When grandma-of-two Jose Jackson went for a manicure, she was accidentally ‘jabbed’ in the cuticle while she got a set of acrylic nails.
The 57-year-old thought nothing of it at the time, but her finger continued to swell until it was purple and ‘weeping puss’ and she eventually went to the hospital to get it checked over.
The pub manager had to get the top of her index finger surgically removed and says she nearly lost her whole arm after contracting a staph infection.
The infection is caused by the bacteria staphylococcus and symptoms include hot, swollen skin – it can be treated with antibiotics when caught early.
When doctors removed the bandage she’d wrapped the digit in, Jose claims her finger was so misshapen, it looked like a ‘jagged mountain range’.
Doctors had no choice but to amputate the affected area until the infection was completely removed – leaving her with a half a finger.
It was later discovered during a health inspection that the salon tools used on Jose had not been cleaned properly between customers and Jose went on to win a settlement for her injury.
Although she struggled, Jose’s learning to adjust to life with one less digit, and she is hoping to raise awareness for the importance of cleanliness in nail bars.
Jose explained: ‘Losing my finger has completely changed my life. Without that finger I can’t grip or do up buttons.
‘When I got to hospital, they bought medical students in because they’d never seen an infection so bad.
‘I wanted to treat myself to a manicure so I felt nice, but it ended up ruining my life and costing me a finger.
‘The infection had literally eaten away at my finger and my bone.
‘The doctors removed over half my finger, it was either that, or I lose my whole arm.’
Jose says she doesn’t normally do manicures but wanted to treat herself back in December 2017, as it was Christmas time.
Two weeks after the manicure, her swollen finger was still not healed.
Jose’s fingers continued to get worse until she was in agony and it was ‘weeping’ puss.
She went back to the GP who removed her dressing and urged to go to hospital immediately.
When she arrived, Jose underwent an X-Ray which revealed the extent of the damage.
Doctors were unable to save the tip of her finger and Jose was sent for surgery to amputated the tip in January 2018.
She explained: ‘The doctor said if he didn’t remove more of the finger then I might lose my hand or even my whole arm.
‘I just told him to cut off whatever he needed to. Although it was devastating, losing my finger completely changed my life.
‘I struggled to do anything, I couldn’t grip a pen or my toothbrush. I couldn’t open cans, do up buttons and I couldn’t play my guitar anymore.
‘I was constantly dropping things – you don’t realise how much you use that finger until it’s gone.’
They concluded the tools used on nails were not disinfected between uses and Jose contacted a solicitor who helped her seek compensation against her bar.
Jose won an out of court settlement and received a five-figure payout after an investigation into the salon.
Jose said: ‘I ended up winning compensation money but it doesn’t feel like a win, it doesn’t bring my finger back.’
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source https://metro.co.uk/2020/04/12/grandmas-finger-amputated-manicure-goes-horribly-wrong-12546619/?ITO=squid
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