No good deed goes unpunished

Viewer discretion is advised! ('cause this is totally gross)

Gutter storm grate + cat = scared, trapped, crying kitty

Scared, trapped, crying kitty + two little boys playing close by = dad to the rescue

Dad to the rescue + scared, trapped, crying kitty = happy, free kitty

Gutter storm grate + dad's hand = 

I know, doesn't it seem like yesterday that we were looking at other pictures of Lance's mangled hand? 

Well, it wasn't yesterday, but it was almost exactly a year ago. I'm going to start confining him to the house while sitting on his hands this time of year.

Poor Lance. Last Saturday we were in the throws of getting Christmas out. The tree was up and boxes of Christmas decorations were strewn about. That afternoon, Lance went outside to finish with the outdoor Christmas lights. As it was a nice warm day, the two older boys went out to play help. A little while later, Mikey comes running in and bids me come look what they found. Sure enough, down under the drain in the gutter there was a cat. 

So the mission began. I went back inside to be with Joey, but Mikey would periodically run in to ask for something else. They tried a little bell, which nearly worked, but the cat just couldn't get all the way out. Lance managed to lift the drain cover (you know, those huge,  heavy, iron things) and hinge it up against the gutter.

Of course, then the cat started running further into the hole and under the street. So after sticking his head in the drain and going to the other side of the street and almost getting the cat, he finally sent Mikey into the house for a can of tuna. That did the trick. Kitty came out.  Yay!

When Lance went to lower the grate, it was much heavier than he anticipated. The one hand pulled it down and because of the shock of the weight, he put his other hand down to brace himself. And down came the grate. With his left hand in the wrong place.... Poor Lance.

Mikey came running inside saying "dad pinched his fingers." I stepped out to see Lance jumping around the front porch and blood everywhere. Our wonderful neighbor down the street was at our house in like 30 seconds and we were out the door.

Lance was in excruciating pain for probably a solid two hours before we were at the hospital and they were able to numb it all up (half hour to the hospital, then lots of waiting). Diagnosis: Both fingers broken right on the tips. Biggest concern: the nails growing back. The doctor actually took off one nail, stitched it up underneath, then sowed the nail BACK on. Didn't expect that. (Apparently the hope is it will work as a template for the new nail to grow in.) And the other fingernail, he just lifted up like the hood of a car, stitched up, and put it back down. All that blood was actually just pouring out from under his nails. Thankfully he had gloves on so there weren't actually any lacerations.

He's doing pretty well now. The first half of Sunday was pretty rough as it seemed like all the swelling in the tightly wrapped bandages was preventing the medication from reaching his fingers. But the pain management seems to be going better now. 

We're very grateful that his still has all his fingers and Lance is at least grateful to get out of diaper and dish duty for awhile. ;) 

And here are a few more just to add to your pleasant dreams: