Member-only story
Featured
NOT A DIVORCE
BYE-BYE WEDDING RING
A $40 Co-Pay and My Ring Was Removed
“Oh my goodness,” exclaimed the young nurse, peering at my left hand. “You are asking us to remove your wedding ring?”
“Yes, right now, please,” I replied, joining her in studying my 84-year-old hand, which was adorned with a gold band sprinkled with small diamonds.
We discussed how I had tried unsuccessfully to remove the ring at home before arriving at urgent care: lots of soap, sticky vegetable oil, and dental thread wrapped around the swollen knuckle to compress it and allow the ring to be yanked off.
The young nurse assured me they had the proper cutting tools if they were needed, but first, she would consult with other staff members to see if they could remove the ring without cutting it.
Soon, I was surrounded by five earnest youngsters who introduced themselves as they examined my crippled arthritic hand.
“Go ahead, try anything you wish, and don’t worry about hurting me, I have a high pain tolerance,” I urged the hovering group.
The nurses all had a favorite method and were eager to save my ring. They rounded up a pan of ice water to submerge my hand to reduce the swollen knuckle, the main impediment to removal. They coated the ring and…
