I love having people over for dinner. This past Sunday, we decided to invite our neighbors-- who have been learning about our church, some friends of Will-- who are very anti-our church, and an active family from our church. Yes, I know, that sounds like a disaster waiting to happen in its self.
About half an hour before everyone was to show up, I pulled a pan out of the cabinet not knowing that there was a cast iron pan right on top of it....the cast iron pan fell handle first on my left big toe while I was the only one home at the time. I hobbled over to the garage and yelled for Will, who came rushing in asking what happened. He instructed me to lay on the couch while he got some ice for me. I was in so much pain that I could barely breathe...I was screaming and crying at the same time. Will suggested that we have our neighbor come over and finish dinner for me. I couldn't really argue, though I didn't want her to see me like that! Will called the other families and asked if they could come a little later.
When they all got there, I was still not ready for everyone to eat, though I was doing my best. I didn't want to look like a cry baby, so I sucked the pain up and tried to be as sociable as possible. I had asked Will beforehand to not talk about ANYTHING religious as I didn't want any contention. About an hour into our dinner, the bishop, who has never been to our house before, just spontaneously showed up to see how we were doing! An hour after that, the missionaries showed up to drop off scriptures for our neighbors. I kept thinking, "Oh my gosh! These people are going to think that I planted this "show!'" So, not only am I entertaining our originally planned guests, but I'm also trying to make sure that the bishop doesn't say something that might offend someone since he has no idea who these people are. Then, I have to try and keep the missionaries from offending, or being offended.
By the time everyone left, which was about 7:45 pm, I fell apart. I lied down on the couch and the pain became so unbearable that I started crying uncontrollably. How had I dealt with it this whole time? I really can't answer that. I have no idea. All I know is that I was in more pain than even labor.
Will decided to call the priesthood holder that had just left our house from church to ask for a blessing. He came over and I didn't even care that I looked worse than I've ever looked. After the blessing, he said that he had broken his toe several times and relieved the pressure by putting a needle in the top of the nail and letting the blood out. I didn't like the idea, but thought that if he had done it before, then I might as well try. All we had was a safety pin because I didn't want to spend the time to try and explain where to get my sewing kit out of the garage. So, Will, thinking hard as he always does, said "Honey, I'm going to use the smallest drill bit on my drill and it will work great." I refused and cried harder thinking about how much pain that could cause. He assured me it would be alright, so I put my foot in a bucket I had been using with ice and he started the drill. It took a few seconds and the drill went through my nail, and beyond. Will pulled the drill out right away. Blood started flowing out and I let out a blood-curdling scream. Instead of instant relief, there was instant and excruciating pain! Will then stood up and said "I think I went too far. We're going to the ER."
Alright, so I'm a tight wad and said "I don't think I want to spend that kind of money so that I get sent home with Tylenol." We decided to go anyway. Luckily, our kids were all asleep at this point, so leaving them with our friend was fine with me. Off we went to JFK.
When we arrived, there was a line through the entire hall way with someone walking out saying "I'm not going in there....I'll get even more sick." On that note, we left to check out Eisenhower in Palm Desert. I thought for sure it would be packed too. When we walked in, we were the only ones there! I was SO HAPPY! When we explained to the staff why I was there, they said "Oh, good, we thought you were in labor! We were going to have to send you away since we don't have a maternity ward." They put us in a room right away where we waited for a couple of hours to see a doctor. When the doctor finally came in, he told Will that he had done a good job and that I just needed antibiotics in case my nail wasn't sterilized. (I was only worried about the drill bit (which Will had sterilized). I didn't even think about my OWN dirtiness!) He gave me a prescription for Vicodin as well, said that I'd be bleeding for a few weeks, and that was all he could do. Being pregnant, there was no need to expose me to an X-ray and I'm too unstable as it is to use crutches. He did say that after I deliver the baby, I need to have an x-ray to make sure it healed right. If it didn't, I might have to have surgery. So off I went with some gauze!
I was doing much better after the ER. Relieving the pressure of the blood really did help in the long run. Now, I am just scared to death that someone is going to step on my toe, or I am going to accidentally bang it again. It still hurts if I am on my feet for a long time, and yes, it is still bleeding.
I am just really thankful that it was my left foot so I can drive, that it was only my toe and not my entire foot so I can walk on my heel, and that everyone else is doing alright. I need an end to this medical drama, though. Daniel just stapled his thumb today and a few weeks ago I had surgery on my pallet again. Will it ever end? Oh ya, I just remembered, I will be delivering a baby soon. HELP!
