Simple Wound Care Instructions Step by Step
98Wet to Dry Dressings
Wet to dry dressing changes can be a very effective form of autolytic debridement for wounds with over 50 % slough and soft tissue that is pulling from the healthy tissue. However, although it is an old form of debriement there are still professionals who use it incorrectly and use it without the criticial thinging skills behind it
I am hoping to write a short article that will give everyone, whether you are the nurse, the patient or the caregiver a way to look at wound care that makes sense, easy to do, and nonthreatening
This article will affect:
- Your time, it is very precious.
- Your pocketbook, as no one I know is really rich.
- Your nerves, as no matter how long you have nursing, or how much atient care you have done, or how many scraped knees you've bandaged, wound care can get gnarly.
- Your memory as everything you do must be set up before you even start.
So, lets get to it then, shall we?
Wet to Dry Wound Care Dressing
1. Go wash your hands, put on clean gloves, gather your supplies.
2. Normal Saline, 0.9 % (watch expiration dates), gauze (4 x 4 and 3 x 3), tape, sterile applicators, gloves and plastic bag (walmart bags work well).
3. Lay out your cover on a clean work surface, wax paper is fine, then start opening supplies. I like to set up two sets, one will be moistened with normal and the other will be the dry top and the tape layer.
4. REMEMBER! Wet to dry never goes in really wet…it means it goes in just damp enough that it will be 100 % DRY by the next dressing change. The purpose of wet to dry is to pull off all bad (dead) tissue every time you remove the old dressing.
5. With the smaller of the gauzes, take each one when it is dry and unfold it, play with it, fluff it…much easier to do it now rather than when the saline is on it. Just be careful and don’t touch anything that is not on your wax paper…keep it all as clean as you can.
6. Moisten the fluffed gauzes and the two unfolded small gauzes with saline. Unfold but do not fluff the top four or five 4 x 4 gauzes that make the top layer, this just makes it easier to place it over the moistened gauze in one piece instead of trying to place each gauze separately.
7. Cut your tape.
8. Go wash your hands, put on clean gloves.
9. Remove old dressing slowly, carefully, put one finger of left hand on the skin and stretch the tape up and away from the skin at the same time with your right hand, moving along the edges until top portion is off. Repeat with each side or piece of he old tape
10. Remove the inner packing, count the gauzes as they come out, you will count them going in as well. Discard old dressing into plastic bag.
11. Go wash your hands, put on new gloves. You are almost DONE!
12. OK, now, Clean until the wound bed looks better and or smells better, be sure to hold up anatomical structures (buttocks, leg, arm or wherever the wound is so you can see inside as much as possible. That’s done, that’s the hardest part and you did it!! And remember, wound bed is used as a general term, it can be small and superical or may be larger, the point is to observe it carefully every time. If there is anything different from day to day, call your nurse!that's what she's there for! The nurse may be your physicians nurse (get to know her by name) or your home health nurse (hopefully she's so good you will love her and depend on her because she is your number one backup!)
And just as hand washing is the best way to prevent the spread of any infection and you are washing your hands like crazy with every step...BE ALERT AND WATCH FO SIGNS OF IT ANYWAY!!
Signs f infection are: pain, redness swelling, warmth, change in color of wound bed or drainage, change in odor,change in consistency of drainage; but first and foremost PAIN is the number one sign of complication or infection!
13. Pat the surrounding skin dry, use the skin prep or sureprep ,or whatever skin barrier you have, on the edges and let it dry a little. Now go...you guessed it! Wash your hands and put on newgloves :)
Part Two
14. Pick up the bundle of fluffed small gauzes and one at a time, slow and carefully fill the wound bed. You do this one fluffed gauze at a time, Q tip in one hand, pointed edge of gauze in the other and slowly place one end of gauze in one end of the ound bed as far as you can go and work yourself back to the top of the wound bed. You CAN DO THIS!!! Just go slow, do NOT pack it hard, do not force the gauze, just waffle it back and forth. I use th terms bottom o the bed nd top of the bed just as example, jut do not take the fluffed gauze and plop it in the and be done, take your time, it will be more comfortable and will do the job better.
15. Go wash your hands and put on new clean gloves.
16. Now see if you can pick up the bundle of dry gauze and lay it all in one piece on top of the moistened gauze. TA DA!!
Now one piece at a time, lay down the pieces of tape you've had ready until all parts of the gauze are covered. Do this around all four sides.
17 Guess what? TA-DA TA-DA!!!!!!! You Did It!! Great Job!!!
Comments
oops sorry maggs, nurses are the worst! you are absolutely right! I will revise it to say wound bed, that will be better don't you think?
at least I didnt add the part on documentation for nurses only that goes...now for your nurses notes be as precise s possible, you should paint a picture with your words, especially with the wound bed, drainage, color, as well as measurements themselves. Describe completely. How does it look? smell? taste? etc.
