XGames... Quilting Edition

Well, my life is nothing if not interesting.

After recovering from Covid a few days ago I was back in my sewing room for some much needed relaxation. There I was, zooming along on a new applique project when WHAM that machine just smoothly sewed right into my fingernail. Honestly, it happens so fast there's not a lot of pain; only surprise. Especially when I examine it... to discover the needle had broken off in my finger. (Note to quilters: a Superior brand Topstitch needle, size 70/10 is problematic when sewing through fingers.)

Like everyone in America that means we dig out the tweezers and go to town trying to extract the foreign object... Alas, no luck. Hmmm. A trip to Urgent Care hoping they have better tweezers and can use their dominant hand. But no! They have to send me to 2nd Urgent Care to get an Xray to determine exact placement of offending piece of metal. ("Honestly, can't you just dig around & pull it out?") And, to top it off they want to refer me to a hand specialist. ("Really? Is that honestly necessary?") Said Hand specialist is booked 3 weeks out and says 'go to the ER at the hospital; you don't want to keep that metal in your finger very long.'

Note: I've notified my quilting friends of my mishap and they offer to:

extract the needle themselves... they even have lidocaine patches

accompany me to the hospital to function as my advocate

provide me with wine (This is probably the best suggestion.)

I decline all of their offers.

So now I present myself to the ER and explain the dilemma. They whisk me back into a room and I supply the Xray. After studying the placement of the needle, the ER Doc confidently returns to my room stating "I can get it out!" Out comes the digital block so my finger is numb during the procedure... and surgery begins.

But you know, they're tryng to grasp a slippery needle from the pointy side and even their tweezers are challenged. By now a 2nd Doc has joined us and there is a crowd outside the room watching with excitement. I am encouraging them saying "dig baby dig!" Ultimately Doc #2 meets with success and the audience bursts into thunderous applause. Okay, maybe I'm imagining the applause.

So, as you enjoy the Olympics and wonder about the fortitude and grit the athletes can display I want you to remember yours truly. And yes, I pulled out the remaining green thread from my finger and I'm back in my sewing room. ~ Judy

The gaping wound after surgery.