TMI Time Again

[mimi_sardinia]

Well I figured out why it's leaking on me, it's that damn crystal that slipped down below, into a spot where it was healthy skin. See I think the adhesive there was not sticking because the nurse put some petroleum jelly on the skin around the wound to protect it, but because that spot was loose, one of the copper sulfate crystals got down there and petroleum jelly or no, it burned the skin un spots down there and those spots now are weeping and preventing any adhesive working.

Of course the rest of the wound looks a horror, and I'm running out of dressings fast and having to go cannibalise to vac packs again to get enough materials.


I hate this, really I do. I worry about getting another infection because of the dead flesh killed off by the copper sulfate, and while I've removed most of it, I can't get all of it out.

I am actually kinda hoping that work will fire me at this point, because it'd be the easiest way to leave that store and all the stress it causes me without getting penalised by Centrelink over it. I'd miss the extra money, but I can cope with that, I have before.

Comments

[ff7aeris.livejournal.com]

You are really scaring me. I am so worried about you. I wish we weren't separated by the largest ocean in the world that meets the other side the land that's in the frickin' way.

In any case, you do have my best wishes, and (in a pagan way) prayers (it's still the same). I hope that things get better for ya. =^_^= *huggles*

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

Don't worry too much, it's just a matter of keeping up the dressings. I'll also dig out one of the tweezers from the first aid kits next time I change the dressing and see if I can get the rest of the dead flesh out, for it's own good.

At least one thing for opening another vac pack, those packs have two tubes of saline in each of them, so I'll have something to give it a good swabbing too.

I'm being watchful, and I have another check-up on Wednesday to see how it's going (though part of me thinks that having an ugly puffy scar wouldn't have been too much of a trial - it could have been dealt with later, as happened with Noddy's arm when he was a teen).

Anyway, thanks for the best wishes. :)

[japankasasagi.livejournal.com]

Hello~!

Sorry for just jumping in here, but I have been following your journal as a silent lurker. I'm starting to get worried about you, too. One of the teachers I work with had abdominal surgery, similar to yours, and the wound just would NOT heal. He was on medical leave for a good two months. Is there no way for you to get medical leave and just rest? And why would your job *punish* you for leaving?? :(

[mimi-sardinia.livejournal.com]

Well actually, it's been healing reasonably well - at least after the infection was dealt with. I guess the only real problem is that it was healing too well, in that there was an excess of granulation tissue (I looked that up on Wikipedia and found it's all part of the healing process) which might lead to a really puffy scar, like my brother, Noddy, once got after a bicycle accident as a teen.

As for work, well I only work casual, so there's no such thing as official medical leave, I just have to get doctor's certificates and take into them, plus the job I have is one that has to get done, every day, and if there's not enough people in to do it, it may not be completed and they simply may not be able to afford to keep my position in reserve for so long, while I'm still healing - I mean it's already been two months that I've been off.

I don't see them firing me at this point as a punishment, just them trying to cope in current conditions, and it's not work that would punish me for leaving, it's Centrelink - Social Security. If you quit a job for "no good reason" (and I don't know what counts as a "good reason" to them) they won't pay unemployment benefits for 13 weeks. If Coles (my workplace) fired me because they really need to have my spot filled, given that I've been off on medical grounds, Centrelink won't pull that 13 weeks non-payment.

but as it is, my employment adviser has been doing her best to keep the job there for me to go back to.

[japankasasagi.livejournal.com]

I'm glad that the healing itself is going well, but it sounds icky and painful! :( I know about the lack of medical leave, it affects my job, too. But I hope you can go back to your work soon!