When Dogs Attack

Thursday morning James got bit by a dog at a patient's home.  He said the dog doesn't like him and has snapped at him several times before, but on this particular morning came bounding towards the door and grabbed onto his hand.  He bandaged it up and finished the visit.  Then went to a few other appointments.

Later that afternoon he ended up at the Workman's Comp Clinic and was told that he likely tore a tendon and that he would need to go see a plastic surgeon to repair it.

Friday morning he went to the plastic surgeon and was told that he needed to have it operated on . . . now.  He went from the doctor's office at Salt Lake Regional to the operating room at IMC.  They had to put him totally under and the surgery lasted one hour and 15 minutes.  He was in recovery for a while, super groggy. The doctor came and talked to me and said they had cut him open between his pinky and ring finger to clean out all of the infection and to take a culture.  He did have a torn tendon, but that could not be repaired until the infection cleared up.  The doctor is hopeful that by simply opening it and cleaning it, the tissues in the tendon will start to heal themselves.  If not, his hand will be opened up again and some later date to repair the tendon.

I had another teacher cover half of my last class.  While waiting for James I contacted the daycare and they were willing to keep Molly for a little bit longer than usual.  I contacted Maddie and she was fine to keep Jack for a little longer, too.  We left the hospital by 4:30 or so Friday afternoon, got Molly, got Jack, got prescriptions, then headed home.  James slept all evening long and the other 3 of us, once he was taken care of, headed to the football game.

He felt better on Saturday, but may have overdone it and has had a rough Sunday.

It hurts.  It's a pain (meaning the feeling and the inconvenience).  He can't do a whole lot.  (After several attempts, I did get his tie tied right this morning.  It wasn't that I couldn't tie it, but that we kept misjudging the length.  Oh well.)  It's his left hand and he is left handed.  He's supposed to return to work on "light duty" tomorrow, but I don't exactly know what he's going to do.  We'll see.

I don't know what is or what did happen to the dog.  He said the dog's owners reaction was, "I'm glad he bit you.  Now we know he's a good guard dog."  I don't think they have any idea the extent of the injury.

(Thursday night after the first doctor visit)

(No, the little baby underneath Molly is not Jack.)

(Saturday afternoon, the day after being operated on)