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TKR Right TKR is done

This is one of those times where you just have to be persistent and keep calling to get these doctors together. Don't feel bad about calling each day. I'm sure no one is doing this on purpose. You know how hectic things can be when a vacation is looming. Doctors are no different. You just need to be the assertive squeaky wheel.
 
I agree with Jamie. Call until you get the care you need. If you have to call more than once a day then that's what you need to do. I would suggest calling your OS before you take your mom to the wound care center. Perhaps you can have the wound care center call your OS too. They might be able to get your OS to answer.
 
Ughh. Waiting stinks. I hope you got some answers by now. I was lucky that I could see the PAs in the office for changes and I still had my visiting nurse. I had to go to the doctor weekly at first, now it's every 10 days or so. I never went to a wound clinic, but I did get a infection doctor to follow my saga.

Your wound sounds similar to mine in that it tunnelled under the surgical incision. My did not go the entire length (thankfuly, because it would have been almost 8 inches long!) It went up above and under the top of it and to each side. It was pretty deep though. I'm sure you'll be so much happier once it's open and you can start to heal. They originally thought my body was rejecting the stitches, but I got three pieces of stitches out and it continued to get bigger.

Anxiously awaiting news!!!

Jen
 
To all my dear friends here - my incision will be opened tomorrow by the surgeon in office at 11:45. I will be going home after and the surgeon is to send the measurements of the hole to the wound dr so that they can send the paperwork to insurance to approve before I can have the wound vac put on - that will be put on -Thursday at 1:15 pm.
It was interesting that the nurse for the OS called just as I was parking the car to get my mom to her wound appt. I had to call back because didn't catch it in time, but that allowed me to talk with wound staff and Dr about my upcoming event. So, in a way it worked out ok.
It is hard as a TKR patient to exhibit patience in healing and as it is, I'm right there with some impatience in getting things set up. I'd rather not have to wait for insurance clearance 'after' I'm opened up but I guess that is the process. I was told that I wouldn't want a 3000 a month fee for the vac, so I do understand.
@ACDCJen thank you for your support. Your story is so uplifting. I hope I can have some rays of sunshine to share with everyone through this. At this point, I'm worried what they may find when the opening is revealed. No more mystery then.
To better days ahead my friends.......thank you all for your love and support.
 
Please let us know how you're doing tomorrow as soon as you can. I will be praying for you!
 
Yes, do let us know how you get on tomorrow.
I expect your surgeon will pack and cover the opened-up wound with something sterile, to make sure it doesn't close up, and to guard against the risk of introducing any infection.
 
I'll be thinking of you tomorrow and looking to hear from you afterward. I've learned that no matter what happens, you'll come out stronger and able to deal with more than you think. :yes:
 
I can't believe the amount of extra things I have learned about 'healing' by this experience. Most of all, you here have helped me figure things out regarding antibiotics, wound care, wound vacs, and iN general how to best advocate for myself.
I'm a little fearful for what the opening is going to look like, afterall I have been getting used to my little hole again for a good 10 days or so and haven't a clue how big my space under is. I think that is scaring me along with pain opening it up my be.
I will let you all know how I get along today later on. Thanks for your thoughts and prayers.
 
@GingerP, we're all pulling for you. It's possible your wound will look scary initially (it's a shock to see our body with an open wound), but trust me, you will get used to whatever it looks like. Next thing you know, you'll be a packing pro. Keeping you in my thoughts.
 
