Thread: A decent splinter

G'day all,

This is vaguely related to woodwork....

Just thought I'd share my recent splinter removal with you all.

It all started at work shifting a rather large packing case. The damn thing decided to fall towards me and I instinctively put up my hand to stop it and was impaled by a splinter.

I thought it may have been rather large as the puncture hole was still evident and appeared to be at least 3mm deep before the blood came.

Spent about 45 minutes with tweezers trying to remove the splinter but couldn't get a grip on it and when I did the pain was too much to take.

Seen a doctor the next morning, and he reckoned he couldn't find it, but his assistant nurse sugested I get an ultrasound done to confirm there was something in there (I needed no convincing)

Got ultrasound done, and even the sonographer had trouble finding it, but when he did I almost fell off the chair, he measured it at just over 16mm long, and buried parallel to the surface 5mm down. Now I knew why it was hurting so much.

Wandered over to emergency ward with my happy snaps and checked in. Eventually got seen by a doctor and even she was unsure of being able to remove it and muttering about surgeons needing to do the job...
She found a more experienced doctor who gave it a go and after about 10 minutes of moderately intense pain (nerve blockers don't work anywhere near as well as a true local I'm afraid to report, stung like buggery) he found the splinter and after about another couple of minutes it was out - phew.

No bull$hit this thing was almost the same size as the big end of a toothpick and slightly longer than the ultrasound showed, around 18mm long.

A couple of stitches and a couple more hours waiting for the antibiotics and I was on my way.

This all started at around 9.30AM and finished around 5:15PM.
I now know the true meaning of waiting rooms

At least workcare will pay the ultrasound bill, the rest was all bulk billed and public hospital.

A different way to spend a day....