More Surgery

I went into the surgery in a generally positive mindset. The surgeon explained to me that he was going to scrape away a small portion of the bone so that it could be tested for infection. He then cleaned up the bone until he was at healthy bone so that if an infection was present it would be taken care of. After that he placed antibiotic seeds inside the wound cavity. He then placed Adaptic over the seeds, followed by a dry dressing. Adaptic is a type of knitted dressing that is coated in a petrolatum emulsion (petroleum jelly), so that it will not stick to the wound. The intent of this dressing is that it would allow any drainage to come out of the wound, meanwhile it was going to prevent the antibiotic seeds from falling out before my body was able to absorb them.

I woke up from the surgery feeling really well. I saw my surgeon who then explained to me what he had done. I was allowed food and then able to see my boyfriend a short time later. Shortly thereafter, I was discharged to my house. When I got home I was feeling remarkably well and I immediately called my nurse to update her on the new wound care orders that she would begin with me the following day. The new wound care orders consisted of cleansing the wound with normal saline, packing it with Calcium Alginate and then covering it with a simple dry dressing.

The few days following the surgery went really well. I was still stuck at home in a bed recovering from surgery but I felt remarkably well. So well in fact, that it was only about three days post-op that I began writing this blog. See, I had been encouraged by my surgeon during one of my prior appointments to do something while I was stuck at home. When I asked him what I should do he suggested a blog. After getting a resounding 'yes! Do it, I really think you should' from my best friend I began writing.

I continued to have visiting nurse visits at my home and saw the surgeon on average once a week. Things seemed to be going very well. I had every indication that it was getting smaller and that an end may actually be in sight. Being that the surgeon was very happy with the way things were going it was toward the end of January that I had the courage to ask him if he could give me an indication of when I could get rid of the Clinitron At-Home bed. My asking was mostly due to the sand leaking everywhere. I along with my parents were sick of the mess. I was thrilled that he said that I could get rid of it at that point! Finally I'd be getting my room back.