Two holes better than one??

Remember when I told you mine took 10 months to heal?? I wasn't kidding!! I was hoping yours would heal much sooner, but I guess it just had to be difficult...

Hang in there, you're almost done.

Thing is, i feel fine!! Probably the best health i've been in in years. Except for the open wound in my rear. The surgery was done last November, and sorta cleaned out again in late December after it got infected. Surgeon is saying that there is most likely a lot of dead tissue around the area and it has probably healed as much as it is going to unless they clean it out again. And he wants to put me on that VAC. I'd rather keep packing it and hope for the best. He pretty much told he i'd be home bound for like a month. NOT happening right now. Heck, whats the worst that can happen, it gets infected again?? If that happens maybe THEN i'll think of other options. The wound hasn't changed much in the last 2 months, so maybe it won't heal. But i'd rather wait. It's springtime in New England, i don't feel like looking at it through the window.

Still packing. Twice a day. Wound looks fine ( from what i'm told ) and shows no signs of infection at all. Surgeon didn't really even bring up any other options. He seem set on the VAC deal. How did they go about the whole " cauterized" deal. Visits to the hospital? I'll have to bring it up next time i see him.

My doctor used the silver nitrate on me too. It seems to work well.

Slice, have you ever used a wound vac? My doctor actually used it on me in my vaginal and rectal area. It does do the trick. Helps in helping twice as fast as with just packing. The problem was trying to get a good suction in such a moist area. So, for the time I was able to use it, I'm glad I gave it a chance.

I'm back in surgery the end of May and I'll be going through the packing all over again too.

Good luck!

Mary

My rear is still healing and it will be a year on the 24th of this month. The skin was very fried from radiation and just had a harder time healing. It just feels like it 'pulls' now but it is much better than what it was 2 months ago. My doctor did say it can take a looooong time.

Slice,
My surgeon told me that those of us with Crohn's are typically the slowest healers after @ss removal surgery. As if this disease hasn't done enough to us, right?!?

I like the idea of taking matters into your own hands. I think Gorilla glue would do the trick! At least you haven't lost your sense of humor.

Hang in there, it will heal... eventually!

Ahhhh yes. Although the best diversion would have been the Bruins taking out the Habs, i can deal with another possible World Series with the Sox. At least the Yankees are near the bottom.
I think i'll hold out on calling my surgeon back. He wanted to know what date i'd like for the VAC deal. When i talk to him i'll have to ask about the whole nitrate thing first.
I'm really wondering.....what would happen if i stopped packing it? I assume it would just close up and increase the risk of infection. But couldn't it close up AND JUST HEAL?!?! I'm thinking of not packing it for a few days and see what happens.

Sorry to bump an old topic but I have a stupid question.... What hole is it that you're all talking about? The anus/hole you used to defecate from? Why is it a wound now?

I always wondered, when you have a colectomy, do they just sew up your anus or how does that work? It seems that if there's nothing attached and you're pooping from the hole in your stomach, there's no need to have the other one open. They never really seem to explain that part of the surgery anywhere I look!!!

Whoa, sorry for missing this. Yes edie, my anus is now sewn shut. Didn't need it anyway. And they took my rectum. But, didn't need that either. In order to remove the rectum and the area around it that was infected with disease, they not only go through the incision they made to take out my colon, but they also need to make another incision just next to the anus to remove everything else. Thats whats taking a while to heal up. Problem is since there was a lot of infected area back there along with fistulas, it's having a tough time hearling. Which my surgeon actually told me about long before i had the surgery, so it's not a surprise.
It's still there, still looks about the same. I have another follow up appt with my surgeon this week. Or next week, can't remember. But i'll bring up the burning the tissue deal. Hope that works.