Another weekend, boredrome and doldrums. No excitement except self induced! I seem to have a bye week of therapy, though my roommate has been severely tasked!
So, here is the lucky break! My 23 year old hip replacement seems not even to have shifted! But the femur with the big pin took quite the hit!
That's the inside. Here is the outside, when I was brought to Regina after surgery. The 80 staples were a bit of an exaggeration. More like 60'ish.
Plus a helluva bruise. The head wound care nuse and his cohorts have taken dandy fun in caring for it. They said "No drainage, no dressing!" But they were in there daily, changing the dressing. Tim, the wound specialist, was extremly careful to expose the minimum skin to adhesive; I'm allergic!
There was a small (?) intercinine squabble when he gave the patient care supevisor permission for two nursing students to partially remove his bandage and learn what she could teach them from the wound.
Ignoring my pleas to go easy, off came the tape, woosh! PCS asked what to do next. "Clean and dress!" the excited reply. I asked if they had an order to do so. PCS swooped down and dished non stop instructions, including a very painful antiseptic. I asked several times if this were in the order; no response.
When the wound care fellow appeared next day, his reaction was not happy. A bit of skin was removed with the bandage. He said he was sorry I'd allowd this to happen. He got my version, plus the krap they foisted onto my feet to prevent pressure sores, to which I had an adverse reaction and two aids spent an hour scrubbing away, not successfully.
He excused himself mid redressing. He came back half an hour later and told me the PCS nor her students were permitted in my room again! So far, so good.
So here we are in steri-strips, to fall off as they may. No drainage, no dressing!
L came to visit today. She brought me a new book, "The Boys", to swap for "State of Terror" by Hilary Rodham Clinton and Louise Penny. Though no fan of mysteries by any except Agatha Christie, I must give the book a "Not Bad." I really have little for comparison!
Oh my word! I truly and deeply feel for you. I'm allergic to bandaids too, and I've had one heck of a time getting my right forearm to heal where I fell several weeks ago. It was infected and the adhesive from the bandaids made it itch like crazy. It's still not completely healed and I don't know how long it will take to finish. I can't imagine the pain you're going through. Will pray for healing and courage for you. Hugs and love...
ReplyDeleteSending healing thoughts..and thanks be for Laura!! Xx
ReplyDeleteImpressive scar! And it seems good progress, but I'd be pretty pissed off being treated as if not there by the PCS and students. Don't they teach them good bedside manner?
ReplyDeleteOh boy. My mother had very delicate skin in her later years (tissue paper, it was compared to). I hope you continue to give them hell, Joanne, and people start to take orders seriously. Heal and read and visit with Laura and imagine the good life you will have when you get out of there. -Jenn
ReplyDeleteI send from here many wishes for recovery soon.
ReplyDeleteSounds like the PCS didn't read the notes....or listen to the patient.
ReplyDeleteGood gosh, Joanne! Wow! I'm glad the Patient Care Supervisor and students won't be allowed in again. That person does not seem qualified to care for patients at all. Good grief! Your wound looks pretty healthy, but the break look awful. I sure hope you heal quickly. Fingers crossed over here.
ReplyDeleteOuch.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad the doc listened to your version of events and acted in your best interest. That PCS should be fired. I hope you have smooth sailing from now on.
ReplyDeleteSending prayers for quick healing.
ReplyDeleteMisery on top of misery - and most of it unnecessary. God forbid I should ever be involved with over-zealous students.
ReplyDeleteThese incidents you recount make me furious. Just furious. I suppose you have no choice but to take what they are giving but please keep speaking up and telling the truth about what's going on. Do you have any estimate of when you will be up again? Take care, darling lady. There are many of us out here who wish you all the very, very best.
ReplyDeleteA weight bearing decision will be made December 14th.
DeleteMedical people who talk over the patient and don't acknowledge the patient should be fired. Right then and there.
ReplyDeleteThinking of you my dear - apart from being painful it must also be so frustrating.
ReplyDeleteAnother incident where the older patient is 'invisible'...
ReplyDeleteI'm so sorry, Joanne. But your wound (although painful I'm sure) looks healthy.
I'm allergic to adhesive and latex also - but one has to keep reminding people of that.
Hope Laura brought you some good food!
It's hard to read about your travails snd rhe noncare you're getting from people who are supposed to know what they're doing. Hoping you'll be out ASAP.
ReplyDeleteThat is quite the injury and repair. The incision looks to be healing well. Thank goodness for that. I'm glad the doc banned the PCS. You'll have to publish a documentary. Our care systems need to improve and you have the knowledge and experience that proves just that.
ReplyDeleteHari OM
ReplyDeleteOh my blood fizzes when I hear about such things as this 'training' experience. You might as well have been one of those expensive manequins that top facilities use now as practice patients - where no understanding of bedside manner and LISTENING is ever required. I am so glad you have at least one tame and worthy practitioner on your side. Yay to moving toward that weight-bearing test out! YAM xx
Oceans of caring is flowing your way. I am also thrilled that the PCS and students have been banned.
ReplyDeleteGosh that looks painful! Wishing you gentle care and smooth healing! Glad you spoke up for yourself!
