Okay, I think I tried to cut off my left thumb this weekend. Seriously bad cut, moderately painful, minimal bleeding (speedy fist clamping reaction and holding my hand over my head). ***shout out to my Mom if you are reading this - I am fine and healthy, all is good, I am just a klutz and I don't mean to make you worry! With that said ... I thought I'd share some pictures of said thumb, because I love reading blog posts like this (really I do, does that make me weird?)
If you are one of those people that get squeamish easily, don't read this post :) I take the bandage off in the next picture - so don't look if you don't want to!!!
If you are like me and like reading about other people's drama - and want to see pictures of the gory details. Here ya go. I am an idiot. And I spend most of my life around sharp glass edges and cutting tools.
But I didn't do this while working - all I did was take out the trash(which somehow makes this even scarier to me, the germs and sheer potential is just gross)! It was such a small normal moment in life and somehow (I am not sure what bit me) I suddenly realized my thumb was cut, my hand was in a fist, and when I pried the fingers apart my thumb came open! Seriously! I wasn't expecting this. I got to see way more of my internal thumb flesh than I would have preferred. I am not a big fan of the whole "lets go to the emergency room!" Stitches - pishaw - I'm a woosy when it comes to hospitals. So yeah, I put a thick plastic comb in my mouth and bit hard while I generously poured rubbing alcohol thru the open cut. I don't think rubbing alcohol was the best thing to use, but I was freaking out at the infection potential and this was the first stuff to come to mind. Then held it over my head till it got dry enough to glue shut. This skin-glue stuff is currently my best friend! Although it is useless if you can't get the bleeding to stop. In this particular case - skin glue saved the day!
Fortunately, I am healing quite well, no swelling or puss. Its painful though. Painful as hell when I forget and try to do things. Anything I previously would grip with my left hand is now a challenge to figure out how to do without using my thumb. I am right-handed, and its my left thumb that I cut... so that leaves me advantaged in this situation. However, most things require both opposable thumbs.
can I use your bloggy ear to whine for a minute... let me tell you what is a pain in the ass to do without the use of your left thumb: clipping and un-clipping a bra clasp... unbuttoning my pants... tieing my shoes... that's just the normal every day stuff. I reach for something and grab it and suddenly I am in excruciating pain as the glue tries to hold my thumb together for me. Or if I spread my hand at all... you get the idea. Opening jars, not so easy, driving stick shift is also pretty awkward, packaging up orders was a b*tch as I am so used to having two hands to fold the boxes and tape things up, the tape gun almost brought me to my knees... oh and showering, I haven't tackled this hurdle yet (bag around hand? I dunno about this, but I am not about to make this wound any worse) so instead I am tackling trying to put my hair in a pony tail, which requires some kind of Jedi skillz to do without two thumbs. Sheesh. I use my left hand a lot in life, fortunately its a slow after-holiday time for me so I am laying low and letting it heal. Which it is doing spectacularly in spite of me being a stubborn klutzy lady.
It could have been worse, I thank my lucky stars that I still have two thumbs, and in a matter of days (or weeks?) I will be able to use both again!
When I was at the Seattle Museum of Art checking out the Alexander Calder exhibit, I couldn't help but notice the display of his jewelry. In the written description of his wearable artwork there was a mention of how he called these pieces "Swell Joolery". Calder had such a fun sense of humor, this made me smile. His "Swell Joolery" is not recognized or seen as often as his large installations.
I make a lot of little earrings out of the little pieces of glass left over from the larger mobiles. Glass is precious and recyclable like this. If I have little pieces left over I can melt them down onto these tiny wires and bend little kinetic works of art. Very little, very happy, very wear-able. Indeed they are examples of playful or foolish behavior.
If you are interested in owning a pair of my tom foolery - Swell Jewelry - I just listed a small collection of them in my Etsy shop! 
