Keeping that toe dry

About two weeks ago I wrote about my toe surgery, I got a lot of sympathy and long-lost friends emerged from the wood work to offer condolences on the loss of my toe nail. I was very touched and thought you might be interested in an update.

After the toenail and I went our separate ways, the toe was nicely bandaged and all appeared almost merry. Then Dr Muravvej made a very casual statement.

‘Keep the toe dry for one week. After a week, come back and we will remove the dressing’

I thought to myself, that should be easy really, but my face may have betrayed something.

‘Wrap a plastic bag round it when you shower,’ the assistant working with him said.

I had not thought about how I would shower and I gave her a rather blank look. But the ladies at Allure treat you like you are the first and only client of the day and she explained patiently that I will need to wrap the foot to stop the bandage getting wet.

I had a work meeting that day and as I walked out of the meeting, the bandage just fell of my toe. I tried placing it back but realised I was not going to get anywhere. So off to the pharmacy – bought some antibacterial cream and some bandages and went home.

Come shower time in the evening, I remembered the ladies comment. I got a ‘juala’ as my friend Editta likes to call them, and placed my foot in it. Nakumatt will be pleased that I do re-use and re-cycle their bags.

My foot in a ‘juala’

I was not going to tourniquet my foot, so keeping it dry was actually not that easy. I raised my foot, wedging it on a part of the shower wall. At the end of the shower, I emptied a small puddle from the ‘juala’.

There are many positions you can take in the shower if you are wearing a ‘juala’ – I tried them all – but there was always a small, sometimes not so small, collection of water at the bottom of the ‘juala’ after every shower.

I decided to try wrapping 2 ‘juala’ one time…… and you think it worked?

Now here is the point where you put your finger on your lower eyelid and tug down slightly……..the way we say ‘No!’…. where I come….

Now that the bandage had fallen of anyways, I took to dressing the wound after each shower – so I did not need to worry if it got wet anyway.

The wound is now healed, it’s not beautiful to look at – though to be honest, my toes have never been cute for as long as I can remember – so that’s not saying much.

I am taking my anti-fungal pill religiously every evening and applying the anti-fungal cream too. I am wishing that the antifungal tablets will work some magic on the other toe nail so I don’t have to have it pulled off as well. Perhaps some prayer and fasting is needed here, it does not seem to be brightening up at all.

The ‘juala’ showers are done….. but pray tell me, have you ever managed to keep your toes dry in the shower?