TPFH's Journal: Tetanus Paranoia

Delema.

Last night while changing my bed clothes, I was kneeling and tucking in the blanket and moved sideways and got a nice scratch on my upper leg against the edge of the bedframe. (I guess those nice wooden frames are better than the cheap metal ones for more than just looks/style.)

Probably not a big deal. It wasn't that deep but then I don't know where the bed frame has been. It is not like I ever bothered to clean it or anything.

I last had a tetanus booster about 7 years ago. I remember the nurse saying that it doesn't have to be a rusty knife, that a minor scratch can get you tetanus. But then I also remember that after so many boosters you are pretty much covered for life, but it is a good idea to get a booster every 10 years, and to get one if you get a bad cut more than 5 years after your last booster or something. I'm pretty sure I've had at least 4 boosters in this lifetime.

I tend to err on the side of caution but I've been meaning to change my health insurance for a while now. Maybe I should just go one more month and get the booster now. It's not even saving that much money.

I don't think I really need one, but I do get paranoid.

Blah!

It's really not that much of a delema. It won't cost me that much more to wait another month to change insurance, and better safe than sorry right?

But here is the advice for anyone that might someday loose a job:
Corba costs a lot so unless you really need it, look for cheaper insurance right away and save yourself a lot of money in case you are unemployed for a long time.

(Yea, I feel weird about changing insurance and the next day asking for a tetanus booster.)

(Is this a really stupid JE?)

rdewald RN here

[rdewald]

Tetanus is a serious, sometimes fatal, disease of the central nervous system that is caused by an infection of a wound with spores of the bacterium, Clostridium tetani. The spores live in the *soil.* When spores enter the body through a wound, they can multiply and produce a toxin that affects the nerves that control muscle activity.

Reality check: Your chances of getting tetanus from the injury you describe pale in comparison to your chances of getting killed or seriously injured the next time you drive y