Maggs? MAGGS!!!! Someone get the smelling salts!!!!!!! oh my goodness, I wish I could see you!!
What do you mean you wish you could see me too? lol
What a great idea for a Hub! Very useful information here. I am glad you wrote this. I have printed it and am going to keep it by my medicine cabinet. I got kicked out of the Boy Scouts before we got to this part. :D
thank you James! absolutely keep it/the wash your hands is the most!!! most!!! important part!!
May I ask: what is with that face?
:) so James...don't you love her?isn't she the best? I was heavy into that clay stuff that you bake in your oven at 215 F for like 20 minutes...my sister and I had a who can make the weirdest and the grooviest characters yet contest going for a while...my sister won as ussual...her gourd dolls are kick ass...can I say that on hubpages? but my stuff isnt too bad...you should see my merman he is totally cool man!!! but actually this little old ladys name is Martha (what else would it be) and I was supposed to make her a Harold or a James, no a Harold for sure...but all my clay is put up right now/I'm quilting again :)
TMI eh?
OK
how bout
hey James watch it bud!!! Thats me you're gawkin at!!!
:)
i have a question moist material or damp cloth can harbor bacteria is it ok to include it in the wound dressing? i know its sterile but chances are bacteria can grow since sloughing of dead tissue is inevitable. i got another question (if you dont mind) i thought drying up the wound is the main objective in wound care? i know there a lot of issues regarding wound care (like keep the wound open or close after wound dressing) but i hope you can answer my question..... by the way im a student nurse....tanx
Great questions Dijon!! first of all, wet to dry is the besy/safest/least harmful type of dressng...wounds need a MOIST nvronment to heal/superficial wounds like scrapes,nicks,skin tears and sperficial need to develop a scab (natures bandaid) but wounds that are chronic or decubs with slough/necrotic tisse/eschar? those require some type of debridement...slough is non viable/it will not heal ever so take it out. debridement has many types/chemical (santyl) autolytic (wet to dry, aquacell, alginates, hydrocolloids) and manual (physician or enterostoaml nurse or certified phys ther) will cut it out.
Can wet to dry dressings harbor or prevent the harbor of bacteria? absolutelycorrect...Wet to dry/hot/moist/dark...good bacteial rowth risk tere al right
best way to prevent? aseptic technique, semi or occlusive dressing and frequent dressing changes. wet to dry is done minimum of daily/more if the dranage creeps through or odor develops or signs of compliations occur or if it isnt being effective or often enough...and # 1 way that wet to dry will NEVER work?
In technique...I cannot tell you how LONG it took me to do this thing correctly!! I'm way too empathetic...to just take that dry, stuck dressing off that usually deep, large non healing ound in one fell swoop seemed barbaric t m and cruel at the least...then I had a wound care nurse (certiied eterostomal) explain itt me like this "do you followthe number one edict of a nurse? To first, d NO hrm? Then remember that smetimes the nuse must ause momentary discomfort for the greater well hath of that patient. If you continue to et the dressing then pull it off and your ptient praises yu because you are te only on to notcause pain it makes you feel good. But f you are that patients primary nuse for many days you have caused thatound to stagnate/stand still/as well as increased risk of infection because the nonviable tissue is still present" hmmm made m think/so I pull it off and week by week the measuremets decreae and the wounds sho sigs of haling.
the wounds you want to keep dry are stage 2 fluidfilled bliters. foat heels, get the est mattress management will allow, provide pressure relief, prop with pillows and kee that blister INTACT! use skin prep type of barrier as often as you can!! best case scenario tht blisterflattens out, gets hard ad evetually peels off, no hrm done. worst case scenario? smebody pops it or lets it sit on that attress, it gets ed aroun the biter nd fluidinside ill get got and it gets infected ad opens an youve got 3 or greater ulcer/pressure o heal then
physicas orders are h last thing of course...we can suggest/ask/give enthusistic reviews of new products but without CRNP after our names we do not write the orders.
I will add the wounds I see left open to heal with only sap and water most of the time come from abdominal surgeons ordes!!! freaks me out too as these are usually way deep and drain a lot and I just hold my breath and give tons of lectues on wash your hands! wash the wound, gently gently with antibacterial soap and water, cover lightly with gauze just to keep clothes clean etc and am continually amazed when they heal so fast...go figure
nice article thnx for the info
How long does a lower front leg laceration takes to recover? How long before I can put pressure on that leg (walk normal)?
I am active (bike execise, yoga, swhimming, walking, running, hiking)
Hiking is how I got injured. Run into a tree branch and got a sharp end of a branch into my lower leg (about 2 in cut) and deep enough to require stiches.
I can even put my foot on the floor, it hurts a lot.
I wonder how long I have to wait to walk, drive long distances, climb stairs, without delaying the healing process?
Thank your insight.
