Bed rest broke my stitches blues....

so sorry to read this...hopefully the few that gave way will not give you a tough problem...why is it things always happen on weekends/holidays etc. Of course take it easy but I know that is exactly what you were doing in the first place.

Sorry to hear this, blueglass

I had my permanent ileostomy surgery with removal of my colon, rectum and anus on July 14 and am still seeping/bleeding and still pretty sore on my backside.  My surgeon told me it would be months.  I was lucky to not get infected, though.  He left about 1/2 inch swatch of the incision open to heal from the inside out.

I think I keep tearing mine when I sit wrong or sit down too hard.  I had bloodclots, too.

Feeling good, though, and totally glad I had the surgery

Sorry to hear you're having troubles, blueglass. Weekends and holidays are always when our issues arise also. And I hear you on trying to get wounds to heal. Rachel's midline incision has been nothing but trouble since it opened up in early May. She had it partially closed up during her take down surgery in late August and it was almost healed but this week it opened up again - and she has MRSA in it. It's the second round of MRSA she's dealt with. Seems we get so close to healing it up and then an infection hits and wipes out weeks of healing. Luckily this is sensitive to antibiotics so she is on a whammy dose of them. J-pouch is absolutely wonderful - we just gotta get this wound to heal. We've been packing it for 6 months!! Hope things improve for you soon - I know you must be bored out of your mind. Hang in there and know we're rooting for you.

Blueglass, I think it's silly not to expect SOME sort of mishap when recovering from a big surgery. This isn't bad as far as mishaps since it was expected. Bedrest can totally mess with your mind! You're almost there...your mindset is totally understandable in my opinion! Just try to be patient and know that you're doing everything you can. We are here for you if you want to vent, and I love the animal crocheting btw, it's cracking me up :)

Hugs!!

Bluegrass,
going from bed rest to the doctor IS a big expedition. You've been living for healing and waitng and waiting and waiting and the doctor is going to tell you about the state of your body which you wouldn't otherwise know yourself. Nothing sad about that.

I am getting annoyed about apartments, which is not OT. I am planning step 2 in December and final step 3 in January. I need to be moved into a new apartment before step 2, because I have to sleep in a loft bed where I am now and won't be able to climb down the ladder in the middle of the night after surgery, and I am waiting to hear about one of two apartments (I have to put in my application along with two ther people) and wheterh I'm moving in 3 weeks or not. They really expect people to just be able to jump at the last minute. And then my landlord said under no circumstances will he accept anyone taking over my lease before my term of notice is up so it looks like I have to pay two rents for three months unless he gives me permission to sublet. Plus I have to paint the place. This guy is such a FLARE-UP!

Argh! Now an infection? Come on butt wound... heal up!!! So sorry to hear about this. I am amazed at how well you are handling it. I cannot even imagine being confined to bed rest for that long. I think I would have gone crazy and cried non-stop. You are a trooper and are so positive about it all. Take full advantage your expedition to the doctor. Enjoy the feel of the sun outside and the happiness of moving your legs. I am crossing my fingers and toes that you will get some good answers and news tomorrow.

I saw the surgeon yesterday, and he said that I broke the stitches in the same place that people always break the stitches (on top), and that was a relief, I think I secretly feared that I had actually done something much worse and was going to end up hospitalized again....

He said he had to "improve the architecture of the wound," which meant opening up part of it, which was really painful (he gave me some numbing shots, but they were painful too). I feel a lot better now, though. He took cultures of the fluid, but he doesn't think what's there now is infection; he thinks it's normal fluid mixed w/silvadene cream. I bled a lot, which he said was good.

It's still no bending or sitting, but I can start walking more and also take showers, both of which will be big improvements in quality of life. He gave me a prescrip for a special soap for washing the wound.

During the painful parts he said that annoying line, "You're doing great," to which I responded w/my stock line, "I'll put it on my resume." He thought that was funny. I think "you're doing great" means "you're not disturbing my work" so it's OK to scream, cry, and be miserable, but not to kick, squirm, or get up and leave..... a friend pointed out that many bosses, in fact, would be very happy to know that one can tolerate excruciating pain without significant objection (i.e. all the ones we don't want to work for)......

Jimmy, I have been getting my partner to massage here and there, whatever the big ache du jour is (it moves around).... helps a lot....

Have to say, going to the dr was no big deal in terms of enjoying being away/outside.... guess I haven't been cooped up that long, still felt routine. It was kind of funny when I asked the receptionist if I could go lie down in a room because I couldn't sit, and she said, "Let me go see, just have a seat ...." I did have to stand for a while, but I think I started looking especially pathetic, and she went in herself and found a room....

I was tired afterward in a way that felt different -- nice to be tired from actual exertion, even though it wouldn't have been all that much exertion if I hadn't had all this bed rest....

I think I'm back on the upswing, though, and glad for it...

The office had a whole wall of pamphlets on various elective surgeries -- face lifts, tummy tucks, body shaping, etc.... have to say, at this minute, elective surgery feels like about the last thing I'd want to do with my life....

Thanks and go ahead, I can take it

The nurse came today to dress the wound (I have one twice a week again). She measured it and the part he opened up is now 2 cm deep, which I believe is about the same as the depth of my wound pre-surgery. The new hole is in a different place, but I am really hoping this isn't some sick whack-a-mole thing, and that this new wound they created is less problematic than the original wound it replaced.... sigh (in order to clean up and close the old wound, they made it a lot bigger.....)

I have walked around the block twice today (slow going, as it hurts a bit to walk) and I took a shower (which set off the smoke detector, which I guess is a heat detector -- never did that before)..... all very nice though....