Seven Weeks - Good News/Bad News
The clinic session today was to X-Ray my back and check the healing. The good news is that it is on target to be fully healed in another 4-5 weeks. In preparation for that I can now start weaning myself off the brace. Initially just a few periods of sitting without it, but to be ready to do without it completely in another month or so. In practice I shall still be very wary of walking without it. As the Consultant said, "You do not want to fall over without the brace until you back is fully healed".
Unfortunately, the same optimism didn't run to the wound on my left leg. It is still bleeding when I walk and it is a major infection risk to the bone junction which is supposed to be forming. Careful removal of a section of the "scab" showed a mass of something which looks rather unpleasant. A swab has been taken to test for infection, but it apparantly most likely to be liquid fat! Why can't the fat I want to get rid of just leak away like that?
After some debate about plastic surgery, the decision was taken to take me in next week to clean the wound and fit a "sucky dressing". I was introduced to a fellow patient who has one of these and it appears to be a portable vacuum pump connected to a pipe which leads to the sealed wound. It is supposed to be almost impossible to fit one of these under an existing "Lizzie", but when did that stop anyone trying. It has been done before so why not again?
So, Monday I get driven over to Sheffield for theatre on Tuesday and, I hope, home on Wednesday. At least it will stop me leaking on the carpet and protect the wound from infection meaning I can venture outside a little when the weather is clement.
Apart from these big things I had been having some pain from a pin site in my foot. As Maria suspected the wire was loose - how did that happen? The tightening was totally painless.
I also discovered that a pin which was giving me some grief a few weeks ago has cheese-wired about 7mm through my leg. Just shows what happens when your muscles start working again. I reaaly am a lot more stable than I was and even the stairs are seeming less daunting.
Finally, Maggie goes back to work on Monday. We have an hours care each morning to get me washed and downstairs after Maggie has left for work. What a shame I'll get one day of this and then miss 2 days. C'est la vie!
Unfortunately, the same optimism didn't run to the wound on my left leg. It is still bleeding when I walk and it is a major infection risk to the bone junction which is supposed to be forming. Careful removal of a section of the "scab" showed a mass of something which looks rather unpleasant. A swab has been taken to test for infection, but it apparantly most likely to be liquid fat! Why can't the fat I want to get rid of just leak away like that?
After some debate about plastic surgery, the decision was taken to take me in next week to clean the wound and fit a "sucky dressing". I was introduced to a fellow patient who has one of these and it appears to be a portable vacuum pump connected to a pipe which leads to the sealed wound. It is supposed to be almost impossible to fit one of these under an existing "Lizzie", but when did that stop anyone trying. It has been done before so why not again?
So, Monday I get driven over to Sheffield for theatre on Tuesday and, I hope, home on Wednesday. At least it will stop me leaking on the carpet and protect the wound from infection meaning I can venture outside a little when the weather is clement.
Apart from these big things I had been having some pain from a pin site in my foot. As Maria suspected the wire was loose - how did that happen? The tightening was totally painless.
I also discovered that a pin which was giving me some grief a few weeks ago has cheese-wired about 7mm through my leg. Just shows what happens when your muscles start working again. I reaaly am a lot more stable than I was and even the stairs are seeming less daunting.
Finally, Maggie goes back to work on Monday. We have an hours care each morning to get me washed and downstairs after Maggie has left for work. What a shame I'll get one day of this and then miss 2 days. C'est la vie!
posted by Martin Harbour at 7:26 pm
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