-wounded leg
if you are active and went straight away to the MD and got stitchtes and a tetanus shot then the stitches will be taken out at your next MD visit...usually in 10-14 days...the ill pobably ut steri strps or just a big bandaide on your leg nd 10-14 days afterhat you will feel "almost" norml and 2 wks later it wll jut be a scar so all told, probably 4-6 weeks. Barring complications...notify your M of PIN, first sgn of infection is pain, then of ourse redness, swelling, oozing, funny color to drainage, warmth, fever...because your leg is far from your heart elevate it!! take care not to get the stitches wet or dirty, change the dressing if you have one as MD ordered but usually they dont put a dressing on it...keep it clean and dry and keep your appointments!!
you will be just fine!!
And eat nd drink!! an dnt mess with the stitches :)
Thank you RNMSN!
Actually I am quite inactive right now. Cannot walk, it hurts lots.
Indeed, I went to the EC right away, the doctor numbed the area, scrubbed it very good, stiched it and put a dressing on it. I just took a shower and there is a hint of blood coming off one stitch, but overall looks normal, burns, hurts, just like a wound.
Keeping my leg up helps a lot with the pain!
I had to work tomorrow, walk up and down stairs, walk long distances. I am not sure I will be able to do that.
The dr. asked me to come back tomorrow to check for infection and said that the stiches will come off in about 10 days.
cool,just as I figured and he went one better by having you come in tomorrow! good doc...hmmm Anisetta, where are you? can't you get a slip from the MD to stay out of work for at least 5 days? You deserve it! Dadgumit!! uh oh,is this what happens with nationalized medicine? are you in the UK? poor baby, you need to stay home and take it easy!! Want me to call in sick for you? :)
Thank you SNMSN!
I talked to my boss yesterday and he told me not to risk it. This was a relief for me, I was worried of having to drive two hours, and walk across the huge parkin lot, then up and down stairs to get inside the building (where there is an elevator)
However, I feel much better today. I can put my foot on the floor with minimal pain. I am sure that the wound must look closed on the surface. But I know by experience that my wounds tend to take longer then usual to completely close. This is why I was concerned about getting out and walking on that leg right away.
In the past I had a deficiency of vitamin K and it gave me big problems when it came to recove from similar wounds.
Although I have been careful to eat enough protein and products that contain vitamin K, I am still traumatized by past wound complications.
But for what I see so far, I think my body has improved a lot. Still, I must be careful, right?
I will follow your advise and ask the doctor today for a slip. I rather be safe than sorry.
There is something unusual this time. Yesterday, I found myself craving lots of onions and I ate one whole sauted onion with one egg... I found this strange, of all the food, I just wanted to eat lots of onions, is that strange? And it was the same this morning, I had half of a big onion for breakfast...
-anisetta
Oh, I am in California and my earnings are not enough to afford health insurance, so accidents like this put me behind on my goal to finish off my cc debt :(
wll, I'm glad your boss was cool about it/onions eh? you need vit A..its a fat soluble vitamin and guess what it helps your body do? grow new skin cells :) is your body a work of art or what? isnt that so cool...your body is so smart it tells you what to eat, you eat onions and your leg gets well!! dude, I am soooo going to write a poem about this!!! as for he vit K, dont forget to eat your dark greens, I love greens...even got my yankee hubby to love them (well he only will eat them with me at one serving...not all week till its all gone like I do!)hes a wimp!!! just kidding...get well...you will...dont pick at it!! wash your hands!! eat well and drink your water (drink mine too while youre at it K? I hate water...)
How does one get rid of the smell of a wound? if a wound turns dark does it signal infection? Should olive oil be applied to wounds?What are the advantages/disadvantages? I hope I did not ask too many questions.
hllo aoiffe379!
1) you are seeing your doctor right? yur MUST!!
2) what kind of wound is it? Any foul odor from a wound is a sign of complication of some kind/usually infection! See your MD!!
3)if the und is opened and it has a scab that is dark? Or is it flat an dark> That coud also be a complication, it could be tht the tissue cells have died causing necrotc tissue See you Doctor!!!
4) Any oil will cause the wound bed to not get oxygenation of any kind...that would not be good however, I used olive oil for a recurring cyst on my cats face, right behnd his left eye and he would lick his paw then wipe the cyst and lick etc/oil was good to keep his coat shiny and a good
de- wormer and the licking opened the cyst....eventually the cyst opened up and drained and would be fine for another yr or so...but olive oil on a human...no...uh, noooooo!!! See you doctor!!
So what do you need to do ? :) thats right, see the physician, any wound MUST be correctly diagnosed and proper treatment begun ASAP by your doctor!
there, nursing lecture done for the day :)
Hello RSMN,
the wound is finally healing, today there was but a tinny drop of blood, it still looks like the raindow, green, blue, black, and red, but less swollen and less painful to walk.
I will have the stitches come off next Thursday. How long do you imagine I must wait to resume strenous exercise such as ice skating, strenous yoga, running, weight lifting, rope jumping (very athletic activities)?
