Old Fools Journal: Update on the Terrible Unfortunate Injury Caused by a Rabid Wheelbarrow

or I just joined the slow healing movement.

For those who have asked about my arm and it's progress.

This is how it was on February 10, 2012. It doesn't look so bad in a photo but It was puffy and painful. SWMBO (she who must be obeyed) said it's infected. There were other words and and possibly some swearing and a reference to possibly having to cut it off in the near future which motivated me to consult a doctor. She knows that the mention of any kind of pain moves me into action. That and the constant painful sore arm.  I have never in nearly 73 year had an infection from a cut or even had a cut not heal almost immediately. That should have been a sign that something was amiss. The doc's first remark was "that doesn't look good". He appeared to not want to touch it.

The anti-biotics were nearly as bad as the infection but after 17 days it now looks like this.

Much better. The swelling is all gone, It no longer hurts but there is still itching, redness and rough skin. I hope the itching is a sign of healing, the redness is because the area was severely bruised and my nurse, Ms Oldfool, says the skin was all crumpled up and she could not get it all smooth when she repaired it. She is the ships nurse here and I am the ships doctor. She is as good as any nurse in the world and you better hope you don't need 'the doctor'. As a doctor I only do amputations and sex change operations. If you see me for a headache you are likely to get a surprise.

I usually feel so good that I forget that I am as old as I am. I have prepared myself making myself aware of the effects of old age. Now if I could just remember that I'm not thirty anymore.

I thought when I had the flu in 2006 and did not react to it as I always had. I did not care if I lived or died and when I did care I wanted to die.  I now get a flu shot regularly.  I knew then that aging was changing me but I foolishly ignored that warning. Who better than an oldfool to do something foolish.

I became aware again that pain is an effective motivator and if it is enough to be memorable then perhaps it will effectively encourage one to not do that one thing again.

I do tiptoe around the wheelbarrow when it appears to be sleeping and I am watching to see that the infection does not reappear.