A Jammer on Jamboards.com learned the hard way, , , , ,

I thought i would start a new thread to follow up on my other stingray thread. I have had some complications with my wound and would have done some things differently if I had more knowledge. I will post here what I learned from now 4 doctors visits over 12 days due to my deep wound puncture from the stingray. I will say my first wound I got was a small nick and healed quickly and did not need a lot of the care below. But if you get one deep keep reading. Maybe this will be useful if you are in an area where you need to make some decisions on your own.

Doctor appt 1 on June 10 initial exam of wound
Doctor appt 2 on June 17 infected wound inspection
Doctor appt 3 on June 19 infected wound inspection follow up
Doctor appt 4 on June 22 infected wound inspection follow up 2

Honestly there is a lot of conflicting information online about the healing process. Most of it points to a quick recovery. There is not a lot of info about more severe hits, infection, and a non quick recovery.

So after 2 different doctors and multiple nurses here is what I would suggest one do ( this is what i will do next time)

1. Get up to date on your tetanus shot. Mine was 9 years old. I had to get a booster the day this happened.

2. Clean the wound first, before the hot water. Flush the wound and try to get out any debris. Then put something like Betadine on it.

3. Know where your foot artery is. If you are hit there and you are bleeding bad go straight to the hospital. ( real hospital, not urgent care)

4. Soak the wound in very hot water for 60-90 minutes until you get some relief.

5. Go to doctor where they can do an x-ray or ultrasound to check for debris in wound.

6. Take a preventative antibiotic. ( I was not told to do this from first doctor, second doctor could not believe I was not prescribed Doxycicline as a preventative )

7. Don't go in the water until the wound is closed ( i went surfing on day 5 when I thought I was healed... bad idea) My doctor said today 4 days of a solid scab with no oozing before I go surfing. Apparently a puncture wound heals from the inside out. So if there is any oozing it could be a hole going all the way to internal structures... you don't want bacteria going deep. The barb can do serious internal tissue damage as it comes out.

8. You read a lot online about it getting infected days later. That is what happened to me. Red swollen and hot thats an infection. Go to the doctor.

9. I was told the 2 most common infections are vibrio and staph. Which apparently require 2 different antibiotics. So be prepared to take more than 1 antibiotic, and or expect an antibiotic shot.

10. It takes 2-3 days to see results from the antibiotics and the infection might get worse in those days ( mine did). My pain was in multiple areas on the foot not just the wound site, I was told this is common from both infection and internal tissue injuries where the trauma spreads out.

11. When the doctor says if the infection gets to the next level go to a hospital where you can get an IV drip antibiotic. The next level I was told is fever, body chills, nausea, dark red spreading in lines from the wound area.

12. Take all your antibiotics ( and watch out for sun sensitivity from the meds)

13. Take a probiotic to counteract for your guts. Take benadryl for itching, take advil for pain. Ice for initial swelling. Heat later to aid in healing.

14. When you are mobile and healing wrap your foot with an ace bandage to create compression. It feels good and helps keep the wound from tearing and reopening and helps with swelling.

15. In my case it will probably take 2.5- 3 weeks to heal to where i can get in the water.

15. Overall take it serious. I did not. I have had multiple injuries over the years and not done much and they have just healed fine with no treatment. I am not prone to infection. You are not in the clear until the pain and swelling are done and the wound is fully closed and the scab is shrinking. Rest it as much as you can and stay off it and elevate it. I tried getting back to normal routine too quickly and paid the price. I think i heard so many stories of "just put it in hot water and drink some beer you will be good in 48 hours".... not true if it gets you good.

Be well


-------------------------
Dora Hates You

Thank you. This info will be saved and hopefully not needed.

-------------------------

"One of the reasons why propaganda tries to get you to hate government is because it's the one existing institution in which people can participate to some extent and constrain tyrannical unaccountable power." Noam Chomsky.

My pops said it was the worst pain he had ever felt. I shuffle everywhere I go.

-------------------------
I was right.

Great info and good luck with your healing. I got hit when I was 15, wade fishing off Horti point on MI. I remember the agonizing pain of the initial sting, jumped up clear out of the water. My buddy flagged down a passing boat, as we were way way out there. The boat dropped us off in someone's backyard along the waterway and a super nice old guy brought my soaking wet bloody body into his house where I called my dad. By the time Dad got there I was blacking out from the pain and neurotoxin. I remember it spreading up my leg. Went straight to the ER at CC hospital. Im pretty sure they hit me with some demerol and antibiotics. Was a long time ago, almost 45 years, but I still have the scar. And I will never forget the feeling of the ray's tail hitting my leg in the soft fleshy spot between the heal and the ankle bone. He missed on his first strike and slid his tail down my leg before a second attempt sent the barb into my flesh. Never abandon the shuffle, no matter how good the trout bite is...

Holy schnikes LIV2!

I was fishing the Banana flats in 2012, shuffled the entire time until I got back close to shore. I took one step and it was on a stingray. Barb went through the side of my foot and straight out the bottom like BUTTER. Luckily didn't break off smooth clean puncture in and out (felt no pain from puncture just adrenaline.) I have had major boxer fractures, broken left arm twice, right leg dislocated/hyperextended and nothing in this world compares to the poison they inject. It took about a minute and half for it to really kick in and I was a grown man crying like a baby. Entire left leg got swollen lymph node blew up. Horrible experience I wouldn't wish on anyone. My pops commercial clammed in the Indian and Banana from the 80s-late 90s Brevard's rivers were full of life before it turned into a shitteshow, septic pool. He had been stung a few times over the years diving, raking grabbing (hands, feet) but one in particular he dove down, weights quickly dropped him to the bottom and BAM one right through the Achilles. Got stuck and pulled him a few yards before coming clean out. The Achilles puncture was real deal, got infected because he didn't go to the doctor, the infection finally cleared after help from a holistic doctor and home remedies, bees wax and all kinds of plants mixed into a concoction that was like a puddy that he packed the hole with but it took months to finally heal. He told me about 8 years later he hit his Achilles on something triggering leftover poison that was still in the wound, said he felt the pain all over again like it had just happened.. The poison they inject is mind boggling, like a hot iron with lava flowing through. Mortal Kombat type stuff lol (FINISH HIM!)

Beware a penetrating wound that heals over superficially but continues to be red, swollen, painful, and warm to the touch. Don't ignore that thinking it will just heal up.


-------------------------
Capitalism is based on the ridiculous notion that you can enjoy limitless growth in a closed, finite system.

In biology, such behavior of cells is called "cancer".