Ok, I'll laugh about this one day, but I wasn't laughing last night. Back from yoga I was stripping off for a bath, hooked the middle finger of my right hand into the elastic of my sock, tried to pull it off and something went 'snap'. I thought it was my sock, but alas it was my finger! I called down to husband and he was somewhat shocked to see the limp end of my finger dangling while I told him what I'd done. I started feeling faint and woozy as he talked of broken ligaments etc. He went to check on the NHS Direct website, and I continued with my bath.
He then returned with news that he thought my finger wasn't broken, but that the ligaments were damaged and I should see someone within 24 hours for surgery. Any hint of a smile immediately wiped off my face - how could I go to hospital and face an operation with Elizabeth in tow? The only possible thing to do, we reasoned, was to get dressed and set off for A&E there and then. I rang my Dad at 9pm, he came over to babysit for Elizabeth, and we got to the hospital where we had to sit with various drunks who had slipped on the ice. The triarge nurse diagnosed 'mallet finger' and to my reassurance said I would need to be seen by a doctor. I waited again to be seen by a doctor, who confirmed the diagnosis and said I'd need to wear a plastic 'mallet splint' for 6 weeks (bear in mind baby is due in exactly six weeks time!). I then had to wait again for a nurse to fit said mallet splint, and we rolled up home at 11.15pm somewhat tired and emotional after the experience!
Another night of itching and with the prospect of a midwife appointment today I made an additional appointment to see the GP and asked for something else as the steroid cream hasn't made a jot of difference and if anything the itching is worse. It is driving me crazy at night, and what started off as a couple of irritating spots on my legs has become a sea of angry red blisters all over my legs, hips, lower back, arms, stomach... He suggested having an antihistamine tablet every night, and then dispatched me to the midwife who was very sympathetic but had no other advice than 'calamine lotion' which obviously I've tried.
On the plus side all is well with the baby - heart beat fine, moving well, head down, not measuring large for dates... The midwives famous last words "This won't be another nearly-10lb-baby" are ringing in my ears - I'm sure it will be. I'm sure Elizabeth didn't measure large for dates at all, but we'll see. A small(ish) baby would be a bonus in these challenging times.
I'm adapting to life with my mallet splint, and hoping that my antihistamine tablet will offer some relief tonight. My 'hug a bub' sling has arrived from my E-bay seller today, so I'm about to plug in the DVD and learn how to use it before possibly looking at packing some of my various hospital bags. I've washed all the baby gros and vests, and got the car seat and bouncy chair down from the loft. Feeling in some ways a bit more prepared, but hit for six by the tiredness and this recent mallet finger setback!
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