I walk in to the doctors office this morning... I walk out of the doctors office with a big smile on my face. He removed all the stitches in my finger! I only have about one more week to go until I can be active again! That means I can start running again! Swimming again! Doing whatever I please! (...ha) instead of sitting on my butt for three weeks. Three weeks of summer gone to waste! Nah, I try to make it somewhat enjoyable. My friend recommended me to watch a Japanese drama... 'Bloody Monday'. 11 episodes in 2 1/2 days. Not bad! Trying to keep myself busy for another week... Hmm, my room is a fat mess. Maybe I should clean it. Maybe I should look through old papers and throw most of them away. Maybe I should be working on the Europe photo book. Maybe... I don't know. Too lazy now to decide. :)
Today is day 17 since the accident. Been to the doctor 5 times since I've been back from Europe.
1-3rd doctor visits
Must keep the hand elevated above the heart at all times. (that includes sleeping...)
When showering, cover hand & wrist with plastic bags and tape the end to prevent water to seep through
Must not raise heart rate...
No physical activity. No running. No swimming. No walking the dog either.
4th doctor visit
Took off the big bulgy cast.
Stitches on the wrist were removed
Must not bend wrist backwards. Wear support.
Epidermitis on the finger. Removed top layer.
No physical activity.
Keep heart rate low.
5th doctor visit
Change the dressings yourself.
May get the finger wet.
Must keep finger bandaged at all times except when showering.
Change the dressing 1-2 times a day.
No physical activity. (May take short walks around the park)
Keep heart rate low.
Pictures from day 17. [7/20/2009] **click to enlarge
1. 2. Nail is there. Should the finger grow to its normal length...in time? 3. That's a little...gross? 4.Wrist taped to prevent bacteria from entering. 5. Stubby... :( 6. Digusting...
A lot has happened since the last time i blogged. I'll laundry list it to keep it sweet n' simple...
senior project presentations
senior events (bfast, grad night...)
Alpay Gallery. @ Palos Verdes Art Center
Graduation! PVHS Class of 2009!!
My 19th birthday...6/9
Europe Trip...I'll go in more detail about it
my 1 monthaversary with Ry :)
Surgery
Europe trip! I got back from a 24 day trip to Europe with my Senior class just yesterday. Jet lagged, found the time to blog...so here i am. We traveled to London, Paris, Munich, Prague, Vienna, Zurich, Lucerne, Florence, Sienna, Rome, Pompeii, Athens and Mykonos Island. On average, we spent approx 2 days in each city. I am currently working on posting all the photographs from the trip, which will help summarize the trip...What did we do? We had 345345 walking tours, 45645 hours of transporting from one place to another, partied, drank...lots, sightseeing, shopped, ate, ate, ate, drank, drank, drank and ate some more. The food was incredible. If i had stayed in Italy for more than a week...i would have come back obese. Greeks gyros! mmm mmm mmmm. Wish i could go back and order another. Very cheap and delicious. At the very end of the trip, there was the Greek Cruise. There is a very long and eventful story behind that one...and it'll tie in with the bullet point listed above..."surgery".
Night 1 on the cruise
(7-3-09) 11:30...getting ready for the Disco Party! (7-4-09) 12:03...walking up to the disco 12:04...My right hand is in the door way as I walk in to the Disco dancing to the macarena, the heavy fire door closes in on my finger and i feel extreme excruciating pain in my finger...With my left hand, I open the door and notice that good top 3rd of my right finger was chopped off...part of the nail was still there...but the soft tissue was not. 12:05...Rolling on the dance floor with blood spraying everywhere and all over the floor...screaming, yelling for help Sara and Mike were there to witness it. They were right there with me when it all happened. I get escorted down the stairs, but I collapse next to the reception desk. Staff members of the cruise come down and Sara, Mike, Stephanie and Emilie were there, and went to notify Shapiro, Chupp and Barton. Mike runs back up to the disco to find the finger that fell off. He finds it and says..."kaori..your finger...was very very..soft". I was then escorted to the infirmary to get immediate/temporary treatment by the doctor on board the ship. I was given 3-5(?) shots of morphine. From then on, I don't remember anything...my friends and teachers told me that I was singing Michael Jackson songs and reciting Finding Nemo quotes. Ha ha. 3:00am...I am conscious again... I hear a voice telling me that they were going to air lift me up into a helicopter to get medical help else where. (keep in mind that i was on a cruise ship...and in the middle of no where). I get taken out side on the heli pad, it is very loud...I get put into an orange net and air lifted into the helicopter. I felt myself half way on the helicopter and the other half...not. I opened my eyes and I saw bright lights, the ship and the sea below me. I almost had an heart attack. I pass out for most of the duration of the helicopter flight to an island called Chios. The Greek Air Force C27 jet was waiting there for me. They walked me into the jet...set me down on one of the 50 red seats there and securely strapped me down. I pass out again. I arrive in Athens and the ambulance is waiting for me. This is where I meet Roberto from EF Tours. He stays with me until i get settled in at a hospital. They transport me to a hospital near by. I learn that they cannot perform surgery there. They transport me over to another hospital in Athens. 7:00am...Arrive at the hospital. They took xrays, and from what I saw, the entire top 3rd of the finger was missing...hmm. So the friendly Greek Plastic Surgeon gives me surgery in my hand. He spoke English! thank goodness. I was awake for the whole surgery. They gave my finger 3 shots of local anesthesia and numbed my finger and proceeded with the surgery. Skin grafted from my wrist... took a big chunk out. After the anesthesia wore off... i was in the worst pain than ever before. Hurt worse than the actual accident itself. I leave the surgery room and a lady from EF Tours is there to calm me down. Her name was Judy. I get wheeled up to my hospital room, where I spent 2 nights 3 days there. Hooked me up with IV fluids...could not move my left arm either... damnit. Judy had brought me tooth brush, paste, extra clothes, food and a book to read. She was very nice to me and I thank her for everything she has done. later on, I had a few more visitors...the cruise' CEO and his family! They came by for a visit and had brought me magazines to read. (they were in English!). Penny, one of the directors from the cruise stopped by every once in a while to check up on me and brought me food etc as well. she helped me with all the paper work that had to be done when I was being discharged. She lied to the office that I had a flight to catch...in order to get in front of the line! Brian Shapiro...my coach...my teacher...my chaperon...my friend. He went through a lot to catch a flight to Athens to see me. He sacrificed the rest of his vacation time on the cruise to see me in the hospital! He kept me in good company for majority of the 2nd day and 3rd day there. He brought me my luggage my dear friends Sara and Stephanie packed for me. I could not thank you enough for all you have done for me. I really appreciate it. I love you all. On the 3rd day, they rebandaged my hand (that...hurt), and i was discharged. Shapiro and I took the metro back to the Hotel Oscar where I was reunited with my friends. I spent the rest of the day with my friends roaming around Athens and eating gyros. Next day, we wake up at 3am to catch a early flight back home.
I visited the doctor yesterday to re-bandage my hand, doc said it almost got to the bone and would have had nerve damage...thank god that was not the case. Here are a few images I took from my phone. (after surgery)
That pretty much sums it all up. I will post all the photos from the trip on facebook...
My friends and family...love you and thank you. <3