Sometimes most unexpected things happen turning your world upside down. Who would've thought a rat would bite me one day - but yet, it did. And in most strangest of ways. It so happened, every couple of months I go to my native house. So, the house I currently live in is all locked up and bolted during that duration. In my many visits, I've discovered that rats and mice love living in my house, when i'm away. They also are surprised when they see me back. While they enjoy when I'm gone, same is not the case when I'm back. I use all kinds of baits and weapons to anihilate them for good. So far I've been successful using a combo of rat-cakes and rat glue boards. And this was when the mishap happened.
A rat ended up eating the cake and landed lazily in the glue trap that I had set up. It wasn't dead yet and was struggling to get off that pad. At that moment, just to prevent him, I struck another glue-pad over it. I know its cruel, but, its really a nuisance to have rats around. I so so wish they don't come, but, they do - so, I end up having to terminate them. Maybe, that day was my 'karma' day for having butchered so many rats. So, as I put the pad over him, my attention got diverted a bit; thats when I yelled out in pain. It had turned its head and punctured deep into my right hand's middle finger, behind the nail and the fleshy part ( two deep holes ). It was nearly stuck into my finger ( with its sharp teeth ) and I had difficulty shaking it off. I felt a very sharp piercing pain and blood came out oozing instantly. I let the blood flow a bit, before washing with dettol liquid. The pain was really stingy-kinda and bad - with my hand nearly shivering. I was told by my neighbour to get a tetanus shot. So evening, I got one. I never go to any doctors, but, it was several years since I had a tetanus shot, so, I decided to get it done. However, the doctor gave me a combination of few other medicines which I skipped. I didn't want to take anything orally - I'm petrified to take pills of any sort. The nurse put some ointment and dressed the wound saying it'll heal in a few days. But it didn't.
The finger pained so much that after few days I decided to remove the dressing myself. After I removed the bandage, the wound dried out - only, it didn't heal as I soon discovered. The outer skin had come back, but, inside the wound was still raw. I'd feel pain if my finger brushed against something or accidently got tapped. I didn't want to visit any doctor, but since the pain was persistant I went to a local nursing clinic. I asked the doctor there if she could prescribe any topical lotion or ointment. Instead, she started scribbing a list of medicines that I had to take orally. One antibiotic, another painkiller capsule along with a vitamin tablet. She told me to take the three together ( twice after meals every day ) and observe upto two-three days; then, continue for seven days if my condition improved. I was like, if conditions improved why I needed to continue it. She replied, that antibiotics had to be taken full course ( 7 days or 14 days ), else, the germs/bacteria could go rogue and multiply and attack more intensely. I heard enough for that day. I paid for the medicines and came back home. But, would I take them as instructed? Hell...no! There was certainly no way I was going to take any antibiotic - she said it'd heal the wound from within. I was not convinced. I heard all types of stories that anti-biotic damages the kidneys. So, it was time to get matters into my own hands eerrr...my finger in this case. I pushed away the medicines into some remote corner of my drawer.
I turned to my old friend 'dettol' instead. But this would not be an ordinary dettol wash. My wound was under the already dried skin. So I had to burn the skin to reach that infected area. It'd get messy. No, I'd not put my finger under the fire. Dettol would burn it. I used a stronger measure of dettol mixed with little water. Here the ration was almost 8:2, the dettol was that strong. And I started keeping my finger submerged in that liquid. Within few hours, I could see my skin scalding and shrinking at parts and the area was little open and sore. The dettol had reached those bacteria atlast. I dipped my finger few more times, till I was satisfied that the job was done. In two-three days, my finger was back to normal and new skin came in place of the damaged burnt skin. Till date, I have no pain in that finger anymore. Dettol, didn't fail me. And to think how that doctor had scared me to take those antibiotic and painkillers and stuff. So, glad, I listened to my own conscience. I felt like throwing those medicines at that doctor's face. Anyhow, I don't disrespect the medical fraternity. They are just not my thing and I hope to stay away from them forever. Maybe, someone else would've taken those medicines instead of being experimental like me. They are not wrong either. To each their own. I'm just glad, I avoided those medicines and healed myself with good ol' dettol.
Rats have those incissors that are ever growing, so, they have to keep chewing on things to control the growth. So, its not always for food that they chew, its something they have to keep doing - thus, they chew through everything - concrete, wires, pipes etc. Except hard metal, rats can chew almost anything. They end up destroying lots of things so an infestaion is scary, added to the various diseases they carry ( rat bite fever, plague etc ).