Yesterday I tried to do some sit ups. I was able to go down on the floor with the help of my coffe table as a leverage using my arms, but getting up was a complete different story!
Thank you for your insight!
-anisetta
don't mess it up anisetta!!
PUSHUPS? doesnt that require, like pushing oneself off the floor on ones hands then touching ones nose to the floor? there are germs down there you know!!!
and running as in like jogging?
jogging gives me the runs, dude I so do NOT recommend that!!! :)
hey, how come you aren't a hubpager? I looked for you cause its been almost a week an I wanted to check up one you :) yes, I nurse and a moma..double nosiest!!
anyway...here comes the thing most pople do not realize...I already told you about the area being farthest from your heart so you have to elevate it and baby it...now...after another 2-4 weeks...the MD may put stei strips on or just bandaide...I bet steri strips because you said its oozing blood still...that tells me the injury was pretty deep...
anisetta, this will be a scar and scars may look tough but they are very fragile! You can reopen, redamage, and get an infection in and on and around this scar extremely easily!!! you will have to baby this scar forever...no I do not recommnd aloe vera or that medaderm scar treatment especially on a persons legs...no vaseline, nothing...soap and water, open to air and monitor the area daily...if you reinjure the area it will take 2-3 imes longer to heal because it is a scar
arent I just full of wonderful news?
you're welcome...anytime :)
but this is not meant to scare you, but to prepare you...you must take care of that scar, that is of course, when it actually does finish totally scarring...another 2-4 WEEKS!!!! NO BIKES!!! NO TREE LIMBS!!! GEEZ!!!!!!
and plase please take all of this t your physician ndlt him tell you yea or ny...he or she is of course the last word...I'm a nurse and I'm good at it :) but the physician is the best of the best!!!
join hubpages!! you can write about how many trees and their limbs you know on a first name basis!! love t you...stay well, post to me after the MD visit or anytime and stop messing around!! the triathalons will wait on you!! geez louise give me a break!! do you really want to see me shake my cage????????
Thank you RNMSN!
Indeed, I am often guilty of not taking care of myself. I am glad I read your reply. I was getting frustrated, but your information made me calm down and think twice before I further jeopardize the healing of my wound.
Push-ups! No!!! I tried sit-ups to work the abdominal muscles, also tried barbells to work my arms. But both exercises seemed to put stress on my wounded leg. Thus no more excersice until I ask the doctor when I can safely start building up on my leg muscles again before I get back to ice skating, jogging, and hiking.
Done! I Registered to the Hub website, my first Hub page will come after some brainstorming on trees and branches.
I am learning much more than how to take care of a wound, its sounds really good!!!
posted twice by mistake.
YES!! way to go, both for the downsizing of the exercise and ugrading to hubpages :) you will NOT be disappointed!! Ths is a wonderful writing community and you will meet so many fantastic hubbers but I reserve the right to be your first fan!! I am your fan before your first leaf (ha) is published so there! Big welcome!! Read Maggs224,Whitney05, JeriLee and EthelSmith..they are wonderful!! oh andJames Watkins of course and Wannabwestern and oh so many more!! Welcome!
Hello RNMSN,
Thank you for being my first fan!
I got the stitches off and learned that I have to wait at least 30 days before I can try anything heavy like my exercising routines. So I will have to wait two more weeks to start hiking again :(
I confirmed your warning on regards to a scar being fragile. Yesterday I try to vacuum very little,just one room. Somehow my right knee touched the edge of a chair a little too hard and the wound was broken bleeding again. It bled just like when I first got the accident. Oh! yes, I had also wounded my right knee, but this is a minor cut, not deep at all and did not require stitches. However, when I hit something (not hard) it complained.
My left leg is still pretty sore, but it is much smaller now and the colors are down to two, blue and green with a very small black line on the bottom. I still feel much relief when I have my leg up on a chair and I imagine that the kneedles like feeling sometimes is the process of healing.
I think I am on my way to recovering!
-anisetta
you are definitely healing! Yea and how terrible you to vacuum!!!don't do it (just stirs up the dust ) let it settle :)
i love housework can you tell? love to you!
Thank you I learned a lot. Here in school, we are not taught in detail like this one. Good job and keep posting more information like this. you really help a lot! Thanks!
you are so welcome!! What school are you in? what else would you like an inservice on :)
Hello RNMSN,
I can reopen a scar? Very true. And bad news too...
Sunday my wound looked pretty neat, just a line of a scar, so I thought it was doing very well, and I also thought I could leave the sterile strips off the wound. I did for one night. The following morning the tiny line was no longer. My wound got bigger, swollen, and very red. I remembered what you told me about the danger of infection and re-injuring the scar.
I cleaned it very well, put back the strips on and kept my leg elevetade that whole day and for the most part of the following couple of days. It is better now. It is almost back to the tiny line that it was on Sunday. But this means that I have to wait longer to resume normal exercising. Oh! It got back to hurting when walking.
