I'm Growing an Alien

I'm growing an alien on my hand.  Well, not really, unless an alien is conceived by pouring hot water over an area and creating a second degree bun.  But, that's sure what it looks like and it keeps growing.  :)  Fair warning--these photos aren't for the faint of heart, but if you just think about it being an alien, I think you'll be OK.  

I learned a few valuable lessons through this process.  Lesson #1:  When you run cold water over a burn do it for more than a few minutes--more like 15-30.  I know what you're thinking because it was what I was thinking,  "Who has time to hang out with their hand in running water for that long?  Besides, that is a total waste of water."  Well, now I'm thinking I should at least have filled a bowl to soak my hand for 30 minutes or so.  Lesson learned for the future.

Lesson #2:  Blisters may not show up immediately.  Up to about 2 hours after my show of cooking skill, I thought I only had a first degree burn.  Just for your future knowledge, it is not a good idea to completely miss the cup you are trying to pour boiling water into and pour it on your hand instead.  Just sayin'.  A little after 2 hours after the burn occurred, I noticed a small blister forming.  So, I did what anyone would do.  I ignored it and taught my piano student arriving  right about then.  We're all busy so how dare something as insignificant as a possible medical emergency disrupt our schedule.  At this point, I'm still thinking it's no big deal, but I Google how to care for a burn blister anyway.  And, I put triple antibiotic cream + pain relief on it and covered it with a band-aid.  When my husband came home from work, my son told on me and I had to show my blister.  Good thing I did.  That sucker had grown.  We head to the ER, but not before we have dinner first.  Why ruin a good meal?  And, the last one I will get to cook for an indefinite period of time.  Good thing it was in the crock-pot before I burned my hand.  No sense in starving the family.

Day 1 

I come home with a bandaged hand (see top picture), a second degree burn diagnosis, and instructions to follow up with my doctor.  Lesson #3  Triple Antibiotic Cream with pain relief does not mean no pain.  Burns hurt and hurt for a long time (just in case you didn't already know that).

Lesson #4: Burn blisters continue to grow.  Or baby aliens, if that is what is really happening?  It was day 2 that I began thinking I was growing an alien.

Day 2

Day 3

Day 4

By Day 3, I'm trying to be very careful not to get to close to anything.  The alien baby has grown so much it gets accidentally bumped frequently.  Every time that happens, I can feel liquid sloshing around.  Gross I know!  Gross to read, but even grosser to feel.  When I wake up on Day 4, it's grown so much it is peeking out my thumb hole.  Talk about Gross!  Well, that is that day the alien is born (or the blister burst).  I never did see an alien running around, but who knows maybe someday she will appear on the Miss Universe pageant.  My daughter was wondering why it is called Miss Universe when the contestants are all from Earth.  

In the middle of this adventure, I found myself still having thankful thoughts, so here they are:

1.  Burn is on the back on my hand not on the palm so I can still wheel myself

2.  High pain tolerance

3.  This whole process hasn't disrupted much of my normal routine

4.  Google

5.  Lessons learned for my future or that of someone else

6.  Children willing and able to cook while husband is at work and I can't

7.  Pizza delivery.