Today I was supposed to go in for additional surgery. The idea was to close up the hole in the back of my neck with what amounted to a vacuum cleaner. As much as I love gadgets and technology I became more and more reluctant to undergo anesthesia again. As much as I enjoy hospital food I really didn’t want two more days of eating it. Even though I live for the care of nurses and their wholly unflattering scrubs I just didn’t really want to go back in the hospital just yet.
So this week my mission was to set about convincing my surgeon and my family doctor that miracles happen when it comes to how our bodies work and that maybe if we left the wound alone it would heal itself. After all they did have a nurse come see me every day for two weeks to shove iodine saturated gauze in the wound. How is tissue supposed to heal if there is always something in it’s way? If you had been there during these conversations, you would have thought that I must have suggested something they never heard of; ‘You mean the body can heal itself? Without my help?’
Well, after seeing the infectious disease doctor yesterday afternoon I finally get the word that the surgery is postponed. Good for me, but of course I already took the time off from work and now don’t have to be back until Tuesday morning. I guess it just a burden I must bear.
In the meantime the wound is healing and only a small bit of fluid has built up since last Wednesday. That’s eight days and I am not dead yet! Wow, who woulda thunk it, maybe this body healing itself will catch on.
If all goes well and no infection develops, it still could, then I am on track for my big debut ride September 1. In the current shape I am in I might make it around the block before I keel over from exhaustion. Can’t wait.
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Bud: when my open wound had to heal on its own, same thing, let’s pack it with gauze. And since it was on my back shoulder blade and I couldn’t get to it I had to ask for help. When the Dr. asked, “Do you have someone that can pack it for you?” Well ya but little did the Dr. tell me the process. Ikes, I was going to have the neighbor lady pull the gauze out and stuff new back in. Little did they tell me that the gauze needs to be WET coming out and WET going in. If it had not been for the certified nurse next door to the neighbor asking for her to come over and help me out instead I would have been sweating bullets for four weeks of packing gauze and the healing process. So Bud, bite the bullet. (heehe). I hope you get your wish for your big ride on the 1st. It’s just around the corner. Looking to see you back riding and chasing you down on that sweat ride we hear about all the time from some of our other tandem cycling friends.
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Thanks Susanna, I convinced the doc to stop packing it and it managed to seal itself in a couple of days. Today was the 13th day since its been sealed and no infection. Also today the surgeon said that the packing may not have been as effective as he had hoped, ‘ya think!’ I was cleared this morning to resume all activity and I just got back from my first ride. Now all that is left is to work out a schedule for my UNCC attending stoker, between that and her new boyfriend she doesn’t have much time left for dad and the tandem. But she did promise me that she is going to ride.
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