I also noticed that when I elevate my leg I have to support my foof on something so that my toes do not relax in a pointing position, that hurts too.
I am learnning a lot about the anatomy of a wound.
This is something to remember, but best of all, something to learn from.
Thank you for your very wise advise!
-anisetta
dadgumit Anisetta! you know you MUST call the doc!! you Have to see him ASAP!! Mon!!! pain when your toes relax? red around the scar and open? dadgumit!! do NOT use hydrogen peroxide! Do only what you have done, clean, dry, steri strips nd elevate and this time leave the dadgum strips on until they fall off!!! :) its OK, you already said yu heal lowly and this happened one other time...dadgumit thoug I was so sure we were home free! we are, its just paranoid nursetalkingnd theres nthing to worry about!and pain with walking is called claudication/cool word eh? is your caf sore?swollen? is your foot swollen? caf hurt hen you flex yur foot/point your toes to the sky? those are danger sigs...if that occurs befre Mon then you haveto to the emer room...danger of blood clot...but it ist ad it wont nd its going t e fine/just a set back just like you said! I think it is a good thing that my family and I are en route to Tucson!! That way if I need to me be moma/nurse you are only one state away :) so....BE AFRAID!BE VERY AFRAID :) love to you...eat your protein!!!
Hello RNMSN,
I am on my way to recovery. I wanted to keep on writing until my wound was healed so that other people that may go through the same thing may learn from my mistakes and listen closely to great advise, yours and that of my doctor.
My wound is almost a 100% closed.
I took good care to keep my leg elevated for the oast few days after it opened again. Now the red is almost gone, it hurts very, very little when I walk, and only when I make sudden turns and are not careful to pick up my foot completely from the ground before turning.
You were so right! I have to really baby this scar. And believe me, I learned my lesson!
I know that I have one more week before I start my yoga routine (because it can be modified so that I do not pur stress on my scar), but I surely have to wait much longer for any ice skating, hiking, or weigh lifting that involves putting stress on that leg.
But in truth, the key to recovery was time off my leg. The best cure, and lots of patience. Specially someone like me who was determined to work out like crazy before school started. Well, I could not, I feel heavy, and not flexible, but I accepted the fact that there will be plenty of time to exeercise once my leg is well healed.
Indeed, I am afraid, I do not want to double or triple the recovery time. I listen now, I shall be myself again soon.
Thank you for your words of caution and words of encouragement!
-anisetta
oh what a relief!! i am so very glad anisetta!! ice skatig? ouch...Im a roller skater myself and do love to bowl but running gives me the runs...I put that there because you did not react appreciatively to my joke the first time and you are nearly yourself again sooooo...a haha here will be greatly appreciated :) otherwise, a pouting I will go and you do not!! want to see that :) oh yes and keep writing!! start writing!!!write dadgumit!!love to you bb
Yes!!! almost cured, almost, but not yet... this seems to take an eternity :(
I had to work yesterday and today, I had to use heels (2 1/2 in) I do not think they went well with my scar :( :( since it is a bit red again, but it does not hurt as much. However, the thin line became fat again. I know now that it is not a good sign, so I now go back to have my leg elevated for the rest of the evening. Thus this gives me time to hub around....
Hey! ice skating and roller skating are pretty similar, right? I tried inline skating twice, and both times I spent all my learning practice getting up. I fell forward, backwards, and sideways. I became a master of falling. No much pain since I was very well protected, just the fun of falling and picking myself up just to fall again.
Well, on Sep 29 will be one month and I am still waiting to heal completely. waiting, waiting, and missing my exercise so much. But I can guess that my wait is just going to be longer since I did things that exasperated the scar, correct?
What do you say if I try yoga tomorrow? Would that be unwise at this point? I think that I may have to wait another week just to be safe, I think you will agree with me.
Oh! yes, I did get the running gives you the runs. For real? How about jogging?
In my case for real, what do you think about self cleaning my stomach with that chocolate that gives me the runs to the bathroom all morning?
-anisetta
my good friend here in the desert of my heart is a yoga teacher :) I used to be flexible...now I'm very stiff but do enjoy yoga/watch out when you start back/the good morning stretching especially and ones where you are on your toes with head and hands down by your feet will stretch that area...go slowly...heels ugh...but what can you do/have to work right?
I like to walk and am thinking I might get my bike back but not sure yet/my beloved gets this nervous look when I talk about it and the traffic is much heavier than it was 14yrs ago...first its just move in (tomorrow yes!) then get a job then I will have time to play. funny you said yoga as my friend is so excited about me getting in her class :) I say she just needs a good laugh!! haha
its almost well anisetta...two more weeks...you're doing well...elevate atnight,clean and dry and dont bump into anything :)
as or that lst question are you tnking about all that colon cleansing crap thats all the rage now?
there are bacteria in our guts that help keep us healthy as well as help with digestion... yes, you might drop 3-5lbs after a big cleaning out but you are also losing a lot of good bacteria. the one bacteria that never comes out after a cleanse is called clostridium difficile. if you get into even a weekly routine of cleansing, whether it is with chocolate or with exlax or colon cleansers then you run the risk of developing an abdominal infection called C Diff. so called because its the only bug left in your gut. nasty mess too, takes an even nastier antibiotic to get well too. Flagyl. usually intravenously and for weeks...gross mess...so strong you end up having to eat tons of yogurt with the acidophilus in it to get rid of the thrush in your mouth and the yeast in your private parts....
