ANA Discussion Forum
Archive => Archives => Topic started by: wanderer on September 11, 2005, 11:18:00 pm
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well I am scheduled for surgery on the 21st. They think i'm having a reaction to the bone cement and that is why my incision has continued to break open and create abcesses for the last 9 months. So they are going in to remove it. This will be the third time they cut my stomach open for fat and hopefully this will finally solve my problem.
Right now I've got a bad cold. At least I got it now and know the day after surgery.
wish me luck everyone.
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you will be in my thoughts and prayers.
Lynn
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You are also in my thoughts and prayers. I am so sorry that you are having to go through this again and I am sure this time things will go right.
matti
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Oh man wanderer, the best of luck this time!! I am sure this will be the last time. I will be thinking of you that day and the days to come during recovery. :-*
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Wanderer, I am so sorry to hear that you have to go through more surgery. You are incredibly brave. I will hold you in my thoughts and prayers on that day and will be anxiously awaiting news about how it went. Sherry
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Wanderer,
I don't visit the forum everyday. It is kind of late response, but I am very sorry to read this today.ÂÂ
Like everybody else here, I will pray for you (especially on the night of 9/20) and wish the best outcome for you. May you have all the strength you need and a peace in your mind.
You know we all will be with you, even though not physically. Please Keep us updated on how you are doing. Take care.
David(707)
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Thanks everybody,
tomorrow is the big day, actually about 7 mintues until the big day.
My surgeon is also going to biopsy a small lump I found in my neck a few weeks ago. Better to kill to birds with one stone.
I should be out of the hospital and home by thursday so I'll try to get on and let you know how it goes.
So far I really can't complain about my surgeries I have come out remarkably well from each and look for the same outcome from the this one as well.
I'm getting to be quite the pro at all this ;D
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I just got home a little while ago. I went out to eat first.
Surgery went well and hopefully It is finally over for me. The incision for the fat graft is not a in a good place (directly below the belly button and about where my belt of my pants crosses. so i'm going to have to take it easy till that heals up.
Head feels good.
But I do have to complain about the damn hiccups. Everytime I get them. I've had them pretty much all day. Hopefully they will be gone tomorrow.
Well it's been a pretty long day so I'm going to cut this short and probably take a nap I stayed up to late watching tv and have only had about 3 hours of sleep.
Thanks everyone for the thoughts and prayers. I really appreciate it.
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:) Thank God its over for you Wanderer. Hopefully you will never have to go into surgery ever again. So great to see you here and posting so quick. Take special care of yourself as you continue to heal. :)
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Wanderer_ I have read your many posts about your surgeries, how did they decide you had a reaction to the bone cement? I am 4&1/2 mon. post op, and my incision also keeps breaking open. Two weeks ago I called my Dr., the nurse called back and said to clean it with peroxide and call back if it didn't heal. I do have an appt. on Oct.4, but just wondered if I am worrying unnecessarily. It is a very small opening that keeps oozing pus and then scabbing over. Anyone else have this happen? luv2teachsped
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Well my last surgery was to clean out the abcess. I was placed on high does antibiotics and it still kept making little blisters full of puss or clear fluid or blood.
They would heal and then a few weeks later appear and break open again.
My blood work showed no inflamation.
iI hope that this does work, i'm very tired of my head leaking. At one point my incision swoll up to the size of my thumb.
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wanderer-
I guess its a good thing I am going to the Dr.s, I hope I don't have the same problems, but it sure sounds all too familar. It heals over, then for no reason breaks open and leaks pus and/or blood. Yuck! I'm only 4 mo. post op, so maybe we can catch it earlier. I'm so sorry you've had to go through so much! I try and think of others when I complain about the "little things", and mine are minor compared to yours. Take Care, luv2teachsped
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yes it does sound awfully familiar. the fun part is to get it to totally heal and then inflate like mine did. I had stretch marks because it swelled so much.
granted it's probably nothing serious and once the remove the bone cement you should heal. The problem is that you have an opening that could lead to a serious infection. You definitely want to keep that spot clean. Also the need to make sure it's not a csf leak because they you have the menengitis problem.
My doctor told me that he didn't think I had a csf leak because I had been leaking so long that I should have had menengitis by now if I did.
An infection of the bone or the flesh eating staph would be bad. These were my concerns. Time will tell if it is finally over for me.
Good luck,
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Wanderer,
I am late again to read your update. I was involved in the now wellknown evacuation in Houston from Hurricane. It was quite an experience, but I did not forget to pray for your surgery. So glad to hear that the surgery went well and, apparently, you feel fine now. Keep us update on your recovery. Hope it takes care the leakage completely this time.
David(707)
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Well off to the surgeon today to look at my ear.
It appears that something is not right. A about a week ago I ran down stairs to get the phone and when I got back to the top of the stairs my neck was wet. Next thing I know I have fluid running down my chest. Over the weekend I had about 4 tablespoons of fluid drain out. There is a large area at the bottom of the ear that is distended. Not sure what that is all about but it was about as big as a large grape.
I've been put on antibiotics yet again. Since the loss of fluid the Pain has gone down quite a bit. Until this time I had hardly used any pain meds but this time I've been getting stabbing pain in the ear from time to time. So I was taking the meds at least twice a day.
