Oops

Art had a bit of a mishap yesterday- while working on an auger he sliced his hand open on one of the blades. The Tipton Mercy Clinic called me at work yesterday to tell me he had cut himself but that he should really be seen by a doctor in Iowa City. I knew it was bad if Art actually went to the doctor. A friend of ours drove Art to Iowa City and I met them at the emergency room. It was kind of a hard process for Art as he hates hospitals- I means hates them . I don't know if it's the smell or the sight of sick people, but he stays away from them at all costs. He did well yesterday, though, and it helped that it was a quiet afternoon in the ER. They took x-rays (no broken bones) did a nerve test (all intact) and the doctor did some motility tests. Turns out, Art severed the tendon on his little finger and can't move it. The ER doctor spoke the orthopedic hand surgeon and it was decided that we would go see him Monday morning with surgery probable on Tuesday. Then the doctor stitched up the skin- I don't know how many stitches but the cut was 5 cm long- and sent us on our way.

Art's doing fine- his hand throbs a little but he sure likes the Hydrocodone they gave him. He is getting along pretty well but needs help tying his shoes and buttoning his pants on. Art said he never thought about how much he uses two hands without even thinking, but now that he's down to one it makes it a little tougher. Unfortunately it is his left hand and he's a lefty. I had to sign all of his paperwork at the hospital because they couldn't read his signature when written with his right hand.

Art did say this couldn't have happened at a better time as harvest is going to be starting in a week or two and all he will have to do is drive a truck for a month. He is more concerned with the money aspect than the fact that he is going to have surgery in a few days. Art was really ticked off yesterday because I had just sent in my last payment from my ER visit a year ago. I just told him that at least we have insurance and that's why God created interest-free payment plans!