Slip of the finger

So many things can happen with just the slip or swipe of a finger.  Some good and some not so good.

I like that with a swipe of a finger I can make letters appear on my computer screen.  String them together and they become words, sentences and eventually stories.
I love using my finger to swipe the last yummy traces of cake or brownie batter.  Simply devine and oh so good.
My son has used his mischievous middle finger in the past for a naughty thing that landed him in trouble at school and home;  When he was younger, as many I'm sure, he use to point with his middle finger.  He's had trouble, even at almost 9, breaking the habit fully.  It goes from an "oops" we've talked about to something funny around friends.;  It landed him in the assistant Principal's office for swinging it around during a class trip a few weeks ago.  Hopefully that finger won't be swiped up in that manner for many years to come.;
I always fear for my poor little fingers while I'm cooking.  I worry that I'm going to cut one off or at least open it up a bit.  I've done it before  Sigh.  I was about 18 or 19 and cut almost the whole tip off of one while slicing watermelon.  I didn't want to go to the hospital so I had my mom get me a large cup of water with lots of ice.  I stuck it in there and held the tip on tightly.  Once the bleeding slowed I disinfected it and wrapped it up tightly.  It worked.  I avoided stitches.  If I look really closely I can see the faded scar that is the outline of almost a whole circle.  Glad I was able to save it.
Yesterday I was prepping dinner to go into the slow cooker.  My old, once handy dandy, can opener has been acting up.  It doesn't cut through the metal tops like it use to.  I'm forever warning my kids about the sharp edges and telling them to be careful when helping me recycle.  I could have used the reminder yesterday, even though it was already running through my head.  The lid didn't come off properly so I was trying to get it just right so I could get the beans to come out without having to pry off the lid.  I have sliced fingers on them in the past and it's not pretty.  I knew better.  I truly did.  Yet, I still wiggled the damn thing back and forth to try to get the beans out.  SLICE!  Right down through the top of my index finger.  It wasn't a surface cut either.  Dang it all to heck!  I knew it.  I turned on the water nice and cold, stuck my finger under it and grabbed a paper towel.  I soaked that with cold water and applied it to the cut.  Keeping my finger wrapped tight and in the air I made my way upstairs to the medicine cabinet.  There I doused it with peroxide and wrapped it up tight with gauze and tape.  Thankfully the bleeding stopped.  A few hours later I unwrapped it, applied more peroxide and some antibiotic cream before re wrapping it.  It's long and deep but it's not bleeding and it looks like it will heal ok.
It's been 24 hours and I'm doing ok.  I find it hard to type and I can't do any kind of cleaning or lifting.  I don't want to get the bandage wet and it's too tender to use it to lift things. I reaped benefits last night.  My hubby didn't work in the evening so he washed all the dishes for me.  Considering we hand wash them it's truly a wonderful and considerate thing he did.  I wouldn't have been able to wash them for another day or two.  My son decided he wanted to vacuum his room so I wouldn't have to do it.  Hubby carried the vacuum up the stairs for him.  He proceeded to not only do his room but his sisters and ours.  Hallelujah!  It's a blessing and a miracle.  He now says he'll do it for me every week.  I offered payment for it if he does it and does it right.  Woohoo!  This may be a great start to summer vacation.
So...a slip or swipe of the finger can lead to good and bad.  And sometimes the bad ends up not being so bad.  Lesson learned.