Fuzzy's Romp Room

Crog, when they use the term angry that means it's getting redder. The concern is infection. The following is what you can do to watch the stump

1 Wash Hands. 2. Evaluate 1-2 x's daily it best light. Outdoor light is good because it doesn't cast wierd color. i.e blue light /yellow light. The key is to do  it in the same light daily. Check first to determine incision line is closed, no broken skin, no blisters. if skin and incision intact. Outline red area in ink date/time  2. lay hand over area and feel for warmth--only do this step if skin intact.(wash hands well with good mechanical action before doing this step.  noting where there are changes 3, record in a notebook date time and findings for each or record on computer 4, take pictures and upload into computer. 5 email to doc.

So a note may look like this 10/31 10am--red area marked with pen , area at inner stump red at incision line and extends one inch above and below incision, no redness at mid to outer stump. the incision is closed, the inner stump appears more swollen than outer stump. Temperature--inner stump normal/warm/hot to touch(then describe how far you feel the heat--see below re gloves.). Describe pain and area. use pain scale--zero no pain, 1-3 mild, 4-6 moderate, 7-8 moderately severe, 9-10 severe.

Make an agreement with the doc what level of pain he wants reported. B/C condition is changing if you have only no--to mild pain and then there is sudden increasing in pain report that right away.

Color changes, temperature changes, pain changes indicated there are changes occuring underneath. Don't want to create trouble , but ask doc directly if they are worried about infection. If yes then ask when they want to consider an antibiotic.

Other things you should consider. When laying is stump red? Is it red only when sitting? When sitting is stump rubbing against anything? Are your hips throwing the stump to the center when you sit? If you change position in the w/c does reddness lessen.

I think I gave you the link to a thread I did allot of wound care work on. Suggest you read it. Pick and choose what applies.

You may be visited often by home health staff, but the person that has the most consistent "eyes" on the stump is you. The consistency of those "eyes" will pick up the subtle changes that need to be addressed early versus later. Plus HH staff may not see you for several days , for example, the weekend.

If you can, use gloves to do warmth assessment, I suggest you do so, But it takes practice to feel the subtelty of skin temp changes with gloves on.

A key word used in your description is angry. That tells me it is red, not just pink, but a deeper definite red. But evaluating it in the sitting and laying position can give you a better idea if it's positioning versus something brewing.

Have someone in the family review this post and the link. Hopefully , it is someone with you daily b/c then you have a partner that you can talk over what you are seeing. Always nice to have a partner. Plus, they can take the daily pictures.

Reiterating--when evaluating any wound or incisional area your key indicators are intactness of incision or wound changes, weeping/drainage, color change, temperature change, and pain changes.  I'll bring back the link. L&H&P's sassy

http://community.breastcancer.org/topic_post?forum_id=44&id=754935&page=1

Another thought----You were likely told to keep stump straight when in bed or chair. If elevation was directed, make sure that the stump and knee joint are straight. If you allow the stump to rest in a bent position, the tendons can tighten up which will make more physically therapy necessary to stretch them. Outcome if they tighten up is greater difficulty in using a prosthesis. Sure they have given you exercises to counter tendon tightening, but had to say it.

Bone scan today. Injection at 10:00 - Scan at 1:00. Starting to freak out thinking of tight spaces. Going to ask to see the machine and taking a sleeping mask and anxiety pills with me (just incase). I have someone going with me. I just about freaked out during the PET scan.

VEGIE, I, of course, am still just so worried about my girl.  Hon, please explain to me.  You are now in Stage 4 and your scars are bleeding all over the place.  I suppose the tests today willl help the doc figure out what to do.  Just before an MRI they gave me a valium to chew up and drink water and I somehow made it thru that awful un-grand canyon.  Seems like I remember early summer you had a little operation for some bumps they found, but diid not know they had operated again.  And so this is why I am so concerned about this rather large bleeding thing going on now.  I would be screaming, out of my mind.  I do not know how you are standing up to this.  Oh yeah, you want to throw stuff and scream.  Bless your broken heart.  But I want to resist telling you all the goody-goody stories, you know them as well as I do.  But hope is all we have.  Hope is the delicious chicken noodle soup when you have the flu and it is a cold day.  Hope is the great big hug I give you, altho I am a small person.  Hope is Fuzzy's pictures of her adorable little puppy snuggling up to Fuzz's lovely face, such love is there.  Love is the only way out, Vegie.  And I love you with all my heart.

