreign transaction fees?

They waive my fees--not sure if it's because of the kind of card I have, if they waive them for all their cards, or because I'm a all around great guy.

[Buzzworthy]

Jammed a finger pretty hard last Friday after I dropped a very large cooler on cement and it bounced up. Pretty much a basketball style jam. When it did hit, got that sick body feeling of “ah shit, that feels like I may have broken it”.
Still swollen, lots of fluid still around middle joint. Can move it a tiny bit but it’s pretty excruciating so a $7.99 finger brace is on currently.

Is a doc and X-rays going to do anything for me or just save my money and keep icing? I don’t take pain meds so that’s also not needed.

[J. Barron DeJong]

Jammed a finger pretty hard last Friday after I dropped a very large cooler on cement and it bounced up. Pretty much a basketball style jam. When it did hit, got that sick body feeling of “ah shit, that feels like I may have broken it”.
Still swollen, lots of fluid still around middle joint. Can move it a tiny bit but it’s pretty excruciating so a $7.99 finger brace is on currently.

Is a doc and X-rays going to do anything for me or just save my money and keep icing? I don’t take pain meds so that’s also not needed.

My understanding from ER doc friend is that they would normally just ‘buddy tape’ it to the finger next door for support. That’s how my broken finger 30 years ago was treated as well.

[Danno]

Jammed a finger pretty hard last Friday after I dropped a very large cooler on cement and it bounced up. Pretty much a basketball style jam. When it did hit, got that sick body feeling of “ah shit, that feels like I may have broken it”.
Still swollen, lots of fluid still around middle joint. Can move it a tiny bit but it’s pretty excruciating so a $7.99 finger brace is on currently.

Is a doc and X-rays going to do anything for me or just save my money and keep icing? I don’t take pain meds so that’s also not needed.

I think without knowing what is broken and how it is broken, if anything, you don't know the treatment. I wrecked my mountain bike years ago and broke my finger. Taped it and iced it and partied that night, went to urgent care the next day, and ended up needing surgery and pins. Totally different situation, but...

[J. Barron DeJong]

I think without knowing what is broken and how it is broken, if anything, you don't know the treatment. I wrecked my mountain bike years ago and broke my finger. Taped it and iced it and partied that night, went to urgent care the next day, and ended up needing surgery and pins. Totally different situation, but...

Yeah, I assume if it’s displaced or some other complication then different treatment, just like a collarbone. (I’ve been fortunate that both my collarbone breaks were displaced, so got lots of fun surgeries and hardware.)

[old goat]

I think without knowing what is broken and how it is broken, if anything, you don't know the treatment. I wrecked my mountain bike years ago and broke my finger. Taped it and iced it and partied that night, went to urgent care the next day, and ended up needing surgery and pins. Totally different situation, but...

This. There are broken fingers and then there are broken fingers. There are also tendon injuries which are treated differently depending on which tendon. Unlike toes, broken fingers are not usually buddy taped. At least a splint on the individual finger. Buddy taping works with toes because toes aren't nearly as mobile as fingers and we don't do anything with them besides breaking them. And even broken toes may require treatment--I had one that was broken at a 90 degree angle and had to be straightened before buddy taping.

[J. Barron DeJong]

This. There are broken fingers and then there are broken fingers. There are also tendon injuries which are treated differently depending on which tendon. Unlike toes, broken fingers are not usually buddy taped. At least a splint on the individual finger. Buddy taping works with toes because toes aren't nearly as mobile as fingers and we don't do anything with them besides breaking them. And even broken toes may require treatment--I had one that was broken at a 90 degree angle and had to be straightened before buddy taping.

IANAD, let alone a surgeon. Just relaying what I recall discussing over beers around a campfire. But it seems like buddy taping finger fractures is a thing:

This study examined the current consensus on treating finger and toe injuries using buddy taping, along with complications of buddy taping, within specialists. Of participants in this study, surgeons were almost always (87%) using buddy taping to treat finger and toe injuries, especially PIP injuries of the finger, finger fractures, toe fractures, MCP injuries of the hand, and PIP injuries of the toes.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3942599/

[Buster Highmen]

They waive my fees--not sure if it's because of the kind of card I have, if they waive them for all their cards, or because I'm a all around great guy.

Mine too, so it couldn't be the aagg property.

