The Christmas Eve Trip to the ER

The truth is I love Christmas. I love everything about it from the decorations to the music, movies , food , spending time with my friends and most of all just all of the festivities that had to go with it. But of course there was one thing that I disliked. I hated the jarred cranberry sauce that seemed to magically appear on the table every Christmas Eve Christmas day dinner. I hated the smell, the texture, and most of all the way it fell out of the can with a plop.

I always prepared for Christmas super early, the excitement and the festive feeling always seem to hit me early. This year was no different, I decorated 30 days before Christmas. I took my family out to see the brand new Grinch movie. Also as always, I pre-bought the Christmas gifts throughout the year. The Christmas tree was always stacked underneath with gifts. I could say that gift giving was one of my love languages.

Taking care of my family And being generous towards them, seemed like a necessity. It’s how I showed them how much they mean to me. The money I spent didn’t matter. Their faces and enjoyment of their gifts is what was truly important. That to me is the Christmas spirit.

This year was no different, everyone had at least 10 gifts under the tree. Christmas cards were mailed out, and Christmas presents delivered. There had been nothing that I had missed. The Christmas meals sat in the fridge and freezer waiting for the special day for it to be cooked.

I was excited for the holidays as always the special time spent with my loved ones. The love I got to feel from them once they opened their gifts. The Christmas music that would be played. The Christmas games, and the Christmas movies that we would watch. But this year, it was different.

We didn’t get to experience a happy holiday that year. About two weeks prior to Christmas Eve, I had an injury. I was boxing at my job, used my hand wraps and got a small cut. I didn’t think anything of it at the time. I kept putting peroxide, ointments and bandages on it. But it seemed to keep growing bigger and bigger over the next few weeks and I had pain.

My coworker had suggested that I go to the doctor. I didn’t think it was that serious, so I decided not to go. Over the next week I noticed extreme redness, swelling and irritation. I could barely bend my hand and finally on Christmas Eve I decided I should go to the ER.

When I got into the ER they examined my hand, and told me I had a severe infection. I still thought all I would need were antibiotics. But they informed me I would have to wait for the doctor to examine my hand. The doctor examined my hand and gave me two choices. Either drain my hand immediately or be booked the day after Christmas into another hospital.

I asked him how successful he would be at draining my hand. He informed me that he could do it, but I would need to stay in the hospital for a few hours before going home. He would do an incision on my hand to remove the pus and infection. Then give me a prescription for antibiotics to take for the next couple weeks to clear up my infection.

So on Christmas Eve, my hand was laced and the pus was removed. It was on my knuckle area and the pressure was so intense when he cut my hand open. I have of course let out, A Yelp as it was a huge discomfort. My two children watched as their mother had their hand drained on Christmas Eve. I could see the fear and anxiety in their eyes.

I apologize to them for ruining their holidays. As usual in my household, holidays are a time for celebration and happiness. being the amazing human beings that they are, they offered to cook dinner for us all. And they would open the presents in my room while I was on bedrest.

I am happy to say that no holidays have been ruined in the following years. My hands that had been lanced Healed successfully. I am grateful but at the same time regretful, because I ruined my favorite holiday.