Wound Vac Removal

My knee replacement surgery was on Monday, June 11th, 2012.  I left the hospital on Thursday, June 14th with an ugly wound vac on my leg.  The plan was to have it removed during my first physical therapy session on the following Monday.  The wound vac never really did seem to work properly.  There was a tube connected to the wound vac that went to a small hand held devise just a bit bigger than a deck of cards.  I had to carry it around with me all of the time. Basically it was just a nuisance.  The wound vac ended up looking similar to a piece of beef liver taped to my knee.   

Anyways, on the Saturday after my release from the hospital the hand held devise started beeping.  We checked the instruction manual it said there was a possible leak.  The alert light on the devise was lit up also.  So, after many phone calls to the doctors office and the hospital we finally got a call back from the surgeon, Dr. Alan Holiday, and he spoke with my hubby about what was going on and he told him how to take it off.

Above is the start of him removing the tape that was securing the wound vac to my leg. Below is the wound vac partially removed.  I was afraid the thing would stick to the incision and pull but it did not at all.

 

And here is my swollen leg with 42 staples The reddish blotch on the left is a blister that had started forming the day after the surgery.  Of course pulling off the wound vac made the blister pop which was an ok thing.  Hubby pressed a clean tissue against it to help drain it and then applied a clean bandage.  Luckily the hospital had given us a couple of them.  

I know it is already June 26th as I post this but with all of the rehab I am doing and exercising at home and laying with my leg up it is not exactly easy to get to the internet.  I tried blogging using the I-Pad hubby got for Fathers Day but could not get the pictures to come up so I'm using the lap top.  

I have more pictures to share but it is ice pack time so must bid you all ado for now.

Be Happy, Be Healthy and Be Safe,

Tess

  

An Almost Emergency

Greetings all, What an interesting day yesterday was. We thought we were going to have to visit the emergency room. Let me back up here and fill you in on what happened. My Hubby and I were discussing supper and what I might want him to fix and what he might want. We had come to an agreement, chicken wings, and he was about to get up to go start cooking. He had during the conversation teased that supper would be ready about 8:00. Way too late for me. Anyway, about that time the beeper alert alarm went off on my wound vac device. That was annoying to say the least. I had the instructions for thr device in my walker pocket and gave it to him. There was a yellow triangle lit up with an exclamation point so he read that it was an alert to possible leak. We could not find a leak that we could see or feel. I had noticed the drainage in sponge bandage over the incision had started turning a pretty shade of purple. Also the blister next to the bandage was getting bigger. We had not seen any drainage in the tube going from the bandage to the device all day either. We called the surgeons number and got an answering service and told them what was happening. She said she would page the doctor and call us back. In the meantime we called the hospital and tried to get connected to the surgical unit. No answer, I was not surprised as it was hospital patient supper time. The operator did connect us to the head nurse and she told chuck to turn it off and then back on. He had already done that once but he tried it again. She said to take me to the E.R. So a doctor could look at it. So hubby is getting me dressed to head to the hospital and saying maybe supper really would be at 8:00 when the phone rang. It was my surgeon. He spoke with hubby about what all was happening and what he had already tried and my surgeon said it was time to come off. The device is disposable an only good for 4 to 7 days. It was scheduled to come off on this monday at my rqehb appt. So hubby got instructions on what to do and then my hubby became my personal Dr. LOL! First a caretaker/nurse and now a doctor. I love my hubby so much for being willing to do whatever it takes to take care of me. I thought it would create a bloody mess but it did not. It pulled a bit at the skin but did not pull on the incision at all. The blister did pop so he let it drain and lightly pushed on it with a tissue to get it to drain a bit more and that was that. It was off! I expected pain and torture taking that thing off and really there wasn'nt much to it. Hubby just went slow and easy and took his time about it. We left it open to air out the rest of the evening while he fixed supper. I think I counted 38 staples but I could be wrong. I got to take a shower twice in the hospital and a sponge bath and at home I had a sponge bath but last night I got to take a shower and wash my hair. Woo Hoo! That sure makes a person feel so much better. Getting me into the bathtub is a whole different sturdy I will share sometime. In the meantime, Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be Safe, Tess

I Am Home With a Brand New Knee

Greetings all, I am home. I had wonderful care while in the hospital. The nurses and aids were great as were the pt and ot people. My knee hurts something awful but I know within the next 3 to 4 weeks the pain should ease up. As long as I get up and do my exercises and walking. I have an awful time bending the knee at this point. But I can do it. I start rehab on Monday and am sure I will be able to handle it. Well I sorta have to now, don't I?! My surgeon came in to see me everyday. I tease my girls that I am now the "bionic momma". Yeah, the "the bionic momma"' I like that. Well I had better attempt sleep. I hope you all are doing well. Take care, Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be Safe, Tess

Greetings all,
 It's been far too long since I last posted on my blog.  So much has been happening and I've just not had the energy or inspiration to connect.  Some of the happenings going on around here:
My osteoarthritis in the knees has been getting harder to live with.

About a month ago I went down to my basement only to step ankle deep into cold water.  We finally found that someone had turned on an outside hose, broke the handle off the spray nozzle and dropped it near a basement window.  Neighbors told the police they had seen some kids hanging out in the parking lot next door and the alley.  I figure they probably were just wanting to get a drink of water but....they entered a fenced in yard to get to the hose and then left it on.  So it was written up as vandalism and we had to call someone to come and get rid of all of the water, and carpeting and carpet padding.  Then weeks later they found mold and now the paneling is gone and they cut out and replaced some of the wall board.  I feel as if this basement clean up will never be done.

My husband has been having trouble with his back again.  His sciatic nerve is pinched and he has that poke in the buttocks feeling and his foot goes numb.  He has had an MRI and it was sent to a neurosurgeon to be reviewed.  Seems he has very bad arthritis along his spine.

And I am scheduled for complete knee replacement surgery on June 11th.  They will be replacing my right knee.  The metal is called Oxynium.  I think I spelled that right.  I am anxious, excited, nervous and hurting something awful.  I have been taking vitamin C, vitamin D3, Iron and Folic Acid to prepare for the surgery.  I am now off all of the anti-inflammatory meds I take and I sure can feel the difference.  I can't take anything right now that may cause bleeding such as aspirin or Naprosyn or Glucosamine.  I can't even take my fish oil at this point.  I must say I've noticed I have a bit more energy since starting the vitamins regimen.  I found the Vitamin C and vitamin D3 in gummy form.  Easy to take.

So, my apologies for being so absent here.  I will post again after my surgery.  I am scheduled to be in the hospital 4 days and off work for 4 weeks. 

Be Happy, Be Healthy, Be Safe,

Tess