Well, I was hoping I had avoided developing another fistula, but it looks like that may not be the case, after all. Right now it is just an abscess, but that only tells me that a fistula is soon to erupt and here I go yet once again.
I went to see my wound-care nurse on Thursday morning before work, to see what she could do for me as far as either getting another bag on the abscess, or figuring out a way to use one bag for both. It was decided that two bags would be used, one for the lower abscess and one for the fistula above, as usual. No sense in reinventing the wheel; I may as well use the equipment I already have on hand.
So, my wound-care nurse applied two bags, the lower one first and then the upper one. Later that evening they started to leak and she had explicitly directed me to call her should a leak develop. Well, I called her Friday morning to hopefully go in and see her; unfortunately, that was not to be so. She explained what she thought I should do in order to not have the next set of bags leak, and I followed her directions to the letter, except I developed more leaks.
Friday evening, after I got home from work, I reapplied two new gauze pads, not willing to stop my activities to shower and put on two new bags just yet. Eventually, I removed the bags, stepped into the shower, and washed my hair, and of course, cleaned my body. It never felt so good to take a nice hot shower. Again, leaks developed and more gauze pads went on for the night. Well, I left them covered with gauze pads and let them go until this morning. I removed the set of bags, took another shower, and reapplied two new bags.
This time I used both paste and Eakins rings, hoping to divert disaster. So far, so good. I made sure the paste was around both holes, and then placed the Eakins rings on top, making sure to cover any kind of imperfection on my abdomen (I have lots of dips and crevices, thanks to all of my previous surgeries. My stomach is not flat and perfect anymore—not, to be honest, that it ever really was ... oh, of course maybe when I was a child, but after two babies, not so much).
So now, at least thirty minutes after my second shower in less than twenty-four hours and applying two new bags, there are a couple of small leaks, but I’m hoping to keep them under control and not let them get any bigger. Keep your fingers crossed that I can do this. It’s not easy and I’m getting tired of it. But I’m not willing to go have more surgery to close them up and lose the remaining small bowel and go on intravenous feeding twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week just yet.
I have a trip planned in August with my daughter that I would really hate to miss. My mom will be ninety in May and there is a surprise birthday party in the works for her at our annual family reunion in August. Tickets have been bought and I’m not backing out now. All that money would be lost and that would be a shame. So ...
Thanks for reading my post, I know it got quite long.
Until next time,
Donna
