Six Stitches and A Night From Hell

Well, I made a stupid mistake at work.  I sliced my finger really deeply and ended up in the ER getting stitches.  Two hours and six stitches later, the tip of my finger looked like a finger again...and not like a hot dog that someone had sliced down the middle.  I was really calm through the whole thing, but was exhausted from the adrenalin when I got home at the end of the day.  I was pleasantly surprised that I didn't have any major issues.

Then the adrenalin started wearing off and my finger was on fire.  I struggled to get comfortable.  The pain was extreme and all I was allowed to take was Tylenol or Ibuprofen.  I didn't bother.  When I laid down to try to get to sleep, I fell deeply into nightmares.  Dead bodies, broken and torn.  The smell of blood, the screams of the injured and dying...It was hell.  I woke up gagging and choking on my own bile.  I ran to the bathroom and spent the next half hour vomiting and dry-heaving.

The cherry on top of it all:  It scared the living shit out of my daughter.  Not only do I have 'big boo boo finger', I now have 'boo boo tummy'.  It was devastating to see my daughter come up to me acting brave and say, 'Dada cry.  It's OK, Dada'.  I felt myself shrivel up inside.  My instincts were screaming at me to pull away and withdraw.  I couldn't let go.  I love her too much.

How can so many things go so horribly wrong when everything was going so well?  I.  Hate.  This.  What do I do?  I spent all day in horrible pain because of my finger and my throat was raw and swollen from vomiting.  Oh yeah, my ear was still swollen and sore from the infection, too.  I really need this crap to stop, but I will never give up.  It does make it more difficult to control my anger, though, and that is something I really need to be wary of.

Well, the day's almost over.  For the first time in a long time, I am wary of going to sleep.  I gotta try, though.  Despite everything that's happened this week, I have to be at work tomorrow morning and 'acting normal'.  It's amazing the faces we have to put on just to get by and hold down a job, huh?