Week Three
So, it's been a rough couple of weeks. On 11/23 (Mon) I went and did the last minute shopping for our family Thanksgiving. The vast majority of the cooking and all the baking save the bird is done by my brother and I, so we did some prep for that after the shopping was done too. I was tired and very, very sore by the time I was done, but I'm always very, very sore so I didn't honestly think too much of it.
When we finally got home I sent the child for her shower and got into my sleeping clothes, a t-shirt and some shorts, then poked around on the internet for a while. When Ana was done she asked me to braid her hair so when it dried in the morning she could have waves. I went to the couch and sat indian-style (there has to be a more PC way of saying that, any ideas?) and that's when I noticed these MASSIVE blisters on my right inner knee. There were three, the smallest the size of a dime and the largest about three inches and about as big around as a small medicine bottle, or a very large hot dog. I got mom (the nurse) to come have a look at it and she freaked out, which freaked me out, and then I was off to the ER, with my dad driving.
They poked at it a bit, I told them it was very near the part of my leg that's got compromised sensation from my car accident. After a bit they decided to cut all three blisters open. They took no cultures or anything of the sort, gave me some gauze and bacitracin and sent me home. I assumed it was one of those freak things that wasn't a big deal.
This is how it looked after I got home-
And this was Wednesday-
I spent the rest of the week cooking, doing bandage changes and trying to ignore how much it hurt. It wasn't supposed to be a big deal, right? Friday night, though, I noticed that around the edges of the wound were small, new, very yellow blisters. This for me was proof positive that it wasn't healing how it was supposed to. I'd decided to see my doctor on Monday, but by Saturday the pain was unbearable and I was back to the ER. This time cultures were taken, special bandaging measures were taken, I was put on an IV antibiotic, an oral antibiotic, some pain meds and was told to come back to the ER the next day. Bed rest, I was told, was not a suggestion, but an order. I began to realize it was in fact a big deal.
Sunday was another ER visit, a bandage change, some modifications of my instructions. At that point I was not to bend my leg at all, was to stay in bed with it elevated at all times. I was told no dishes, no laundry, nothing of a physical nature. I was beginning to wonder how all this had come about when I'd sought treatment within an hour of noticing something was wrong.
Tuesday was the first time I could see my actual doctor, and she was pretty freaked out about it. Actually every medical person I've interacted with has been pretty freaked out. That is not reassuring. I had a follow-up for Thursday and although the infection was doing well she was very unhappy with how the wound itself was progressing. The next day she had located the gel she wanted me to use on it, and so that and some new bandages were picked up.
What they didn't tell me was that the gel acted by moisturizing the skin, then adhering it to the bandages, so each change would remove some of the necrotic tissues. And by remove I mean rip off. It's like waxing an open wound. Since I had foolishly assumed this gel would be some sort of soothing type help, I didn't push for any more pain relief, and so spent the weekend with a total of three little pills. Sundays shower & change left me shaking & crying (sup ontd) for a solid hour. I can't even describe how bad that hurt.
Yesterday I called to confirm that was what the gel was supposed to be doing, and it was. I also asked for more pain meds. Before they'd give them to me, though, I had to sign a waiver releasing them from responsibility should I become addicted. I sincerely wish I never had to ask for or deal with narcotic pain meds in any way, shape or form ever again.
This is what it looked like yesterday-
I've had a lot of injuries, a lot of trauma, and have given birth. This is one of the most consistently bothersome and painful things I've come across. I can't imagine how I ended up here when I've been in treatment and following doctors orders the whole time. At this point I'm hoping things are on the mend and I've gotten through the roughest parts.
When we finally got home I sent the child for her shower and got into my sleeping clothes, a t-shirt and some shorts, then poked around on the internet for a while. When Ana was done she asked me to braid her hair so when it dried in the morning she could have waves. I went to the couch and sat indian-style (there has to be a more PC way of saying that, any ideas?) and that's when I noticed these MASSIVE blisters on my right inner knee. There were three, the smallest the size of a dime and the largest about three inches and about as big around as a small medicine bottle, or a very large hot dog. I got mom (the nurse) to come have a look at it and she freaked out, which freaked me out, and then I was off to the ER, with my dad driving.
They poked at it a bit, I told them it was very near the part of my leg that's got compromised sensation from my car accident. After a bit they decided to cut all three blisters open. They took no cultures or anything of the sort, gave me some gauze and bacitracin and sent me home. I assumed it was one of those freak things that wasn't a big deal.
This is how it looked after I got home-
And this was Wednesday-
I spent the rest of the week cooking, doing bandage changes and trying to ignore how much it hurt. It wasn't supposed to be a big deal, right? Friday night, though, I noticed that around the edges of the wound were small, new, very yellow blisters. This for me was proof positive that it wasn't healing how it was supposed to. I'd decided to see my doctor on Monday, but by Saturday the pain was unbearable and I was back to the ER. This time cultures were taken, special bandaging measures were taken, I was put on an IV antibiotic, an oral antibiotic, some pain meds and was told to come back to the ER the next day. Bed rest, I was told, was not a suggestion, but an order. I began to realize it was in fact a big deal.
Sunday was another ER visit, a bandage change, some modifications of my instructions. At that point I was not to bend my leg at all, was to stay in bed with it elevated at all times. I was told no dishes, no laundry, nothing of a physical nature. I was beginning to wonder how all this had come about when I'd sought treatment within an hour of noticing something was wrong.
Tuesday was the first time I could see my actual doctor, and she was pretty freaked out about it. Actually every medical person I've interacted with has been pretty freaked out. That is not reassuring. I had a follow-up for Thursday and although the infection was doing well she was very unhappy with how the wound itself was progressing. The next day she had located the gel she wanted me to use on it, and so that and some new bandages were picked up.
What they didn't tell me was that the gel acted by moisturizing the skin, then adhering it to the bandages, so each change would remove some of the necrotic tissues. And by remove I mean rip off. It's like waxing an open wound. Since I had foolishly assumed this gel would be some sort of soothing type help, I didn't push for any more pain relief, and so spent the weekend with a total of three little pills. Sundays shower & change left me shaking & crying (sup ontd) for a solid hour. I can't even describe how bad that hurt.
Yesterday I called to confirm that was what the gel was supposed to be doing, and it was. I also asked for more pain meds. Before they'd give them to me, though, I had to sign a waiver releasing them from responsibility should I become addicted. I sincerely wish I never had to ask for or deal with narcotic pain meds in any way, shape or form ever again.
This is what it looked like yesterday-
I've had a lot of injuries, a lot of trauma, and have given birth. This is one of the most consistently bothersome and painful things I've come across. I can't imagine how I ended up here when I've been in treatment and following doctors orders the whole time. At this point I'm hoping things are on the mend and I've gotten through the roughest parts.