The other night I was broiling some lovely T-bone steaks in the oven… Yes, yes, I can hear all the meat aficionados screaming that a steak is better prepared on a grill. But the reality is that the winter makes such things a little less cozy than I would like. But I digress…
I took the pan out of the oven in order to check the steaks and I noticed that the wire rack the steaks were sitting on had slipped off the pan slightly. I used the tongues I was working with to steady the wire rack, but somehow managed to graze the edge of my middle finger along the side of the pan. I felt a searing pain and dropped the tongues. Clumsy? Probably. Painful? Without a doubt.
We already know that any injury can be made worse and/or aggravated by Type-1 Diabetes. But burns are a particular bastard, because they tend to cause other issues when they happen. Besides blistering and hurting, burns can cause reddening and peeling of the skin, as well as swelling, charring and cause the body to go into shock (depending not the severity of the burn)
According to WebMD, there are three common types of burns.
- First-Degree Burns: These are the superficial ones. They can be identified by slight pain, dry skin and redness. These burns usually don’t go beyond the first layer of flesh and can be treated with skin care products like aloe vera;
- Second-Degree Burns: These are worse than first-degree burns as they penetrate to a deeper layer of flesh. Second-degree burns will usually blister and can potentially require something a bit stronger, like an antibiotic ointment;
- Third-Degree Burns: These are the worst, and will usually result in charred or whitened flesh. Third-degree burns won’t always be painful as they can sometimes be deep enough to burn away nerve-endings that transmit pain. These can often require skin grafts or surgery.
The big problem with burns is, left untreated, they can cause infection and even dehydration. And we all know how much fun THOSE are for someone with Diabetes. Even minor burns should be closely monitored and proper attention paid.
Ultimately, my burn was pretty minor, though it did blister, classifying it as a Second-Degree. But I was able to treat it and it’s already healed. It’s important to keep an eye on any injury and how well it heals when you have Diabetes. If you have any injury, burns or otherwise, that start to turn red and swollen, refuses to heal and shows signs of discolouration, it might be time to visit your family practitioner. ☯
The Blogging Buddhist 