32 Flavours...and then Some!

Don't know whether to chalk it up to the Augmentin or not, but the wound appears to be pretty much on its way to being completely healed! Its top layer/scab worked its way off yesterday (I snagged it on my clothes and had to snip it off with a nail clipper) and the skin left looks pink and healthy in its place. Not terribly much of a divot in the flesh, either, which is also good.

Been having a small amount of GI distress from the Augmentin, though. I do take it with food, albeit either just a cup of yogurt or a big muffin and coffee, but...yeah. Stomach upset mostly, some acid reflux acting up (which, of course, feels suspiciously like cardiac symptoms and I have to check myself before I start to panic). Been popping Pepto Bismol tablets to stave off the worst of it and, so far, it's been working fairly well. The real solution is to eat a bit more before popping the pill, but I'm foolishly and selfishly trying to mind the calorie intake right now, too, so...yeah...That would make me a dumbass. ;)

So my first Bad Cat Bite Saga is pretty much one and done, save for finishing off my course of Augmentin. Still glad I went in when I did to get it checked out--think it helped me avoid a fate similar to what J went through last spring with his cat bite...

Took my shower this morning and the hot water really aggravated my wound from last night. The hot water made my whole pinkie throb in the shower. Waited awhile and noticed the tip where the bite is located looked a bit swollen and that my pinkie, in general, felt warmer to the touch than the rest of my fingers and right hand. Sigh. A call to the doctor's nurse line was in order.

They hear "cat bite" and suggest I be seen ASAP. I live close enough to the office that I was able to secure an appointment within 10 minutes of the callback from the nurse. I drive over and get seen by Lindsay the physician's assistant. She looks at it, notes it's swollen and sore looking and also notes it's a puncture vs. a scratch--more likely to become infected. She asked me how I'd been caring for the wound--I told her hot water for five minutes post-bite, followed by alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, then lightly bandaged with no antibiotic ointment as that would make the wound heal from the outside in and trap the bad bacteria inside the wound. She gave me mad props for that one. ;) Told her I repeated the hot water/alcohol/hydrogen peroxide treatment first thing this morning and how sore it got during my shower later.

She poked and prodded it a bit--nothing came out of it, but she did get it to open up a bit. It's a bit deeper than I recall. :/ The tip of the pinkie is sorta numb to the touch while the rest of my pinkie is sorta sore and the whole she-bang is generally pinker than it should be. Yep, signs of an infection starting to set in. I'm on ten days of Augmentin for that. Soak the wounded area in 50/50 mix of hot water and hydrogen peroxide twice daily for at least three days and nights. Take ibuprofen to help take the swelling from the trauma of the bite down a notch. If there are signs of anything getting worse (pain, swelling, discharge of any sort, etc.) I'm to call the office right back for follow up. Neglected to ask if bowling is out or not--I would think since the pinkie finger isn't really involved in the sport, if I keep it covered nicely I should be fine. She also suggested when at all possible (read: when I'm not typing, LOL) to keep it uncovered and open to air to help it breathe. She said keep it uncovered as long as I can keep it clean and dry in doing so.

My dip/tet was up to date, but I got the shot before it had pertussis added, so I got a booster for that shot today, too. Can't hurt with a puncture wound to get another tetanus booster anyway, so...yeah...

Augmentin is a pretty potent antibiotic and harsh on the GI tract, so after Walgreens I went to the grocery store to pick up some much needed quick make groceries so I'll have at least breakfasts I didn't previously have in the house for consumption. Got some quicky meals for dinners, too.

Current status? I don't think I ate enough with the first dose of Augmentin I took--head's a little bit wonky right now, but getting better. Pinkie's sore from all the poking and prodding and lifting of grocery bags. Ibuprofen helped take some of the edge off, so it's a bit better than when I first got home.

We'll definitely have to keep an eye on this still. I've by no means decreed myself out of the woods with this one just yet...Sigh...