I think I just wrote another hub:)
of course if that last question was just a joke like mine about jogging and the runs then I apologize for grossing you out :) hey,want a chocolate ding dong haha nurses are so gross!!!we think our jokes are sooooo funny!!!
Lol RNMSN!!!
Thank you for the great fun! And also very wise advise indeed :)
Although my questions was to match with the runs of running, I am glad I asked. Nope, I am not doing that heavy cleansing, mainly because I do not like the runs (literally, the all day runs to the bathroom) I did the chocolate thing about 15 years ago, and did not have any desire to do it again. Now, I can of get the idea of why my body so deeply rejected that form of cleansing. Those after effects are scary!!!
I was thinking after I posted my question that maybe that was a subject for a whole new hub, it was, wasn't? Thank you for sharing all that info, I like it, I like how you present it. I learn and I also have much fun learning :)
Yes, yoga is great! But again, you are so right. I have to take it slowly. Today I went to the gym for the first time since the injury. I did all the weight lifting for my arms only and seating down. However, I also did sit ups (no push ups) and tried some lateral leg raisers. Well, my injured leg did not like it very much. I should say, my scar really complained about it, so I had to stop. Nope, no yoga for me today. I know that no yoga for me tomorrow neither the whole coming week.
I will take it easy, just go to work (on flats), come home and elevate my leg for the whole week. Hopefully by next week I can start yoga again, but slow and avoiding the streching part on that leg.
I would not imagine such a little injury taking so long to heal.... but getting there nevertheless.
Can one really get the runs jogging? ;)
-anisetta
haha yes you can get get the runs by jogging IF you take milk of magnesia first :) haha otherwise no way...well anisetta I have been movng across the country for the last 2 wees and totally without hubbers omg!!!! it is horrible!! I love this site!! missed you too :) by now I bet you are doing sun salutations easily eh?
Hello!
Around the country!!!! How was it? Nice? I hope so!
I was out of cybersace for the past week too. But only due to school and work :( no traveling.
Mmmmhhmmm.... sort of bad news. My scar is still fresh, still gets red around, it became big again and has not gone back to be thin and small yet. It has been interesting to see the rekationship between total rest of the leg and decrease of swalling, redness and the size of the wound's channel. It looks like a little river, it gets wider when there is rain and it gets skinny when there is drought.
But still, it is healing. Not at the pace I want, but I see lots of improvement....
-anisetta
well it wasn't the frst tme! hubby and I have now moved 18 times in 27 yrs of marriage!! twice we moved across town/othrwise we make BIG moves :) but dude! it gets harder the older we get! I was worthless cept to help it Dog the cat...Katie Baby our 26yr old and honey did it all :)
I wonder, Ani do you have har on your toes haha are you a hobbit? the reason I ask is hair on the tps of your toes, especially big toe and second, show good circulation to your legs... I knew this would take a while for you with thehistory you spoke of in the beginning and it is healing...hasn't re-opened/just lets its presence known right? so keep on keepin on!! love to you
Hello RNMSN,
18 times!!!!!!!!!!!! it must be pretty interesting to get to know lots of different people every time you move. And you must have very good adapting skills. What was the longest move, both in residence and distance? The most memorable? It may also be a topic for another hub ;)
Am I a hobbit? My husband called me a hobbit once, both because I am tres petite and because I do have hair on my toes :) So that means good circulation on my legs, that sounds good.
Well, tomorrow is the 6th week since I got injured and that stubborn cut is still open. I am amazed about how long it takes to heal. And it does complain loudly when I climb stairs, use high heels, or try my leg raies (I only tried once last week) it turned out to be more painful that I expected, so I definitely abandoned the whole exercise idea for now. I think having to walk at work and school is plenty of exercise, this time I can dare to say, for another week or so. It has take 6 weeks now, it cannot be much longer. I am taking good care of not agravating the scar, not using high heels at all anymore and only take stairs were no elevetaro exists. I am doing all the good things I neglected to do the first weeks of my injury.
I am so glad I came accross your hub, you have no idea how much pain and negative consequences you saved me from. I would have tried to be "tough" and probably would have made a small laceration much worse that it should be. For that I thank you so much and I am so interested on keeo on writing.
About my hub, as soon as I can hike again, I will go up there and take pictures of the three culprit to analyze it and write my promised hub. It will be interesting.
