Nail Files

I have extensive experience with nail problems, having been dogged by them for decades. So, this time, after the pus was drained, I knew better than to think that was the end of my troubles. A few days ago, memories of an ingrown finger nail that had terrorized me one summer when I was in my late teens came swimming back to me. I had also had ingrown nails on  my big toe, but that was due to no fault of mine. The ingrow fingernail was the result of my nail-chewing habit. First, came the nail infection with the pus. But as the pus was healing, I must have banged my finger somewhere and the trauma caused my nail to grow inward. It became so bad that a small chunk of my finger next to the nail had to come off. What's more, I had to go to the doctor everyday to have the dressing changed.
So, I was extra-cautious with my finger this time. I made sure I didn't wet it, and I got used to operating without using it. But as my luck would have it, it didn't heal as I would have hoped and I started to feel pressure around the nail. I filed my nail a few days ago, which helped, but when I banged my finger against a wall, it was painful. And, it brought back memories of my ingrown finger nail. After fretting about how I would cope with an ingrown nail during lockdown, late at night yesterday, I decided to take matters in my own hands and file the nail as much as I could without snipping some flesh off. I am happy to report that it seems to have worked. I don't want to celebrate too soon, but I would be unpleasantly surprised if it gives me trouble again.