Playing with stitches (Play Against DR Orders?)

[Elmer]

Went in to Skin DR on Wed, she spotted something on my shoulder and wanted a biopsy ASAP. So Thursday I go in, they cut shoulder open and take out a small piece of me.
The Dr sews me up with 3 stitches. During out casual conversation she remakes that it "is too bad they don't make golf courses inside".
She ends the visit by indicating I have stitches, so no heavy lifting or golf for 2 weeks.
I have a end of the season, golf league outing in 9 days. I am this years league champion. There is no way I am not playing!
Now I am trying to talk myself into playing being safe
it is a gimicky course, with lots of iron shots off the tee. I wont use my drive that much. I wont swing hard.
The stitches or on the fatty part of the back, between shoulder and neck. Whats the worst that could happen, I rip the stitches a little and scar? "chicks dig scars", right?
I am still young enough that I should be healed by enough in 9 days.
If I do rip, I see the Dr 4 days after and she can just sew me up......

 

What say you?

[MacDutch]

I played 4 days after lots of stiches. Lot more then 3, maybe 10 or so. Before they stiched me, they said no heavy lifting or sporting. I said, I’m gonna play this weekend 2 or 3 rounds clubchampionship strokeplay. So they used a heavier thread. Doesn’t look nice, scar is a lot bigger then it could have been.

[Elmer]

 

1 minute ago, MacDutch said:

I played 4 days after lots of stiches. Lot more then 3, maybe 10 or so. Before they stiched me, they said no heavy lifting or sporting. I said, I’m gonna play this weekend 2 or 3 rounds clubchampionship strokeplay. So they used a heavier thread. Doesn’t look nice, scar is a lot bigger then it could have been.

Scar I am not worried about. The stitches are on my back shoulder, between should and neck.
I am getting too old to take my shirt off any how, no one will even see the scar.
I was worried about ripping stitches and gushing blood.
Thanks for feedback!

[Vinny Cap]

Being the league champ its tough to not go so here is what I would do.

Get a bottle of new skin and put a couple of liberal coats on it before you play?  If you think that's not enough then put some tape on top of it.

[Patch]

Stitches were never my problem. It was the metal stuff they put in, under the stitches. Doc said don't play yet, I didn't play. 

[iacas]

Just three stitches because they took off a little skin? I'd play.

I'm not one to ignore doctor's orders, but that seems pretty over the top.

[billchao]

3 hours ago, Elmer said:

I was worried about ripping stitches and gushing blood.

If you're worried about ripping, add some tape.

[Groucho Valentine]

If you were going like strait to the course from the procedure then yea.. But 9 days from now? I wouldnt worry about it. 

[GolfLug]

Flex and extend the area to max. If you don't feel the stitches tugging then nothing's happening. 

[Lihu]

Voted no, read your op then changed to $$;)$%*##{ play.

3 stitches isn’t too bad. Bring some neosporen and bandages to keep it from getting infected. Wear something over it...

 

Have fun!

[dennyjones]

Superglue!

[Vinsk]

6 hours ago, iacas said:

Just three stitches because they took off a little skin? I'd play.

I'm not one to ignore doctor's orders, but that seems pretty over the top.

@Elmer I am a doctor. I'd play. Just sayin'....lol.

[DrMJG]

7 hours ago, iacas said:

Just three stitches because they took off a little skin? I'd play.

I'm not one to ignore doctor's orders, but that seems pretty over the top.

I understand, I was golfing about a week after my thumb got 8 stitches.  A lot of advice is given because it is standard, protects the doctor if you do something against that advice. I had gotten so many stitches a year ago I also learned, as one above said, you can ask for a different thread.  Be honest and talk to them of an important activity ahead.  By the end of my stitching me up I knew what was a "minor" stitch and what ignoring the directives would do for some surgical mending.  Be proactive and ask!

 

Edited September 21, 2018 by DrMJG

[Hardspoon]

Risk of permanent damage (ie, doctor says not to play because you might injure an ACL)  =  STOP

Risk of relatively minor re-injury, resulting in scarring or something but nothing permanent  =  GO

[billchao]

20 minutes ago, DrMJG said:

I was golfing about a week after my thumb got 8 stitches.

Where'd you get cut that you were able to play? I got six stitches at the base of my thumb and I couldn't even hold a club.

[DrMJG]

Across the middle of the thumb.  It was deeper than long and the NP who put in the string knew I was working with a theater and probably would ignore her.  So first week, I was good and by the time I went to the range, pain was minimal and I got to the point where I was able to ignore what pain remained.  So either the stitcher was super or I am a stupid person who can ignore pain.