Man! You bring back memories in mentioning the pain once the anesthetic wore off or the needle sticks @ certain locations...

Almost ten years ago (October 8th is my first of 2 birthdays every year since) as part of the Liver Transplant I went through, the surgeons closed me up with sutures both internally and externally. For added measure - in other words, to make sure the wounds did'nt open up around my abdominal area, the left part of my groin area and within my left armpit, they used surgical grade stainless stl. staples to hold everything together!!!

I had to put up with those items attached in me for around 9 to 10 weeks if I remember correctly...
well, when the local anesthesia started to wear off in certain locations of my body, one could only just imagine if possible the level of excruciating pain I went through!!! Then there were the times when a few of them sort of popped out from my abdominal scars while laying down to rest for a few or even sleeping!!! Now that was scary!!!

I did'nt feel pain when that happened but, it shure got my attention each time I woke up only to notice small to medium size bloodstains either on the blanket or the mattress cover!!! I'll tell you this, It's an eerie feeling when one notices that they're starting to leak at different locations around their body!!! Come to think about it, the same thing happened when I had the hip surgery a few years ago but then I was expecting something like that to happen so it was'nt so much of a surprise to me compared to my transplant.

Those experiences got me to thinking that these surgeons need to learn how to fuse skin much better during that time and nowadays they're actually welding skin together successfully without all of those darn staples with virtually no leaking at all... Then again we're talking about low pressure joints when compared to some of the welding we do!!! ;)

Do'nt even get me started with the black & blue marks I would get on both of my arms after the nurses would start an IV or when they attempted to stick the needles by my knuckles on my hands!!! Man did that SUCK!!! I almost took a swing at one of them when the pain was almost too much and all I could do was react on instinct!!! Needless to say, they entered that in my records because afterwards, they never attempted to stick a needle there again!!! ;) I believe they got the message. Btw, it really irks me when the Docs, Dentists or the nurses say to you "Now you'll just experience a bit of pressure so do'nt worry" just before they know that you're going to feel pain!!!

The only advice I can pass along to you is that if you've got work with the thumb, make darn shure that you cover it up real good in order to avoid infection...  Afterwards clean it up real good and use a triple antibiotic ointment each time before & after work by changing the dressing 2 times daily at least until the scar heals up completely... Then use vitamin E or Cocoa butter around the scars that will help in minimize the contrast of the color match with your complexion. ;)

Finally, I'm real grateful that I went through what I did inspite of the pain & suffering because those experiences made me a stronger, more patient person today!!! It also humbled me quite abit also!!!
I hope everything heals as well as it possibly can and better days are ahead Sourdough!!! ;)

Respectfully,
Henry