August 08, 2010

Healing hands

The dead skin on my palms where the blisters developed is starting to crack and come off. I have trimmed some of it away as well and sport bandages on my left thumb near the tip and at the base, and on the tips of the first two fingers. My right hand was not nearly as affected as the left. There is only one area that may split and peel off, at the base of the right thumb. Dr G instructed me to keep the open, new skin covered. It is pink and healthy in appearance but some of the blisters were so deep that it may take days for enough layers of skin to re-grow.

I still experience some tingling in my palms, even while wearing the fentanyl patch. This might be the itching sensation I associate with healing. I intend to wear this second fentanyl patch for the full 72 hours and then evaluate if I have recovered enough to stop using it.

The trimming of blisters reminded me of my high school and college years, when I used to dance barefooted every week at Israeli and international folk dancing. In the summer we danced outdoors on a cement plaza. My feet blistered every time, and on the following morning I would trim off the dead skin. Then I'd repeat the whole thing again the next week. I was young(er) and stupid(er) then.

2 comments:

  1. Anonymous11:44 AM

    "I intend to wear this second fentanyl patch for the full 72 hours and then evaluate if I have recovered enough to stop using it." A friendly reminder to come off the patch in a planned, orderly manner and under medical supervision. Going cold turkey on this patch is just awful, trust me.
    - Betty Johanna

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  2. Know what? I'll bet if you could choose to go back and do it all over again, well, you'd dance again! :)

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