Knee Infection Finally Finishing Up

[Celle]

I hope everything has gone well and you're now home again.

 

[newlybionic]

Let us know how you are feeling.

 

[PegGar16]

Hi All! I am checking in now that my stomach has settled. I came home Friday night and had an upset stomach until last night when I finally got to keep something down. Unfortunately with the upset stomach the pain meds were useless. Doing better now
I am beginning to think that all this prep work is harder than the big surgery will be. These skin grafts are the worst. This repair is on the upper thigh, the original donor site for the flap. I love when they tell me not to do anything to stretch it. No matter how I move I can feel it pull. I have the left leg in a full plastic brace to immobilize, the patella tendon gone, no knee cap or joint prosthetic, and 6 new stitches. The right thigh with a new donor site and a graft to the original site and a drain. How am I supposed to move..LOL. They give me a lot of credit So I am propped in the bed with both legs out straight only moving to use the bathroom until my followup appointment on Thursday. Don't get me wrong..I'm not complaining. I am just amazed at what has been done so far to prepare for the final surgery.
Here is the latest picture. I cant wait for the final picture with everything healed up

 

[KarriB]

Peggy, they can't give you enough credit! You have held up through this process like a trooper! You're my hero!

 

[sistersinhim]

You're my hero, too. You are absolutely amazing! I'd been a basket case if I had, had to go through what you have. You are in my prayers.

 

[PegGar16]

Thank you both! On the good side...still infection free!!

 

[sistersinhim]

Yippee!

 

[KarriB]

Praise God! What a relief!

 

[newlybionic]

I'm glad that you've made it through another step and are still infection free. You are amazingly strong to go through so much and keeping such a positive attitude.

 

[PegGar16]

Off to the Mayo Clinic. Hopefully. Will get some of these stitches out


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[KarriB]

Let us know how it goes and what the docs say!

 

[PegGar16]

She said the graft looks good and removed stitches. I get to go see her again next week Slow but sure...

 

[KarriB]

Ouch! Peggy, was the skin part of the infection or infected itself or was it in such bad shape because of the other surgeries?

 

[PegGar16]

On the left knee ot was the combination of both the infection and 2 attempts to repair the tendons wreaked havoc with the skin and tissue. They had to add a flap (type of skin graft) to ensure that there was enough skin and tissue to cover the work of the major reconstruction and TKA.
To create the flap they took the big skin graft from the right thigh. That left that thigh so tight that part of the incision came apart. It would not heal on it's own so she ended up doing a second graft.

In that picture the new graft is within that circle (stitch marks from packing they kept on top of it). The bandaged area is the donor site. This was a split thickness (just the top 2 layers of skin) so it shouldn't take too long to heal. There was also a drain that they removed.

I am learning a lot

 

[KarriB]

I remember you talking about the graft and the flap but just wasn't sure why the graft was necessary. When are they looking at doing the TKR?

 

[Pumpkin]

Looks good, glad you are healing, and hopefully you will receive your implant soon.

 

[PegGar16]

@KarriB. I'm still not sure. Everything has to be totally healed. She was thinking 6 weeks.


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[KarriB]

Well, you want everything in it's right place if you know what I mean. It gives more time to have be sure the infection is gone and your labs are all good. Here's to 2017!

 

[PegGar16]

Met up with the plastic surgeon Friday. Everything is looking good. The skin graft has taken and healed. The donor site is almost completely healed. The stitches were removed from the flap on 8th but the tape is still there. She is happy with everything The next time I see her will be for my pre-op appointment (unless something happens). She is so funny...I asked if she was part of my big surgery and she replied of course..there is no way she was going to let the OS ruin her work..LOL. It looks like we are on track for the end of January. Here are some updated pictures of the grafts.
I have to do to my dermatologist tomorrow for my cancer checks ( have a history of basal and melanoma) I think he may freak out a little with all this skin work I have had done

 

[sistersinhim]

I can't believe how much you've been through and now things are looking so good! Your new year will be a great and wonderful one!