Wound care

Being careful about wounds is such a new thing to me. I've always cleaned the place, dab some antibiotics on it, slap a bandaid on it and never give a second thought.

Now with diabetes and taking a immunosuppressive for my RA I've got to be extra diligent.

Last week I got a small bump on my leg. No big deal, I thought. I did my routine. I noticed it was feeling tender today. I pulled the bandaid off only to find the bump was now a nasty boil! EW!
I washed it carefully and the action of washing it and pulling the bandaid off caused it to rupture. (Double Ew!)
With the help of my mother we cleaned it up and got it drained. I put a bandaid and antibiotics on it. I'm planning on watching it closer over the next few days and ask my doctor for some additional antibiotics.

I've never had this to happen before and it's taught me an important lesson about wound care.

It's important to change dressings and clean wounds daily, or more often if the dressing gets wet. If a dressing is stuck to the wound when you go to change it, apply a warm wet compress over that dressing until it comes free of the wound. Then dry, clean as usual and re-dress.

I'm actually pretty casual with wounds myself, but have been lucky so far. But you know the old saying, "do as I say, not as I do."

Now I'm mad! I've developed an allergy to the bandaid's glue!

On top of the boil healing slowly I've got a bunch of tiny red blisters formed from the bandaids. They itch like crazy too!

After cleaning it up well, applying hydrocortisone and antibiotics, I had to paint the area with New Skin.

Why has life got to be so complicated?

I'm sorry you now developed another problem with it! I think it might be a good idea to have your doctor look at it.

I hope it continues to get better. I believe it's best to let the air get to it unless your activities are going to scrap it again or get it dirty, etc. Fingers crossed.