Sunday, August 13, 2023

The Curious Incident Of The Thin-Skinned Mrs. HM In The Daytime

One of the worst parts of being old is that you can hurt yourself and not even know how! Or maybe you just don't remember it. 

Somehow, between the time I got out of T-Hoe in the garage on Saturday, and got into the Mansion, I tore a hole in my arm-skin. I have no recollection of any pain. No trauma. No bumping or scraping or snagging. Once upon a time, I caught my left forearm on a nail in the garage wall. A nail that Farmer H had put there, with a partner, sticking out on purpose, to lay a fishing pole across. That got me a trip to the doctor for a tetanus booster. But this newest calamity is a mystery.


I only noticed the injury when I was putting my glasses case on the kitchen counter. I mentally re-traced my steps. Because actually re-tracing my steps would require too much effort.

I had returned a Pony text in the garage. Then I opened up T-Hoe's door and slid out. Scarlett and Jack came to greet me. I sweet-talked them, and walked to T-Hoe's rear. I didn't have anything to get out this time, but I needed to go around to the passenger door for my purse and water bottle. So the rear path was just as convenient as the front path. 

Scarlett was being a good girl, not jumping on me. Oh, she crouched, but did not leap. Just bounded back to T-Hoe's bumper as I walked around. I have "trained" the dogs that this is where we pet in the garage. Usually, I have T-Hoe's hatch open. I can set my keys down, and lean over and pet both dogs. Scarlett likes to put her front paws on the bumper and lean into me. Jack sometimes just wiggles at my feet, and sometimes will but his front paws on my leg. He's not a leaper.

Anyhoo, the hatch being closed kind of boggled Scarlett's mind. She halfheartedly put a paw on the bumper. Then got down. Then tentatively balanced on her haunches, and gingerly rested her front paws on my belly. That was fine. She was not hyper and jumping. So she got a good petting, as did Jack. When I told them we were done, Jack trotted around the end of T-Hoe towards the people door. Scarlett has trouble with transitions. I had to push her legs down, and she tried to sit up again. It's possible her paw could have scraped my arm. 


That's not moles. That's not freckles. Those are pinpoint bruises on my arm. Too close together, really, to belong to either Jack or Scarlett's claws. Yet I have no other explanation. I did not jab a fork into my arm. Nor start a tattoo. I suppose dog claws could have done that at an angle, in a sweeping motion. You'd think I would have felt something.

Anyhoo... it cleaned up nicely, and stopped bleeding almost immediately. The little bruises are bit bigger right now. But I think I'll live.

5 comments:

Rae said...

Boy, do I know what you mean about mysterious injuries that suddenly appear with no recollection or pain or discomfort. I must be a very klutzy person, because I find bruises all of the time and have no idea what caused them. Or the occasional puncture from who knows what. I am on blood thinners, so that does explain some of the bruising, but I still have no clue what I bashed into that caused it. Our front storm door has a full glass window, and it is a wide and heavy door and almost every time I go for the mail, that darn door will get me and it's always in one of two spots, every time. And I try to be careful but rarely succeed going unscathed. I have gotten the occasional cat scratch but that is very rare. Yours may have been from the dog just because of her enthusiasm. As long as you cleaned up good, it should be okay. Ranee (MN)

Hillbilly Mom said...

Rae,
At least those injuries could hurt a little, so we'd notice, and not be so clueless and sometimes getting blood on clothing! That door is definitely out to get you! I take a daily aspirin, so yes, I also bruise more easily and spout blood with a quickness. Today my spots look like a line. They have joined together. Not at all sore, and barely a scab.

River said...

It's a mystery but at least it is healing well.

Kathy's Klothesline said...

After showering is when I examine my injuries of the day, having no idea when they happened or how. Makes me wonder if our tolerance for pain gets higher as we age. I always have bruises, or mystery bruises on my self. My abdomen seems to to be a place where Bo likes to bounce in and out of. HeWho will ask me what happened to my backside of my legs, but I don't know!

Hillbilly Mom said...

River,
Today the line is starting to fade back to dots. So it IS healing quicker than I anticipated.

***
Kathy,
Sometimes I get bruises on my abdomen, and I don't have a dog playing trampoline on me! I figure it's some box from the groceries that jabbed me as I was carrying them in.