Fuzzarina, I'm not sure who is cuter,you or your dog.  Well, you got it on the beauty thing, but your dog, good grief, your little baby with hands and feet that snuggles you in your neck because he needs you and loves you so much.  I need you and love you so much, too.  Can we all just come on over and snuggle wuggle with you, perhaps hire an English butler to bring us our tasties, and we'll fight over what movie to watch. I've been thinking of getting NetFlix,I don'tknow how it works,but instant movies sound so good to me, since I'm annoyed with the order-up kind with our Satellite seems to be for three-year-olds.

Got to go to the grocery stores.  Doc appointment at 11 a.m.  Tomorrow I finally renew my driver's license thing (can you believe it's three years past due?!?) and go early vote.  I hate the grocery store.  But I shall thinkof my sweet Vegie and all her hurts and struggles, and of Fuzzy and those gorgeous eyes and her dogthat loves her so much, and i will get through this day with some sort of smile.  Love to ALL of you, too.  Gail

Veggy i am claustrophobic and the idea of the bone scan freaked me right out. But the reality wasnt nearly as bad as i imagined. As sewingnut said i just lay on the table and the machine does most of the moving. My table did move at one point but they warned me before that happened. Make sure you tell the nurse/tech whoevers doing it i did and she was really helpful had me keep my eyes closed until my head was exposed and that made it so much better. Only tough part was staying still on the table that long...took about 1/2 hr. for the main one then they did some angle views. And once i had the shot they wanted me to drink a couple bottles of water or something and go to the washroom as often as you can it helps spread the stuff through your body. Hope this makes it sound not so horrible and you get through it fine.

No appts for me today so i'm in your pocket if u want me :-) ((((((hugs))))))

And Happy Halloween everyone! (it's my favourite day of the year).

Gracie1. Thanks I hope no further complications too.....



Cindy

Yea Crogs, 6 months!

Ginger

I am so upset.

First, I got upset about all that rain leaking in and the damage it was doing and the cost it would be to repair it.

So, I had a couple beers.

Then this guy who seems to be wooing me came over. I just wanted him to tell me what he thought it would cost to do some wiring (since the ceiling will be torn down).

He never go to that. Instead he got into drinking and then we ended up at a liquor store for more drinks. And he stayed and stayed. He slept in the extra bedroom -- because of the drinking.

OK. Now, with my cancer treatment plan, drinking is bad enough. Unfortunately, the guy is a smoker. So, of course, I smoked. Nine freaking months down the tube!!!!!

Oh, and he is soooo glad to see me laughing. Oh Eff him! Eff me! Eff everything!

I screwed up so bad. I just can't stand it. I'm taking xanax and going back to sleep. I can't stand being awake.

I know this is all small potatoes compared to the stuff you all are going through, but it really knocked me. It really did.

((((Dune))))). What Wren said...



Cindy

Announcement for novena to OUR LADY of the MIRACULOUS MEDAL. Start Date: Wed NOV 14th-end date- Thurs. Nov 22nd which is Thanksgiving.

The novena is constructed already on the Catholic Archives page. As in the past all are welcome. All that were in the last novena to St perigrine will be moved forward. If you don't want to included in this novena ,please, PM me and I will remove your name.

The novena will also be added to the world wide Rosary thread.

The novena will only be on the archives thread, as it was too confusing updating both threads as people requested additions. Everyone will be notified by PM. If you know of someone that would like to be included , have them PM their intention Sheila

community.breastcancer.org/top...

Link to archives thread

Link to Our Lady of the Miraculous Medal

www.cammonline.org/index.php?/...

Veggy -don't know about the water, but don't forget the ativan tomorrow. Thanks for the full update . I missed pieces of it. Sorry it's all happeneing

Dunes ditto to what Wren/Ptd/gracie? said. Another day, But it's good to get it out of your system.

Essa dear one we are a family here, was waiting for Fuzzys response which I anticipated, she would say what she said. We love you dear.  We care about each other and respect each others thoughts. We learn from each other. We may differ, but we don't attack each other. My little survey of the last week was for a different reason. But it applies here. Apparently, there was something deleted by the Mods monitoring posts that found a post contrary to our families stated belief. Good. Thanks Mods.

I should have written down Greg's contacts. The one I just remember lead to another insurance policy at the time---odd but he was still taking care---all i heard was "look again"--I did and found another policy. I'll post as I remember