Mr. Picker and the Future Gnarly Scar

Sounds like the title of an awesome book. Well, you'll soon find out that it is anything but that. Today I thought I would be crafty and using a box cutter, slice about twenty pages out of an old notebook I had lying in my drawer. Well, I set the everything up, laid the ruler down on the page to get a straight line to follow and then applied a little force. Before I knew it, the blade had missed the ruler and was now cutting a nice strip of my left index finger. I started screaming and just kept cutting, just like they do in the movies. Not really but, carved a nice strip about an inch long.


I am surprised how well I held myself together after this happened due to the fact that I don't like blood, let alone my own blood. I tucked the finger into my palm and calmly stood up telling my coworker I just sliced my finger and was going to the nurse. I don't think I freaked out or anything and, actually remember checking my hair in the mirror on the way down so, must not have been too shocked. By the time I reached the nurses office, I had a nice pool of blood in my palm which spilt out onto the floor as soon as I entered. I stuck my head in and probably pale-faced said, "Its been a while!" After telling them what I had done, I washed the wound and was told while applying pressure with the right hand to keep my hand held above my head.


After about thirty seconds, the phone in the nurses' office rang and in spite of her trying to end the conversation numerous times whoever she was talking to (concerned parent) wouldn't let her go for ten minutes. When she finally got off the phone and back to me, my arm was sorer than any puncture wound could have ever made it. In spite of having it had been raised it was still bleeding. She told me because of the depth of the wound and that it was still bleeding, I ought to head to the clinic.


Nobody was in the office that could drive me and this is a pretty small town, so I just decided to keep my finger above my heart and walk. I ran to the bank to get some cash and after a few minutes was on my way and in the clinic. As a side note it is 86 degrees (weather channel tells me it feels like 96 degrees and believe me it knows) with 74% humidity. I get to the clinic around eleven this morning, about an hour since I had cut it.

I had the doctor look at it, and in English he asked me what I had done, if it was hurting and your typical doctor-patient questions. He told me it was pretty deep and would need stitches. I kind of figured this due to the fact that after an hour it was still gushing blood. He gave me a few shots (most painful thing I had felt all day) and sutured me with what I am guessing was about 4-5 stitches. On top of that he hooked me up with some antibiotics and some pain killers and sent me on my merry way.

Well, here I am now three hours since the incision and my finger is really starting to throb. On the plus side, had this not had happened I wouldn't be able to say suture in Japanese nor that my finger hurts with the beating of my heart... sounds more like a love lyric than an actual symptom but, fun none-the-less.

Other than this blunder today, we have been busy in the past few weeks. For one my previous coworker from New Zealand has gone home and in her stead comes Nikki from Chicago. Last Saturday, we had a town festival where my band(?) which had been named "AJ and his Nutty Friends" played a 45 minute set. As the encore, we played Hotel California and my vice principal who had come along to watch us play came and played a guest guitar solo. Really turned out well and the 75 kids under ten along with their parents we were playing for had a fun time too. I knew we were a hit when I could see the wheelchair bound grandpa on the front row shaking his booty!

We have gone to Osaka, which I think Ayumi has maybe blogged on her site. We've been to Gifu which the entire trip can be summed up in one word; sweaty. I don't think we took any pictures but, if so and if OK magazine doesn't give me the $4,000,000 I asked for, you'll see them here first. My finger is throbbing so I am going to sign off but, maybe I'll update this blog with a picture of my finger.