Problem: Article: If part of your nail rips off, use nail scissors to carefully cut away the detached portion and trim any jagged edges. This will help prevent what’s left of the nail from snagging on things, which could cause further pain and injury. After you trim your nail, rinse it in cool water for 20 minutes. Carefully pat the area dry with a clean towel and add a little petroleum jelly, then cover the injured nail with a bandage. If a doctor surgically removed your toenail, they will probably provide special instructions for caring for the nail after the surgery. Ask for a written care sheet that you can take home, and don’t hesitate to ask questions if you don’t understand the doctor’s instructions.  For example, your doctor may give you instructions on how to change your bandages and monitor your nail bed for signs of infection. They may also prescribe or recommend medications to help you manage any pain from the nail removal. After losing a nail, you will likely have some swelling and inflammation in the injured nail bed. To minimize these symptoms and promote faster healing, keep your foot propped up as much as possible during the first few days after the injury. Try to keep the toe above your heart level.  For example, you might lie down on the couch with your foot propped up on the arm, or lie in bed with your foot on a couple of pillows. Rest the toe as much as possible. Avoid walking or putting weight on the toe if you can help it. For the first 24-48 hours after losing your nail, keep the area dry as much as you can. If you have to shower, put a plastic bag over your foot to keep it from getting wet.  This is especially important if you have stitches in your injured nail bed. If you have a bandage on your toe, change it if it gets wet. Once your toe has had 24-48 hours to rest and heal, you can start rinsing the area with clean, warm water. Gently wash the area twice a day. This will help rinse away bacteria, dirt, and fibers from your clothing or bandages. You can also wash the area with mild soap, but take care not to use anything with harsh perfumes or dyes that might dry out and irritate the wound. Petroleum jelly can promote faster healing by keeping the wound moist and preventing scabbing. Before bandaging your injured toe, gently apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly to the nail bed. Your doctor might also recommend using an antibiotic ointment on the injured nail bed. If the skin underneath your nail is exposed, put on a non-stick bandage. The bandage can help prevent infection, and it may keep the sensitive skin of your nail bed from rubbing painfully against socks and shoes.  Change your bandage daily, or whenever it gets wet or dirty. Whenever you change the bandage, wash your toe and apply a new layer of petroleum jelly. Keep wearing a bandage until your new nail grows in enough to mostly cover your nail bed. While the injury is fresh, avoid adhesive bandages or bandages made with fibrous materials that might stick to the wound (such as gauze). One good option it to use a silk bandage and hold it in place with a toe sock. If you wear shoes that are too small (especially high heels), you can easily bruise your toenails and aggravate your injured nail bed. Your toes will only have a small space to move during a long period of time, which can slow the process of regrowing the nail.  Also refrain from making sudden stops. When you're done running, for instance, steadily slow to a walk so that you don't pitch forward, and your toes don't hit the tips of your shoes. Wear breathable cotton socks instead of tights or pantyhose. Your doctor may recommend wearing an orthopedic shoe for a while to protect your toe and give it a chance to heal. You may be able to somewhat speed your nail growth with soaks and vitamins, but you'll still need to wait for the nail to restore itself. It typically takes 12-18 months for a missing toenail to grow back, so don’t be concerned if your progress seems slow. While your nail is growing back, don’t disturb it or chip at it. It may be tempting to pull off unneeded bits of nail, but you shouldn't mess with it unless it's a hangnail or an ingrown toenail.
Summary: Trim away any sharp edges if your nail is torn. Follow your doctor’s home care instructions if you had the nail removed. Keep the injured toe propped up for the first 3 days after losing the nail. Avoid getting your toe wet for the first 1-2 days after losing the nail. Wash your injured toe with clean water after the first 2 days. Apply a little petroleum jelly to protect and moisturize your nail bed. Protect your nail with a bandage while it grows in. Wear shoes that fit well to avoid further injury. Be patient as your nail grows in.

Problem: Article: Split 1 English muffin in half and spread 1 teaspoon of butter over each half of the muffin. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the English muffin halves with the butter side down. Toast the muffin halves for 3 to 4 minutes, so they become golden and a little crisp. Remove the toasted muffin halves to a sheet of aluminum foil so the buttered sides are facing up. If you want both sides to become crispy, just flip them over and let them toast another minute. Turn the heat up to medium-high and add the last 1 teaspoon of butter to the skillet. Place 1 slice of Canadian bacon to the skillet and fry it for one or two minutes. Use tongs to flip it over several times, so the edges crisp up. Place the Canadian bacon on top of one of the toasted English muffin halves. Watch the Canadian bacon carefully as it cooks, since it could quickly burn. Set a large metal egg ring, small clean can, or large metal biscuit cutter into the skillet and spray it with cooking spray. Crack one egg into the circular container and sprinkle a little salt and pepper over it. Cook the egg for about 3 minutes, so the egg sets. For a simple egg ring, just wash out a small tuna can that's empty. You can just unmold the cooked egg by turning the can over. Use a spatula to lift the cooked egg onto the Canadian bacon that's on your English muffin. Unwrap a slice of American cheese and lay it on top of the egg. Quickly put the other English muffin half on top of the cheese and wrap the aluminum foil over the sandwich. This will seal in the heat and help to melt the cheese. You can eat the sandwich immediately or place the wrapped sandwich into an airtight container. You can freeze the breakfast sandwich or store it in the refrigerator for up to a day.
Summary:
Toast the English muffin. Heat the Canadian bacon. Saute the egg. Assemble the sandwich.