[old goat]

IANAD, let alone a surgeon. Just relaying what I recall discussing over beers around a campfire. But it seems like buddy taping finger fractures is a thing:

This study examined the current consensus on treating finger and toe injuries using buddy taping, along with complications of buddy taping, within specialists. Of participants in this study, surgeons were almost always (87%) using buddy taping to treat finger and toe injuries, especially PIP injuries of the finger, finger fractures, toe fractures, MCP injuries of the hand, and PIP injuries of the toes.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3942599/

I'm not an ortho, so not an expert. It certainly is done, at least in Korea. Given the high incidence of non-compliance, maybe not going to the doctor is just as good--or bad. Again, it depends on which finger, and where on the finger.

Mine too, so it couldn't be the aagg property.

Don't be so hard on yourself.

[bennymac]

Tendon injuries often need strict splinting to allow for proper healing. Google “tendon injury finger deformity”. Tendon injury won’t show up on an X-ray but you can tell if your finger joint angles are deformed from looking at your finger from the side.

[Core Shot]

I had one that was broken at a 90 degree angle and had to be straightened before buddy taping.

Been there. Barefoot. Whacked the pinky toe on a cardboard box. Looked down to see if I lost the nail.
Nope. No blood. Just a sideways toe.

But back to the finger question, I don’t think a few days of splinting (yes, goat is right on that. Fingers always get splinted) and icing will hurt. When I broke my leg they made me wait for swelling to go down. That fucking sucked.

See if swelling goes down and mobility comes back.
But if you have good insurance why not get an X-ray.

[Timberridge]

Not really a question, but more of random unthreadworthy observation I thought I'd share.

If you buy Stella d'Oro Anisette Sponge, you can easily turn them into Stella d'Oro Anisette Toast by removing the plastic wrap and leaving them in the tray exposed to the air for a few days. No need to buy the toast version.

[m2711c]

well now, that is a revelation.

[old goat]

I think this belongs in the "would you eat it thread". Especially if it turns blue while you're waiting for it to autotoast.

[BmillsSkier]

Autotoast would be a bitchin band name.

[Timberridge]

I think this belongs in the "would you eat it thread". Especially if it turns blue while you're waiting for it to autotoast.

You don't leave it in the basement next to an old pair of sneakers.

[Buzzworthy]

Tendon injuries often need strict splinting to allow for proper healing. Google “tendon injury finger deformity”. Tendon injury won’t show up on an X-ray but you can tell if your finger joint angles are deformed from looking at your finger from the side.

I’m assuming now a soft tissue injury. Swelling finally went down last night. I can move it a little now but the two finger joints are still surprisingly painful to move. Splinted as a straight finger.
It’s been really colorful too. Purple, green, yellow. Just starting to look like skin color again.

X-rays. Last time was still over $200 out of pocket. Insurance is nice but it still costs me.

[bennymac]

Lots of bruising can be more indicative of bleeding from a broken bone vs a tendon injury. YMMV.

Vote for someone who wants to put in a system where a person gets an X-ray because they need one and the cost to the patient is not part of the decision.

——

Question: why is the produce section the first section of a grocery store - thereby putting all my produce at the bottom of my basket to get crushed?

[old goat]

Lots of bruising can be more indicative of bleeding from a broken bone vs a tendon injury. YMMV.

Vote for someone who wants to put in a system where a person gets an X-ray because they need one and the cost to the patient is not part of the decision.

——

Question: why is the produce section the first section of a grocery store - thereby putting all my produce at the bottom of my basket to get crushed?

I've long favored a system (universal and singlesingle payer of course) where there is no deductible and the copay is dependent on the cost effectiveness and medical necessity. Appendix out--that's free. Prenatal visits--free. Total joint so you can go back to skiing--you pay a lot for that. An xray for an obviously injured finger would be free. It would be complicated to run such a system though--I'm not sure this country is up to it. A smarter country could do it.

In my grocery store produce is the last section. (Actually it depends which door you enter whether it's first or last.)

[bennymac]

In Canada the doctor is the gatekeeper determining the necessity of an investigation or intervention. Humans being human it’s not always going to be perfect.

[J. Barron DeJong]

In Canada the doctor is the gatekeeper determining the necessity of an investigation or intervention. Humans being human it’s not always going to be perfect.

Having lived in both systems, I’d take the Canadian. Not even close.

Its not perfect, but nothing like the generalized clusterfuck the healthcare system down here is.

[Buster Highmen]

Why is the produce section the first section of a grocery store - thereby putting all my produce at the bottom of my basket to get crushed?

The same reason you go through the store in that order.

[evdog]

Having lived in both systems, I’d take the Canadian. Not even close.

Its not perfect, but nothing like the generalized clusterfuck the healthcare system down here is.

Same

[riser4]

The same reason you go through the store in that order.

Before COVID (BC) my wife and I ran the store backwards a few times for giggles. It still sucked because then the dairy spent longer getting warm.