Lived Experience Forum

[Sans911]

Pain isn't too bad @outlander - has settled a little. Unfortunately the left chest wound is still being problematic and has opened up. So it's back to daily dressings from the community nurses and return to the clinic this Friday.

[outlander]

ah damn it @Sans911 so frustrating for you. its taking its time healing up isn't it.

[Sans911]

Yes it is frustrating @outlander but I heard from someone this morning that their sister was in hospital for 8 weeks for similar complications! Thank goodness that wasn't me.

[Teej]

Hey @Sans911 . I have been thinking of you and know that my next op which is similar to what I think you had but not as extensive will be a much slower harder recovery. Thinking of you with the mix of pain and immobility as far as being able to do all the things you physically want to still. I hope you can get on top of the infection soon. The pain does scare me a bit and yesterday my GP said my last op was a walk in the park compared to the next one......so I know how much I’ll have to limit myself to allow it to heal. On Saturday I busted on of my sutures (now a little infected but not bad) weeding and had a big bleed and got reremanded for it, in a good way from my GP. 

I so hope that things pick up for you physically again because it really does affect our mental health too.  

Much love and hugs 💜🤗

[outlander]

oh gosh! @Sans911 im glad it wasn't you too! are your other wounds and incisions healing up ok? is it like a fluid buildup or something that's causing the left chest one to reopen?

[Sans911]

I'm pretty much back to full physical activity levels @Teej which includes walking, cleaning my home, etc. Everyone is different with pain and I usually have a high tolerance. However, this surgery really was a doozy for pain levels. That has only settled in the last few weeks. The worst pain I have is from my ribs where they cut a small peice out each side of my sternum to get to the bloood vessels. And I have some mild pain in my left chest which ranges from discomfort to shooting pains. I've no pain from my abdominal wound at all. And the infection I have isn't painful, just annoying. You have to give things time and do the right thing which is rest, take things slowly, carefully. Otherwise it just takes longer.

[Sans911]

Yes, the right side is healing nicely; just a little longer and it should be OK. The left side isn't a fluid build up. More the wound edges opened after the stitches came out. It just happened, nothing I did wrong.

All the other wounds are closed and healing OK with a couple of small wounds that are slowly closing. My abdominal wound looks great except for two little holes.

@outlander 💜 💜

[Teej]

That’s good being back to general activities @Sans911 . I have heard from others that it’s not an easy surgery to have but after you heal it’s all good from there. I watched a friend go through the one I’m having twice. It’s not easy for her to sit still so I think she had a lounger healing time and from memory a readmission to hospital for one of them. I’m much more placid so hoping I can find the healing time I need. 

[outlander]

Glad most of them are healing. Just need the left one to behave @Sans911
What a pain. You dont have to get it restitched do you? Youd think the skin wouldve healed enough to not pop back open 😬
💜💜

[outlander]

@Sans911 💜💜