For now, I sit down anywhere I can, read my financial reporting books, listen to classical music, and browse as many hubs as I can as my bedtime stories. I learn a lot evryday.
Thank you for such a nice and informative hub on wounds, which has saved me from delicate mistakes!
-Anisseta
oh Anisseta thank you so much...you have no idea how much this means to me :) mean ole nurses need to hear these kind words and I love you for them. Thats why nurses are nurses, just to help. I did write several hubs aout previous moves while I was without internet...we are settled again in our heart home, the sonoran desert, Tucson and I have a lovely sounding job all lined up on the air force base that I am looking forward to...check out the memories of other moves if you like...as to moving...it is addicting! the way to learn about a place is not by touring it but by living in it...my honey and I met here in Tucson and it is our special of all special places we have lived..and I am so glad you stopped the heels or whatever else you have been doing without telling!!! you'll be OK but what do mean open? is it oozing? at this point I would expect it to be closed but look as if it is a shallow crevice...but dry. If it is still actually open and needs a bandage? ifso then the doctor needs to take a look again...but if it is dry, thats normal...
A job on the Air Force??????????!!!!!
That sounds great! Congratulations!!!
While reading your post, the job in the Air Force got my eyes big and wide, wow! I think Tucson is beautiful, I have been there once only, I did enjoyed very much so. I hope to come back soon....
Oh! About my leg, I think that I am a lot better now. No high heels yet, it looks like no heels for another week or two. It does not look as if the wound was still olpen. It just gets red all around, more so by the end of the day after walking long distances and at fast pace. The brown thing (scarring ?) started to peel off and my skin is also coming back, it was peeled off the surrounding wound area, but it is getting smaller and smaller.
I did think about paying another visit to the doctor last week, I thought that the healing process was taking quite longer than I expected, but being one of the statistics without health insurance, I really had to think five times before getting to the emergency care. But, no, I did not have to spend more money on my leg, just be patience and like you said "baby the scar."
To be honest, I never had a hole on any of my legs, so this is a new experience for me. That tree branch really made a mark, and a deep one.
I reflect on my injuries and realize that I had deep cuts on both my hands, they also took stiches, but there was little impact on my everyday activities, I broke my wrist and was on a cast for months, I could not use my hand for a long time, still the impact was small. But I get a small laceration and it takes me off my feet for weeks!
Small cuts can have big impacts, I need my legs a 100% of the time... I can see what it takes for me to realize how valuable my body's health is... great lesson, I hope I learned, I hope I keep on learning.
Thanks to people like you who dedicate their lives to keeping people healthy, well, believe me, this time I did listen :)
Anisetta
oh well you are doing just fine then...goodness I was worried/and I m a contracted RN...too old for one thing for the air force, also too small and too much of a big mouth haha...do not play well with others :)but so very glad that you are well and more so every day
Dear RNMSN,
Well, this thing is still red. I imagine that is normal. It will be two months in two days. There is only a hint of pain from time to time, but I often forget that I was injured. I only remember when I look at it and is red and unhappy. Yes, of course, when I rest, the color goes back to normal, and there is no pain at all. But, I am able to take the stairs to 2nd, 3d., and 4th floors. I guess that is a very good sign. The only thing I cannot stand yet are high heels (2 in) not too high. I guess that part takes longer. Which makes me realize that ice skating is not where in an immediate future. I am dying to go ice skating, but I must wait.
I went to yoga once and it did not work just yet. That did give me some serious pain. I felt like my sking was being pulled, so no yoga for now either. Only casual walking and floor exercises that do not involve using that part of my leg at all. I am giving myself some workout to work the back muscles without distrurbing the front. But it is still too limited. However, you are right, I am doing well and even though it may seem slow, I am sure recovering very well.
Oh! no hiking yet. As soon as I can go back, I will make my first hub about the tree that stabbed me.
-Anisetta
Very Good Anisetta!! It has been a long road hasn't it? But it sounds good...behave yourself!! remember don't put any goopy lotions or creams etc on it and let it stay all goopy that will may the top part of the scar slough off and its back to square one...way to go! You Rock!! :) love to you!
Hello RNMSN,
I cannot believe it would take so looooooooooong to heal!
I cannot yet exercise without pain. It feels like sharp little knives are going beneath my skin. I only have tried twice in the past two weeks and today I had to quit because the pain was very sharp. Is that normal?
I worry a little because the thin and small line is big and wide again. The red area around the wound came back, but it is darker now, almost black and blue.
I wonder if there is still risk after more than eight weeks have passed since I got injured?
I assume that I cannot wear even a 2" high heels, right? Yes, I tried one day two weeks ago, it hurt, I stopped. But I tried again this week, and it seem to got worse. I regret that so much.
Well, I had to put my leg up again today, that gave me some relief.
Still, no going hiking for some time.....
