All Aboard the Crazy Drain!
Had I not seen the doctor yesterday morning, I'm sure I would have been admitted to a hospital. Because I had completely lost my mind. By Sunday night I was convinced that the infection (that I had diagnosed myself) was so bad it would result in me being sent directly from the doctor's office to the hospital where they would have to remove the implant. Pain and days with no sleep can make a person crazy.
Fortunately that isn't how things went down. My doctor did remove the drains. I do have an infection, but on the side opposite the one I thought, so I got the super strong antibiotics that I'll take for the next ten days. Then she popped a couple of stitches and out rushed what seemed like a gallon of fluid. It seems that I was healing quite well and the tissue closed itself off on the inside, creating a pocket where the fluid that was being removed elsewhere by the drain was trapped. I immediately felt better; the reduction in pressure alone was a huge relief. She packed the wound so it would stay open and continue to drain. And it has been draining pretty well for the past 24 hours. As disgusting as this sounds, it's better out than in. I removed the packing today, so hopefully it won't close up. If the fluid builds up again, a drain will have to be reinserted. I go back on Thursday, so she'll decide then if it is draining sufficiently, or if the drain needs to go back in. I won't even care if it does. I'm so relieved that the pain has finally stopped and that I won't have to undo this surgery that if another drain is my only option, I'll take it.
I got my first glimpse of the incisions and while they are many and long, I think they look pretty good. They already look like they will heal to be very fine scars. She was able to cut out all of the scars from my previous surgeries, so I think things will look pretty good when all is said and done.
Fortunately that isn't how things went down. My doctor did remove the drains. I do have an infection, but on the side opposite the one I thought, so I got the super strong antibiotics that I'll take for the next ten days. Then she popped a couple of stitches and out rushed what seemed like a gallon of fluid. It seems that I was healing quite well and the tissue closed itself off on the inside, creating a pocket where the fluid that was being removed elsewhere by the drain was trapped. I immediately felt better; the reduction in pressure alone was a huge relief. She packed the wound so it would stay open and continue to drain. And it has been draining pretty well for the past 24 hours. As disgusting as this sounds, it's better out than in. I removed the packing today, so hopefully it won't close up. If the fluid builds up again, a drain will have to be reinserted. I go back on Thursday, so she'll decide then if it is draining sufficiently, or if the drain needs to go back in. I won't even care if it does. I'm so relieved that the pain has finally stopped and that I won't have to undo this surgery that if another drain is my only option, I'll take it.
I got my first glimpse of the incisions and while they are many and long, I think they look pretty good. They already look like they will heal to be very fine scars. She was able to cut out all of the scars from my previous surgeries, so I think things will look pretty good when all is said and done.
Comments
God Bless you! I just recently found your blog kind of by accident while searching for infor on a surgeon. I have been glued to it almost nonstop since then, and have been reading/skiming back the past 2 years and all I can say is "WOW"!! You have been through so much, but with such a sense of humor and grace. I was just diagnosised with DCIS with some invasive cells, and have been trying to educate myself and research as much as possible. I was wondering if there was a way to email you and ask a question that won't be published on the blog?
Thanks