The Former Traveling Spotlight

The tales of a "30" something gay former stand-up comic living in NYC who is searching for his soul mate or soul...which ever comes first.

Tuesday, February 06, 2007

Streak Marks

Late Friday afternoon, I cut the cuticle of my left index finger. Those bitches hurt, but life goes on, and I was about to enjoy a nice evening out with my friends. Thus Saturday when I wasn't feeling all that well. I blamed it on the few (read = lost count) Vodka Cranberry cocktails I had had the night before.

But by Saturday night, I was experiencing the all too familiar chills that come with getting a fever. So I did, what anyone else would have done...I took some cold medicine and stayed home for the night...and alternated shivering and sweating for the night and the next day. I finally felt better on Monday morning, with one exception.

My left index finger was really sore and swollen. So I cleaned it well, put a band aid on it and went to work. By the time I arrived at my second job, My left arm looked like this.



I thought I had bruised myself or bumped my arm on a subway, yet the emergency room staff was way more concerned than I expected. I've never walked into an emergency room and had a doctor see me before I had filled out the paperwork and showed my insurance card. In my case, I had an IV in my arm within 5 minutes of walking through the door.

What I didn't know was that the streaking lines of infection had run all the way up to my shoulder by that point. They pumped me full of antibiotics, and then sent me home to carefully watch my marks (which have not disappeared yet).

And this is why today at work...I'm typing one handed. That's my story...and I'm sticking to it.

Patrick - 1:05 PM -

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