RE: Hugs for Everyone! (A rant on growing up wild)
LOL I am amply supplied with nail pulling equipment, the best being Mark I fingers.
The lady next door, who buries cats in her planters, and names the flies that are born therefrom, recommended I steep my swollen finger with extract of Goldenseal and Epsom Salts, in hot water. That has miraculously reduced the inflammation.
Once, long ago, I pierced a knuckle with a piece of wire that had been coated in pigeon dung, and suffered a similar injury. White coated doctors threatened to amputate my finger! When I objected (I play guitar with that finger), they allowed that they could merely flay it open and scrape the innards clean. Adamant, I held out for a better offer, and they then conceded that they'd let me try a course of Cephalexin, before flaying and amputating.
Thankfully the Cipro worked, and I only had to replace all my gut flora after the antibiotic did it's job.
Accordingly, I recommend making a poultice of common weeds (Mullein, a fuzzy leaf that grows in my gravel driveway) with Goldenseal, Epsom Salts, and hot water. It's proven easier on my intestinal ecosystem - and my wallet. While you're steeping I further recommend the hot blues licks of Samantha Fish on her Cigar Box guitar.
Just for fun =)
Edit: gawdawful spelling
This is the most fun I've had reading a comment in ages.