Doing a little canning

I am not quite sure what came over me but I got highly motivated to can some veggies.  Not just canning but pickling!  There is a place in Sandy that sells tons of "fresh from the farm" veggies so I went out and got some beans. I had some pickled beans last Fall and loved them so I decided to take a try at it myself.

Look at these beauties!

My finished product.  I decided to put a little
 spice in there with garlic and hot peppers.

That went so well, I decided to try asparagus. That ended with sort of mixed  reviews.  I'm not an asparagus person.  After canning, they were a little wrinkled and textured.  So I tried again and canned less time but the texture was still the same.  So I popped open a jar.  I tried a little bite and frankly, it had good flavor.  Pickled well with a little after bite.  John happened to be over so he tried them and gave them two thumbs up and even took the opened jar.  So I decided that was good

In talking with Nola and Mom, they both suggested I try Bread and Butter pickles.  So I did some searching and found a recipe.  It  just so happens, I had just received my Pampered Chef mandolin slicer so I was set!  I got the weird spices and went to work.  I set up the mandolin and decided to try 1/2 a cucumber without the guard.  Just as I finished the mantra "DO NOT use the mandolin without the guard", I felt an excruciating pain only to discover my right thumb went through the blade!!  And I was home alone!  I grabbed some tissue and quickly realized that wasn't going to cut it (pardon the pun).  I grabbed and towel and then went to my first aid kit to get some gauze and tape.  I was honestly bleeding pretty heavy and every time I tried to look,  I got light headed and nauseated.  So I taped it up as tight as I could get it.  I was able to reach Philip who offered to come over but he was about an hour out.  I couldn't wait an hour.  So pioneer woman heritage that I am, I gathered my mojo and started my way to InstaCare alone.  Who has to do that??

Cleaned up version waiting to see the doctor.

It luckily wasn't busy so I was back with the doctor within 15 minutes.  He was impressed I left a flap attached.  I guess this sort of accident happens often!  t was an impressive slice.  I cut a small nerve too.  He decided it needed 3 stitches.  So I laid there crying and swearing as I got 4 honking injections in my thumb joint.  I couldn't look and thought I might throw up but luckily I made it and it eventually became numb. The assistant came in after the doctor and cleaned up my hand (it was not pretty) and wrapped it up.  I was instructed to leave the wrapping on for 48 hours.  Come back in 10 days to have the stitches removed.  I had the biggest pity party through the whole thing.

I came home and for about 6 hours it was pretty numb.  I went ahead and finished my pickles.  In fact, I did 2 batches!  It started really hurting after the numbness wore off.  Not only the cut but my knuckle and entire thumb.  So much so, I tried to decide if I needed a pain pill to sleep.  Well I decided to skip that because I still have my cruise cold and figured that cold medicine is more important because surely the pain in my thumb will get better once I sleep.  The cold medicine and pain pill have a drug interaction so you have to pick one.  No can do on my plan.  It was some of the worst pain I've felt.  I was sweaty and sick to my stomach.  Writhing in pain the entire night. No sleep what-so-ever unless you count the 10 minute stints due to the major cold medicine.

At 5 am, I decided I had to take a pain pill and hopefully the interaction with the cold medicine won't be severe.  So I decided to take 1/2 an Oxy.  Seriously strong stuff but it didn't even touch the pain.  I was able to sleep for 20 minutes but still dying.  So I got up and grabbed my super sharp scrapbook scissors and cut the bandage a little thinking it might be too tight.  I felt a little better and slept for 45 minutes more.  I could see redness under the bandage and felt I should probably try to take off the bandage at some point but I didn't have the right supplies to protect my finger.  So I decided to wait until I could take a shower to do anything.

You can bet right after my shower, that puppy was cut off.  I was just going to have to make due.  It was tough to cut with my left hand but I was motivated.  I was shocked at what I saw.  Turns out, the non-stick gauze they used under the bandage was latex.  I knew I was sensitive to latex but I've never had an allergic reaction like I had.  In fact, it is 2 days without the latex wrap and I'm still purple with blisters.  It feels like the skin is burned.  I did a little research and found out it should heal on it's own with time.  I can't believe I have to deal with this on top of the cut healing.

2 days after removing the bandage rash.  Those are raised blisters!

For those that want to see the full enchilada, I put pictures below but I will say they are graphic so don't look if you are afraid you can't unsee it ever.

The good news is I got 7 jars of pickles done.  I'm going to try dill pickles next but you better believe I will be using that guard!!

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Don't say you weren't warned.....

The repaired job.  The red skin is rash.

First look after bandage removal.  That rash hurts me to see.