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So I thought I would share my fun story of anguish from this past weekend. I got back from the Saturday morning hash run and was getting ready to check into the shower but went out back first to say hi to Casey. I noticed a few branches that had fallen so I went out to throw them into the river. Not a big deal to head out back barefoot right. Well, I threw in the branches and noticed a part of a tree had fallen up against another along the bank. So I thought I’d push it in the rest of the way so it would float on down the river. Well, it was stuck at the end that was already in the water and I could lift it up and around the end that was stuck against the tree. But as I got it up and was getting it around the tip of it hit the tree and fell back and landed on my big toe. Ouch. You ever see a squished grape? That was my big toe. Ow ow ow. Big huge gash (an inch or so) is in the end that I probably should have gotten stitches in, but I figured they’d just say, well, we don’t stitch toes and give me some pain killer that would make me loopy. So I took a bunch of Advil and tried to wait it out. Played in the church league basketball tournament that night where it didn’t hurt, but of course bleed a lot. Ran a 5K yesterday and did it in 22:30. Thought my toe would hold me up some. Wasn’t to bad 30th out of 179 runners. And not much blood after. Hurt a little this morning and wasn’t able to run on the tread mill at the gym, but I figure that was because I had let the Advil get out of the system. So currently it’s all purple and still looks pretty much like a gash. So I figure I’m going to loose my nail. Not sure if I should go see about stitches. Figure it’s to late now anyway. Never lost a nail before. Just hope that doesn’t hurt running. Ouch.
Posts: 2845 | Registered: Oct 2003
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posted
PS: Toes can be sewed up if needed. You might get an x-ray to rule out a "tuft fracture", but I think that is mainly an issue for children. It probably should be debrided, checked for infection and to make sure that no tendons are exposed, possibly an updated tetanus shot and antibiotics, and likely sewn up & buddy-splinted.
Even if you lose a nail, often they come back. Depends on how much damage to the nailbed.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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I lost a toenail about a year ago. The toenail stayed on for over a month before it fell off. I only felt pain when I sustained the injury. When the toenail actually fell off it didn't hurt a bit.
Posts: 220 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Tetanus is a good point. Especially since it was outside. But the tree didn’t actually puncture. It was really an explosion at the tip from the blunt force. Ouch. Sounds painful. Not sure when my last one was. I think I had one as a kid and then one while I work at the hospital. So over 5 years at least.
I hope the if the toenail falls of it doesn’t hurt. I had a buddy tell me he had one fall off and it wasn’t bad until the toenail came in wrong. Oops. Guess there’s not much you can do about that though…..
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Hmmm. Puncture wounds are the worst for tentanus risk, but any time you have an situation with the possibility of anaerobic growth (e.g., inside a deep cut, especially if the surrounding tissue is tight and swollen), the tetanus bacilli can grow.
Do you have insurance? I'd really be grateful if you had it checked out and debrided.
I'm also assuming you don't have any history of heart, kidney, or immunology problems.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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That's true actually, if it comes in wrong it can hurt. My new toenail came in a little off and it came in two layers, so it's like having two toenails in one. It's almost impossible to clip now.
Posts: 220 | Registered: Apr 2005
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I've lost at least three toenails. I think all three were the same nail. Wait...so I lost ONE toenail three times and lost count of little ones I've lost.
I say go see the doc to make sure it doesn't get nasty bugs in it.
Other than that, losing a toenail shouldn't hurt your running. It never hurt my fencing or hiking/trail running.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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It did gape open at first. Now it’s closed up, but is more like an open sore there then a scab or anything. No streaks. The toe is getting purple blotches all over. And is only a little swollen. It can move rather freely.
Posts: 2845 | Registered: Oct 2003
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*giggles at the irony, but just a little bit
(*pat, pat)
Jay, I would be highly appreciative if you would go get it looked at by a professional. Should you like, as an incentive, I would offer to write a sonnet to you.
Posts: 14017 | Registered: May 2000
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A sonnet? To me? Wow…. I’m thinking about it. If the clinic in Grafton isn’t too crowded this evening I might. Guess I’ve got a good book to keep me busy while I wait. Will the sonnet talk about the irony too?
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mackillian-oriented irony, busted toes, and the pain of life in general (as symbolized by the toe). I promise. But you have to go see somebody first!
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Jay, usually I'M the one being told to go see the doc. For once, it isn't me, and I"M doing the telling. Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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I have lost my big toenail twice (not sure if it was the same one or not, as the two incidents were over 15 years apart. It grows back fine, although the toe is kinda gross until it does.
Jay, go see a doc, please. Posts: 32919 | Registered: Mar 2003
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Yes, with my big toe, I can fascinate small children and horrify grown adults at the same time.
Posts: 14745 | Registered: Dec 1999
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Just got back from the clinic. He gave me a tetanus shot and was going on about that he couldn’t stitch since it had been so long. Gee darn. So I knew the nurse from school. Very cute, but I wasn’t sure if the tetanus was a butt shot all the time or just when you’re a kid. But I was a little nervous that my cute friend was going to come in and say pull down your britches. He gave me a prescription for an antibiotic ointment too. Which of course Wal-Mart was closed by then so I guess I’ll get that tomorrow. Goodie. So not to bad. Fun.
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When I lost my big toe nail last year in a horrible football accident (it was... umm... stepped on in practice) it only hurt for the first few days, and fell off after a month. Up until that point, I had great fun grossing out friends by talking to them with it.
Posts: 254 | Registered: Apr 2005
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Thanks. I did ask the doc if he thought the toenail would fall off and he said he doubted it since it hadn’t discolored on the nail bed into a darker color. So that’s promising. He seemed all worried about infection and was going to get an X-Ray until I told him I had played two basketball games and ran 10 miles on it already plus I’m able to crack it. So I guess I was able to talk him out of that at least. You know I’ve never talked about something as silly as my busted toe so much.
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I once got smacked in a head with a tree, and the nail which had been stuck in my skull for several years fell out.
Does that count?
No I have no idea what I'm talking about. It must be the mastoid infection, and even more, the painkillers making me type stupid things.
But Jay, at least you and I are both on antibiodics. I have Spectracef (Cefditoren) , what do you have?
Posts: 772 | Registered: Feb 2005
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Since I am ranting and throwing up my hands in dismay in other threads, I will say most sarcastically:
Jay,
You should have seriously considered resorting to some herbal therapy or maybe having a chiropractor fix that up for you, since modern Western medicine is so sinister and evil! What were you thinking? A good back-cracking could have eliminated the infection for good! Maybe forever!
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Today for the first day in forever, I didn’t wear a band aide on my toe! It’s all sealed up finally. Can’t feel anything on the tip of my toe. Guess the nerves in that part of the skin are shot. And my toe nail night is strange colors, but doesn’t look like it’s going to fall off. At least if it does the new nail is right behind it! But I think Claudia is working way too hard on the sonnet. I looked at her recent posts and she hasn’t had anything since! I feel bad. We need our resident nurse back! Guess I’m going to have to drop her an email and make sure she’s ok.
Posts: 2845 | Registered: Oct 2003
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FYI, she's a doctor, not a nurse. But you're right, she hasn't been around much lately. Hope everything's all right.
Posts: 957 | Registered: Aug 2002
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