Thankful that this cut is not life threatening

Well, not exactly because this dime-sized chunk of flesh was (is) still attached to my hand. Long story short, I headed to a walk-in clinic at a drugstore, a wonderful nurse practitioner decided I did not need stitches, my wound was washed and cleaned, and I headed out the door and had dinner with my friend. Twice a day I take off my big band-aid, wash the wound with soap and water, and recover it with bacitracin (cream antibiotic) and a band-aid. I try to keep my hand out of water all day and am hopeful that it will be healed enough when I return to Africa in two weeks that I do not have to worry about infection.

All of this because of stupid, hasty actions. I am so thankful that this happened now, while I am in the United States working in an office. The tap water is safe, I am not constantly in or surrounded by dirt and dust, antibiotic cream and extra large band aids are readily accessible. The clinic is less than a five minute drive from my home. So easy, so close. In this environment, it is easy to forget that people die from infections every day. I will watch my hand, but I am doubtful that it will develop the red streaks indicative of a life-threatening infection. How the body heals is never guaranteed, but it is not a major concern. Under other circumstances, I would be worried about my life, not a scar.

I live my life with a foot in America and a foot in Africa. Today I am thankful that this week I am not in Africa.I would have been ok there because I have the means to get what I need, but here it is easy.

I hope that someday it is easy across all of Africa and that cuts like these are not life threatening. Not just the big cities or the more developed nations, but everywhere. I hope that someday I do not have to be glad about which continent I am on when I am stupid and take chunks out of my hand.

~ Pamela Crane, PhD, Africa Field Manager