ReplyDeleteSo it's bad enough that you fall but then they beat you up in treatment. Good for you to complain about it.
ReplyDeleteWhen i sprained my ankle a long time ago, my foot had such a reaction to the tape that I was prevented from taking physiotherapy for a few weeks. But what a time you are having, you poor thing.
ReplyDeleteI want your experiences to send a warning to all your blog readers of a certain age: take care not to fall, especially when going down steps. Always hold onto a hand rail! I'm glad to hear that you are slowly on the road to recovery, though that December date is a long way off. Can you watch TV to take your mind off things?
ReplyDeleteIt makes me so cross to read of the PCS ignoring your warnings and questions. That is unconscionable and I'm glad the wound care fellow put them back on their heels. That's basically elder abuse, what happened to you.
ReplyDeleteI'm glad Laura can get in to see you again. Rest, eat, do PT - the sooner you're out of there, the better! Hugs, my friend.
That is a nasty injury. Reading what happened to you with the wound cleaning and dressing and so on brings back bad memories of the days when my beloved mother would have to go through all that. When it comes to wound care there are so few that do it well. I am so happy for you that your hip replacement stayed put and you will not have to go through that again. Hooray for Laura bringing you some more reading materials. xx
ReplyDeleteCrikey on a bikey. that was unbelievable! Ignoring what you specifically warned and tearing off skin. Invisible older women shot through my head. So glad Laura is there for you. I was so grateful for my grandgirl when I was so sick. They are treasures.
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
Well, I'm certainly not going to bitch anymore about MY 8 stitches on the leg where they removed the skin cancer. YIKES!
ReplyDeleteGod's bodkin. I don't even know what to say about the supervisor and the students.
ReplyDeleteLove,
Janie
Hey, those are cool pics and a dandy military stripe you're growing. Wound care nurses KNOW stuff. Other nurses do not. I'd write up the supervisor, who obviously doesn't know about wound care, and shouldn't have been educating the students on that topic. You could even ask what school the students go to, and send the Dean a letter about the poopy supervisor there, and how the students could improve.
ReplyDeleteHave they put Skin Prep on your good skin, before applying what tape they have to apply? You could demand it. Hope the facility is taking better care of you with other aspects. Be sure and do what exercises they prescribe. I love the stretch bands placed on the bed rails. Yep, it really helps. Hang in there! Linda in Kansas
Another set back but you will be back at it again soon.
ReplyDeleteGosh that looks so very painful, how awful to have antiseptic swabbed on after instructions were for no-no. The pin for the femur is huge, will it be a permanent support? Did Laura also bring you a decent sandwich to tide you over as you turn away the hospital food?
ReplyDeleteThe femur pin was part of the hip replacement, twenty odd years ago.
DeleteI'm sorry you are going through all this Joanne. I'll be glad when you are able to go home. You're going to have one heck of a battle scar! You're in my thoughts. I sure wish I could help.
ReplyDeleteWhenever I see your sparky spirit righting itself I am glad. Take care and fight the good fight.
ReplyDeleteI am so sorry they messed you up like that, how terrible! What a relief that they have been banned from coming back to do anymore damage.
ReplyDeleteMay you heal as quickly as possible. I'll be thinking of you.
It is good the wound care guy sorted that out. It’s bad enough to have the injury but to have pain inflicted from the care is terrible.
ReplyDeleteOwie owie ouch! Next time you see that PCS - give her a good hard whack up-side the head. Plus, complain to her boss!
ReplyDeleteQuite an incision! Those PCS and students sound like knuckleheads.
ReplyDeleteThank you Laura. It was as if what ever you said had no value. I remember that well. All of you has value.
ReplyDeleteOw, ow, ow. Some people in the medical field are so ignorant of how to treat patients. I'm sorry you suffered because of it.
ReplyDeleteThis makes me angry and frustrated! The patients should be listened to and the notes read. It's awful to be at the mercy of incompetent people. Glad you are mending and have wonderful helpers in your corner.
ReplyDeleteWoman, you don't do anything halfway. So I guess you have a new metal shin bone? And that place needs to be reported but at least your wound care doc put the kibosh on any further transgressions.
ReplyDeleteI so hope today is better. Can you get a dat to go home out of them yet?
ReplyDeleteDear Joanne, I don't understand why you weren't listened to. Was it, you think, your age? I've noticed that as I age some clerks and doctors and nurses and even Uber drivers seem to assume that I've left my wits in the years behind me. I hope you'll see no more of these interlopers. Take care. Peace.
ReplyDeleteOh, my. I don't think you allowed it to happen as much as it seemed to just happen to you. I'm sorry that that happened and am glad that they are no longer allowed to come into your room. -glad to read that Laura did a book swap with you.
ReplyDeleteGentle hugs from over yonder--bea
I am so sorry to read of this! You should have been listened to, but they were too busy playing at your expense! I know they get very excited to practice, but they should be taught the #1 thing is the patient! Keep on keepin' on.
ReplyDeleteOh, my! That looks SO painful. And the boredom of having to stay still must also be endured. And the itch from the adhesive. I get that too, and it's no fun.
ReplyDelete