Surgery Update, Post-Transplant Blog, Pt. 2

I'm surprised the docs don't give you more warning. If it was an emergency that would make more sense.

I was referring to being called in to the hospital with only a couple of days warning. It was a continuation from your previous thread about being called in on Thursday.

I had a productive morning with the surgeon and her P.A. I unwrapped my rt. leg where the large red bump on the shin is giving me the most problem in terms of pain and not going down at all. I also showed her my belly standing up and without a binder, as I don't feel lying down gives a true picture. The result of these show and tells were that the surgeon determined the shin "bump" was a hematoma. She first tried to extract it with a needle, but that didn't work. She said it was old and mostly hard. She said it looked really painful. Well, duh. That's what I told her last week. Without actually seeing it, though, I guess the message doesn't get through. She had to use a scalpel, after first numbing me with lidocaine. However, I still was screaming in pain when she was pushing on it to expel the clot. It took some doing and hurt like hell...and she didn't get it all. I had to tell her to stop...couldn't take any more. But she got most of it. It is continuing to bleed, which she told me to expect. Has already gone through the gauze and Ace wrap she put on there, so I just changed it. For dealing with this pain, I got an Rx for oxycodone. Good thing, as it is now throbbing with pain and I need to go put my feet up after this entry.

As far as the fluid in my abdomen, she thinks it is between the mesh and the skin. She ordered a paracentesis for next Tues. We could've done it today, but my neighbor who took me there could not stay. I've lived with it this long, so a few more days won't matter. I did have all the remaining staples from the 3/14 surgery removed. She had taken half out last week.

Also next Tues., I'm scheduled for labs and a wound care visit. There is more on the schedule that was never canceled, so I put in yet another call to my TC to reschedule them. Our agreement was that there would be no more testing/consults until the 26th and after.

If we can finally get the hematoma and belly fluid dealt with, I feel I will turn a corner. I just hope that the fluid doesn't come back.

Hugs,
Connie

It turns out that the extra appts. were related to the draining...just different language. One is an albumin infusion, which I understand that has to be given when a draining is done.

Hugs,
Connie

I called the HH agency to ask about getting someone out here today. Since they don't have actual orders, they couldn't really do it. I am also dealing with people "on call" who are not familiar with my case. I also decided that it's best to wait until Mon. If there is a problem removing the packing then, I'll have to get an appt. with the surgeon. I think they need to knock me out for this procedure, due to the pain. The hematoma is currently 4 in. L x 2.5 in. W, approx. The pain has decreased quite a bit from yesterday, though still there.

Hugs,
Connie

Thanks very much, Georgia.

Hugs,
Connie

Carol, if they do the para in the midriff or close to the horizontal incision site, then it should be nearly pain free...particularly if they don't go deep. Part of my abdomen is numb, part isn't. So hopefully they can go where it's numb.

As far as the hematoma, I think part of getting it out is related to my level of pain with it left in there. I was having a lot. Now that it's been stirred up, I'm still having quite a bit. Of course, they are always concerned with infection since I'm immunosuppressed. I remember your sister's problem and how bad it was. Don't know if they would consider leaving it alone in my case. It looks really awful, since my leg--except for that one spot--is very skinny. I'm on oxycodone now, but she won't leave me on it for any length of time; i.e., to deal with the pain until it finally goes away on its own. I was thinking about her lancing it again, but this time giving me Versed so I'm not screaming in pain and trying to jump away. I guess Tues. will tell.

I took off the wrapping on my left foot and leg tonight. All the sores are now dried up and scabbed over or peeling dead skin. There is no muscle mass at all in that calf. Now I can put lotion on it.

Hugs,
Connie

For the first few months after my transplant, the area on both sides of the incision were so numb I couldn't feel the skin when touching it. Then only right side was numb, though I could feel it slightly. At 2 years, 9 months, the area has less feeling. It appears the feeling is returning somewhat. I have spoken to people who have had pain around their incision from the beginning, so be happy we were spared another problem.

Once they drain you, and the pressure inside is released, the pain ought to diminish.

I've had the albumin infusion. They were doing that for awhile after my last abdominal surgery. I would get Lasix 60 mg by IV and 2 bags of albumin. It took about an hour, though the waiting time to get called and hooked up, and later disconnected was about 45 min. So there is a bit of time involved.

Hugs,
Connie

Okay, Ziff. I'll try to "go with the flow." In my case, the fluid is right in the middle of my abdomen. The pocket is just below the horizontal incision, right in the middle. You know I will give them "direction" and hopefully they will accept it. It can't be too terrible, as I have an appt. with the Mayo Wound Care nurse at 3:30 the same day.

Thanks so much for your input, everyone!

Hugs,
Connie

Why can't the Home Health aide give you an anesthetic shot in your leg area to numb that part of the leg. I had a small growth removed from my forehead last month by a nurse practitioner at a Dermatology clinic. She shot an anesthetic right into the growth and cut it out. I did not feel anything. You know that saying 90% of what we worry about never happens and there is always a solution. It helps if your HH aide understands your pain, too.

can you soak it before they try to take it out?