Me again

Bones, joints and muscles
1

Cant thank you all enough for your insight and help.

I have for-sure made progress since my last post. With a long way to go, but much more willing to get there with all of your help.

Here is my new dilemma .  Yes there was a Aqua Cell bandage put over the wound site after surgery . They are water proof and i was told i could shower from the get go.

So im gong to say i have had 3 showers this week. I am one week in, post op.

There seemd to be an opening in the side of the bandage i noticed after shower 1.

After each shower there seems to be a bit more build up of fluid inside the bandage , looks alot like moisture to me, but it dose have a red tinge to it, maybe some dry blood also.

I went to an urgent care center and sat for 3 hours for someone to see me and could not wait any longer and left. I do try and be grateful for our health care here in Canada, but it could sure use some help.

its due to be removed on May 29 and staples removed at same time. Im just not sure i should be waiting that long with out having it looked at.

I was wondering if i found one of these bandages , could i not change it myself ?

Or should i head back to another urgent care centre and see how long the wait is.

I most  certainly  don't want this infected, that i know.

I am going to try and take a pic so you can see it.

Again, cant thank you all enough, for walking this road before me

Rick

2

Hi Rick. I bought myself a fresh one at Shopper's Drug Mart. (Not sure if you have those in your part of Canada) Over the counter. Was a buck and a half. I'd say by the looks of yours that it needs changing. Dont clean your wound with anything...dont touch it. Just let it air dry before applying the new one. Then be vigilant about not getting it wet as you dont want to change it again.

Monitor the discharge now that it's a clean bandage. If it's excessive, contact your surgeon's office.

(I went by my instruction manual for self after-care)

Do you not have a "nurse-navigator"?

Glad to hear you are recovering better!♡

3

I used to change my mother’s dressing for her. Probably easier and better to go to an urgent care centre though as they will have a dressing and can check the wound. You will probably only have to do go there once.

4

The bandages are usually pricey. I saw some at CVS. Since you're not going to see doctor until end of month, might be good idea to have it looked at if you are concerned.

5

Hi Rick! I am also a week into recovery. I had the same bandage. I was told the bandage could be removed after a week. I removed mine today. The wound is not bleeding or weeping. I was told not to put anything on the wound. Just leave it be or I could put a pad over and tape it if it is more comfortable. I hope this helps. All the best to you!

6

Rick -it looks good, may just be condensation from the heat of the shower, is it getting hotter or more sore, that would be a warning sign that things are not going so well.

​My dressing was changed at 7 days by my regular local GP, for a very lightweight gauze just to cover things up more than do anything, but then stuck with showering wrapped uplike a mummy in cling wrap, start at your knee and work upwards, and then the last wrap tight to keep as much water out as possible, actually works quite well.

​About 7 days later Dr looked at it again, and said no its fine, all healed up except for one little spot where stitches had I think pulled a little, and no dressing after that.

​Another 7 days later he gave me the all clear to go back to my heated swimming pool for exercises with physio, after one session I had it down pat, as I had been following my hospital instructions about exercising and just took the same exercises into the water, hard work at first, but the resistance and weight really gets things moving, never pushed to hard as the physio said to me, until you feel the pull, and not too much more, this is not an exercise in doing yourself a mischief.

7

Thanks sooo much Lyn, 

Rick

8

My wife took one look at my wound and decided NOT to change the dressing, we contacted my GP surgery, and the nurse there did it - just as well, it was a right mess with blood on the floor etc.

Even when she saw it done, my wife couldn't do it, so the nurse arranged for a visiting nurse to come and check / change it regularly

9

Wow! Glad you had it taken care of! Everyone here is so different! What works for one may not be for another. I hope your wound heals better now that the dressing has been changed! I'll bet it will! All the best...