I also hadn't had any headaches really for awhile, but now i'm getting my "funny" head feeling. Like someone squishing the back of my head. Hopefully they will go away soon.
Anyway, I'll let you all know what the doctor says.
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Well I am headed back to the hospital yet again. It appears I have a major infection and they don't understand what's going on. So they are going to give me IV antibiotics and run tests. I will go in tomorrow and I should get out by friday.
Gotta go for now, this took my by surprise and I am totally unprepared for it.
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Sorry to hear that you are experiencing more complications. I hope you feel better real soon.
Jamie
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I sure hope this time fixes things. You are in my thoughts and prayers.
Lynn
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Really sorry to hear this.  Let us know how it went when you come home this weekend. God bless you!
David
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I'm so sorry you're having to deal with more problems. You'll be in my prayers. Please let us know what they find out.
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Wanderer, I can't even tell you how sorry I am to hear this. You are such an incredibly strong soul. As always, my thoughts and prayers are with you and yours. I hope you are back here very soon so you can read all these posts and see how much we all care. Sherry
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Thanks everyone. I am writing from the hospital. They have wireless internet access so I brought my laptop.
Today has been interesting.
First there was disagreement between the nurses and the IV specialists. Then I was taken for yet another MRI. The rest of the day was spent sitting around not being allowed to eat.
Finally the Infectious disease specialist made it in. He basically didn't know anything yet. Waiting on cultures and the MRI results.
Finally about 4pm my surgeon made it in. He had been in surgery. Anyway, he told me that I was to be on regular diet so there was no reason why I couldn't have eaten all day. So shortly there after I got to eat at least.
There there has been a debate on giving me a PIC line. I was told I was getting one but a few hours later the nurse said they had cancelled the orders.
Then they attempted to run the IV antibiotics through my IV which is in the back of my hand.
It would stop and start. after an hour it hadn't really done much so the nurse turned it to full open. A few minutes after than my hand was throbbing as it was streaming in at an extremely fast rate. But it finally went in but the hand is still a little sore.
Tomorrow they are going to cut open a large grape size area at the bottom of my ear where fluid is accumulating.
The doctors are baffled they say they have not seen anything like this and that I am not having a normal reaction. We shall see.
well that's all the news I"ve got for now. I'll post if anything exciting happens.
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I am home now. They put the PIC in which has a catheter that runs from my arm through the vein to very near the heart. This lets them give me IV antibiotics. I have had chest pain since they put it in but the doctors did not think it was serious enough to keep me at the hospital.
the only other thing is my arm hurts where they sewed the thing to my arm.
Hopefully the antibiotics do the trick this time.
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Glad to hear you're out of the hospital, wanderer. I hope the antibitoics clear up the problem quickly. Did they give you any indication what is causing the infection or are they still clueless? Hope you're better soon!! :)
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Wanderer,
Glad to know you are good enough to come home. I am just wondering if you have ever thought about seeking a second opinion. It may be worthwhile to consider if they don't have a clue what cauing leaking and infection.
Take care. You will be in my prayer.
David.
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Wanderer,
Have not heard from you for a while. Just wonder how are you doing. Hope the leaks have stopped. You are still in my thoughts and prayers.
David(707)
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Nope afraid not. Still leaking. I am on IV antibiotics for 6 to 8 weeks. They think I may have a bone infection osteomylinitis or however it's spelled..
The fun never ends.
I am up to 6 sugeries on the ear now.
I was hoping to have some good news by now but so far not much news pretty much were I was before the last two surgeries except that I have a PICC in my arm now.
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Just and update
My ear finally stopped leaking about 2 weeks ago. I still have the PICC line in and will have it for another 2 weeks.
I have had some pain along the incision but nothing terrible. I am cautiously optomistic that maybe they have finally fixed me.
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wanderer,
OMG! I am new to this website and I feel so sorry for you. I am glad that you have been for the most part optimistic though. That really helps you mentally to heal, I think. Good luck with all that has happened and hopefully this will be it for you!
LaMar
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Wanderer,
Glad to know the leaks finally stopped. I have been concerned, but don't know what to say. I am simply amzed by your courage and attitute. Best wishes for you.
David(707)
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Wanderer, So happy to hear that the leaks have finally stopped. I too admire your strength and courage. Thank you for the update...we all worry when we dont hear from each other :)
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Well Time for an update.
The PICC Line is finally out. Head seems healed but I've been fooled before.
January 9th I go in to consult about getting the baha,
Hopefully all stays well till them.
Maybe it's finally over. ;D
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Wanderer,
I am so glad things are getting better for you. I pray you are well on your way to a complete recovery.Keep us posted.
Happy Thanksgiving,
Lynn
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Wanderer,
I am happy to hear this. Continue to wish you the best. Keep us posted.
David(707)
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It's been a long time, but thought I'd stop in to share.
I'm all healed up, and life is back to normal and has been for a long time. I'm running, biking, and doing martial arts and everything else.
I had gotten the Baha, but I actually haven't used it much, probably haven't put in on in over a year. Most people do not know I am deaf on one side unless I'm in a noisy environment.
So for those facing surgery, even if complications arise, know that you can get through it, and that you can get everything back on track and that life does return to normal.
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God bless you, Wanderer. I will pray you get better and better.