good-bye, sliver of toenail

Yesterday was a day that I will never forget and I don't mean this in a good way. Two weeks ago for Sissy's wedding the Brindley girls all got mani's and pedi's. I recall quite vividly the pain that I felt when the girl was removing the extra skin around my nail on my right big toe. In fact, I remember saying something about it hurting at the time. It hurt so bad that I even said "Self, that might get infected later on. Just keep a watch on it."

Sure enough...the infection came.

After 2 weeks of doctoring it with peroxide and neosporin, it progressively got worse. It wasn't until Wednesday of this week that I became hysterical and started crying/screaming like a crazy person. When I went to doctor my toe that evening, I noticed a huge chunk of skin over part of my toenail. I felt it was swollen so I tried to get some of the pus out (gross, I know), but that only made me cry and scream even more. I knew then that I had to see the doctor because my way wasn't helping.

On Wednesday Daniel was sweet enough to make me an appointment at the podiatrist, the same one that he and his MeMe use. We later found out that MeMe is quite the celebrity at Birmingham Podiatry. She is talked about fondly there: she and her toenail-less big toes. Bless her heart.

Yesterday afternoon was my appointment and Daniel was wonderful enough to drive me there. It was in Southside so obviously I had no clue how to get there. It just wigs me out to go downtown by myself anyway.

We walked through the doors to the odor of old people and funeral home. I mean the smell was outrageous! My observations were this: Daniel and I were the youngest ones in the waiting area, and old people do NOT like to wait long for doctor appointments. After I finally got called back, Daniel came with me because I was SCARED TO DEATH! I mean my teeth were chattering I was so nervous. I had asked Daniel the night before at least 5 times E.X.A.C.T.L.Y. what the procedure was to remove an ingrown toenail. It seemed like every time he told me that the procedure got shorter and shorter, but I am sure that he was doing that to ease my nerves.

It was only after they leaned my chair back and blocked my vision of my toe with a paper towel (with fancy little toe people on it) that I started crying. I tried to hold back my tears, but I knew that the pain that I was about the experience would NOT be a pleasant one. I couldn't stop crying either. I felt like the biggest wimp ever. Poor, Daniel. He tried to help.

The doctor finally came in and injected 3 shots into my right big toe to numb it. Let me just say that those shots were the most painful shots I have EVER had! I will NEVER get another pedicure just for the shear fact that those shots scared me for the rest of my life. Now once the toe was numb, those shots seemed like they were well worth it. Don't get me wrong; they were worth it...but just not at the time of injection.

Once the toe was numb, it was a piece of cake. I felt absolutely nothing...I mean nada...not even pressure on my toe. I didn't even know that I had a right big toe. It was so nice. And the pain was gone once the minor surgery was over. (Thank you, Dr. Clark, for working your toe magic.)

One more thing about my ingrown: I have a staph infection. (Yikes!) I am taking antibiotics for it so I am hoping that helps. Dr. Clark even commented on just how much pus was in my toe. Uh, yep...there was a lot and I was trying to get it out, but it was so painful that I couldn't.

My surgery afterthoughts:
-Even though the pain of the 3 shots was close to unbearable, they were WELL worth it. My toe was numb up until this morning. It was weird!
-I was in so much pain before the doctor that I couldn't walk right nor could I sleep well at night. I am happy to report that I slept fantastic last night!
-I am 95% sure that I can make it back to the doctor's office by myself in 2 weeks for my check-up. I don't think I will get too lost.
-I will miss the sliver of toenail. I saw what my toenail will look like now and it's just not the same. RIP toenail sliver.
-I will NEVER get another pedicure again...at least not from a Chinese, only Americans. Is that racist? No, it's just a fact. I more than likely got the staph infection from that place. Beware, Mamski.
-Old people have feet problems...and I am only 25. Does that make me an old person? No, because I was living young and taking a risk in getting my toes done.
-Yes, I took one for Sissy and Josh's wedding. Again, another "You're welcome" from me.

If you want more details from this fascinating/painful/traumatizing experience, just let me know.