Results are in!

Warning: There will be graphic pictures in this post. If you can't stand the sight of blood, pass this post by. You'll see a gorey finger. This finger has nearly consumed my thoughts for the past week so I needed to include this post to print in my future blog journal.

For the past 3 to 4 years I've had a strange soft spot at the top of my pinky fingernail. It recently started looking bigger, pink, and causing my tail to be ridged and brittle. I went to one dermatologist and they told me it was some kind of tumor, but they couldn't get me in for a biopsy for another 6 weeks. Luckily I found another doctor that could get me in the next morning. Here's the finger before:
The procedure wasn't that bad. They cut into the soft area and took a small piece out for the biopsy. It was bleeding a lot and he put in 7 or 8 stitches. He was worried about getting the whole thing because it could destroy my nail matrix and cause my nail to grow improperly. I wasn't too concerned about that, I just wanted to know that it wasn't cancer.

The local anesthesia began wearing off as soon as I got to my car to drive home. One naproxen wasn't doing the trick, and after getting my tires rotated, I was really in pain. As I was making the 30 minute drive home, I couldn't stand it. I took a second naproxen but didn't have any water. For a good 24 hours it still felt like that pill was stuck in my chest. Must have scratched going down. I was really hurting for another 3 to 4 hours, and even the rest of the day it maintained a steady ache and occasional throbbing. I was on pain meds for just over 24 hours.

I was handling things pretty well until I changed the bandaging that evening. I had watched most of the procedure and when it was numb it didn't really phase me. I wondered why a little thing like this could be so painful, but then seeing the hole in my finger made me realize it was pretty deep. I had to look away because I felt a little faint. Here is what I saw: It's been a week now and I've been dreading and anticipating the news, just hoping that it would be good. Luckily, it is benign... no cancer! The doctor called it a dermatofibroma. He said that is thought to be "a scarring-type reaction to an insect bite." Dang mosquitoes. Who knows if mine really is fromt a bug bit. I don't have to do any more treatment. Thank goodness they don't have to cut anything else out of my little finger. I'm pretty sure the nail will never look normal again, but thankfully I'm still healthy! Here is the healing process one week later. The stitches will come out on their own and the sensitivity and occasional aching should go away soon.