Well, it's done. I have a new hole in my leg. I have gotten to know my nurses quite well these last few months and when Kathy -by the way they are both Kathy (nurses) came to get me I told her I was afraid even though I was happy to see her. Said I was traveling slow today which I was because the right knee has been hurting the last couple of days. Plus, I wasn't so sure about what was going to happen......then in the hall I see the surgeon's Kathy and told her I was scared. She took me to the 'procedure' room. Had no idea it was there even though I had beeN past it many times. The fella that helps the surgeon prepped my leg and put cloths over me and then the surgeon came in. He started by numbing me and said it would burn but to me it was the sharp stick. I was so glad I was on my back so far I couldn't see - besides I took my glasses off and covered my eyes with my arms and bit my knuckles to bear with it all.
Finally I was numb enough to start. I could feel some tugging and then there was a time when they irrigated it and they said it would be cold but it wasn't bad - but the part that was uncomfortable was when he poked his finger in what is a tunnel that is 8 cm. The opening measures 4.5 cm x 4 cm x 5 cm plus the tunnel. He did take a culture today and put me on leviquin for antibiotics. If the culture comes back different they can change it I was told. He also gave me oxy codone for pain which he says I may get once the numbness wears off.
Then they packed the opening with gauze and covered it with a heavy white absorbing something and wrapped my leg in an ace bandage. Just as I thought, gravity took over and by the time I got to the car, the ace bandage had slid down my leg. Once settled in the car I tried to pull the bandage up a bit and would take better care adjusting after I got home.
My dear friend driving me stopped to get my meds for me and once at home, it seems that the ace bandage is slipping and bunched up behind my knee, no matter how peg-legged I walk. I put some new 4x4 pads in because the bandage is bloody in areas and I just don't want to get it all over everything. I'm now in my undies covered in an old towel with my feet up and watching the telly.
I decided to have my friend drive me tomorrow to get the wound vac put on. I did show her a you tube video about the wound vac and told her she was welcome to come in the room with me.
I'm concerned about my tunnel area, but they know about it and have certainly dealt with them before. I sure hope it will heal up the same since the surgeon says it was most likely the fat area that didn't heal and created it.
Now for my next 22 hours to pass and get the wound vac on. My biggest challenge is to keep my ace bandage in place.....duct tape maybe? (Yes, my humor) :)
I appreciate the love and support of all you my dear friends from all around the world who are helping me through my troubles. Bless you all!
 
The best is to just stay seated, legs up as much as you can. I'm sorry this is happening, believe me I know how you feel. Did the OS send the culture out for testing? They may need to grow over a period of 4 days or more. Do you know if you'll see the infectious disease dr when you're at the wound clinic?
 
Wow, this is one heck of a journey you`re on GingerP. I hope now that you know what you`re dealing with, save for the cultures, you can start back on the road to recovery without further ado. You really are going through it but I hope it`s all positive from now on (apart from the cultures!).
 
I'm not certain there is an infectious disease doctor involved in this. All the cultures that I'm aware of so far have come back with no infection. I'm assuming the antibiotics are a precaution rather than something active. I will have more questions for the wound dr tomorrow regarding this.
Thanks.
 
Between now and then don't remove any bandages but just put some on top of the ones already there.the moisture is probably due to the irrigation of the wound. I hope the hours go quickly for you and you get the wound taken care of by the doctor tomorrow.
 
In my case the OS took the cultures during the surgery and the ID grew/diagnosed the cultures and the antibiotic that worked on my infection. I'm just confused because the OS has prescribed 3 different antibiotics.
 
I am using one of the compression stockings to keep my aquacel and gauze in place. I have an allergy to adhesives and tape and as many times that I have been patched up I have found it worked the best.
 
@KarriB when I left the office, the OS said he was leaving me on doxycycline. By the time I got to the car, the nurse was calling to say that I was going to be on leviquin because the wound dr had some notes for the os. That's what I know today. They did take a culture today and he said if by the end of the week they knew something different they would let me know. I will have to ask the wound dr tomorrow what is happening with the antibiotics. Thanks for giving me some more insight for my Dr visit tomorrow.
@PegGar16 my knee is too large for any compression item I have to get it to stay put. I just keep trying to keep the stuffing/gauze covered because with every step it moves downward.
@newly bionic I'm not about to take anything off!! They told me if the bandage needed I could rewrap it, but I am in no position to hold the stuffing in and wrap my leg too. It's going to have to be a mess until tomorrow.
Thanks everyone.
 
Can you secure the bandage to your leg with strapping?
 
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