Gross!! Oh, this is so gross and I have to do it twice a day...
By dragon54u
@dragon54u (31633)
United States
May 27, 2009 6:59am CST
I had an appendectomy on the 16th and yesterday saw the doc for a post-op. The staples came out--I had to have a regular incision because of all the other scar tissue and I needed an umbilical hernia repaired--and the incision is infected. So I have to pack it twice a day with saline-soaked pads and cover it up.
Have you even seen an open surgery incision? It is gross. It's kind of like browsing at a butcher's shop except it's YOU! 
This is one of the very few times when it really sucks to live alone. Someone else might have noticed something awry and called the doc or they could take over this packing/bandaging. A hand mirror is just not as efficient as a real person in taking care of a wound, I guess.
I hope I don't have to go back into the hospital. I hate hospitals. They're so busy and understaffed nowadays that you could die in the morning and nobody would know until lunch--or later!
This is one of the very few times when it really sucks to live alone. Someone else might have noticed something awry and called the doc or they could take over this packing/bandaging. A hand mirror is just not as efficient as a real person in taking care of a wound, I guess.
I hope I don't have to go back into the hospital. I hate hospitals. They're so busy and understaffed nowadays that you could die in the morning and nobody would know until lunch--or later!1 person likes this
1 response
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
27 May 09
Oh my goodness, is it painful? I do not mind all the gross incision, but I hate to suffer pain or see anyone in pain. My aunt had a knee cap operation just a couple of months back. She's a rather fat lady, so her knee looked worse than a slaughtered pig leg. Anyway the swelling lasted for just a week, and she couldn't walk much. Now she's ok.
Actually hospital stay is not so bad if you can upgrade to a better ward, so that you can rest and sleep. At least the nurse will pop in every now and then, and ask you to swallow awful medicine.
When are you going to the doctor? Hate to hear about infection.
1 person likes this
@dragon54u (31633)
• United States
28 May 09
Thank you for your sympathy! It stings a bit, doesn't really hurt which really surprised me!
The hospitals here are very understaffed and overworked. If you ring for a nurse you're lucky if one shows up in half an hour and your medicine is always late. It's not their fault, they try their best, the hospital just won't hire enough staff.
I'm glad your aunt is better! My uncle got a "new" knee last year and he says it's the best thing he's ever done for himself.
@scheng1 (24649)
• Singapore
28 May 09
Hi Dragon, glad that you are not in pain. Sorry to hear about the stuffing problem in the hospital.
At least the public hospitals in Singapore are not that bad. They hired a lot of foreign nursing aides to help out. And they spent a lot of money sending nurses to courses and upgrading. They are encouraging nurses to go for degree courses, so that they can bond them for years.
Hopefully the government can spend more on public healthcare.