Anisetta
I do not lke the sound of this at all Anisetta...dadgumit wish you had insurance...now I am worried again and want you to see the MD...was this laceration right over your shin bone? If so that is another reason why its taking soooooo long but this has been twice as long as I expected....makes me wish we had mercurochome again :) but no, just soap and water...well a bit of witch hazel before bedtime wouldnt hurt/probably wont be a sure fire cure but maybe a bit of astringent once a day will wake it up and make it realize it needs to finish healing...but I wish you would go back to the MD one more time just to make sure you are really really OK and just a slow healer
yu are not keeping a cpmression bandage on it are you?...not putting a bacndage on it at all right? but its swollen and changing colors again right? that means there is fluid leaking into the surrounding tissues...its still just trying to heal all the way...but I want I wish I hope
hey!! just call the physician and talk to him or the nurse!!! that wont cost anything and will give us both peace of mind what have I been thinking!! Of course!! Call and talk to the MD and or his nurse dont be afraid the doc puts his/her britches on same as you and I do/upside down and inside out!! lol
what? you put yours on one leg at a time? dude, you are so out of the loop :)
dont you dare young lady!! love to you!
Hello RNMSN,
Yes, I could see my bone when I got the hole on my leg! I think that was the most scary part. This made me realize that it was deep enough to be dangerous. Otherwise I might had attempted to let it heal by itself :(
I will follow your advise to make sure I am fine, and like you said, I am just a slow healer. And maybe I did things I should not have done, like hot yoga (yoga under a 100 degree temperature) This was six weeks after. Yes, the wound complained loudly. So I did not go back to yoga. But I have been good, no weight lifting, no running, no biking, no ice skating and no high heels, with the exception of two days.
I will make the appointment with my doctor and see what happens. You are right, I do not like the look and the feeling of it. I will let you know what the doctor finds. I deeply hope that it is just slow to heal and not anything more troublesome.
Thank you!
Anisetta
I am ashamed of myself Ani/I should have asked what it looked like at the very start...sometimes especially right over a bone or if its really deep/yours was not deep it just had little protection like fatty tissue/as you said you are tres petite/the body will heal just to a point;then the body says OK Iam done with this and goes on to bigger and better pursuits ha at which time something has to be done to tell the body the healing is not done yet...like putting a drying agent over the scar or sometimes just wearing really soft, non constricting knee high socks like the diabetic socks from w mart/cost 7 bucks for two pairs...these are wonderful protection and wont stop air or circulation from interfering with the scar but just gives a softer piece for protection. The doctor needs to see it but if the area is still CLOSED not even a tiny bit of weeping or seepage of fluid? then I am hoping it needs more protection and a bit of a drying agent like the witch hazel...this is so frustrating Anisetta and if I am feeling like that I know you are so we both have to stay focused and optimistic and let the doc guide us right? love to you! man I must have just gone to bed when you answered last night!have a good Sunday
Hello RNMSN!
I am much better, thank you!
There was no need to go to the doctor, I am happy about that. I followed your instructions and it worked just great. I still refrained from any exercise and high heels. I think that I will try ice skating next Thursday!!! I hope it does not bother my leg. But judging by the way I feel, I think I am maybe 97% well.
Sorry about the delay on posting ;)
I got very busy with midterms and projects, I also got some sort of flu last week, I stayed in bed almost the whole week... voila! There is the magic of my recovery... I did not do anything for almost a whole week! I did not use my leg!!! I just realized that as I write this. If I had to stay home, the byproduct is that I did not use high heels, no stairs to climb, no parking lots to rush through, no even house chores. Well, one thing helped the other.
I felt sick with fever, headache, nausea, and just wanted to rest. I did rest, and now I feel much better in more than one way.
I am ready to go back to the forest and research what kind of tree was that did that little damage to my leg... I will go back once I finish my finals though.
Thank you for all your help, your advise, and your caring. You did save me lots of stress, visits to the doctor, and most important, you saved me from myself :)
Have a nice weekend. I will be back, but I hope is with good news and not due to an injury.....
Anisetta
Hello RNMSN!
I am much better, thank you!
There was no need to go to the doctor, I am happy about that. I followed your instructions and it worked just great. I still refrained from any exercise and high heels. I think that I will try ice skating next Thursday!!! I hope it does not bother my leg. But judging by the way I feel, I think I am maybe 97% well.
Sorry about the delay on posting ;)
I got very busy with midterms and projects, I also got some sort of flu last week, I stayed in bed almost the whole week... voila! There is the magic of my recovery... I did not do anything for almost a whole week! I did not use my leg!!! I just realized that as I write this. If I had to stay home, the byproduct is that I did not use high heels, no stairs to climb, no parking lots to rush through, no even house chores. Well, one thing helped the other.
I felt sick with fever, headache, nausea, and just wanted to rest. I did rest, and now I feel much better in more than one way.
I am ready to go back to the forest and research what kind of tree was that did that little damage to my leg... I will go back once I finish my finals though.
Thank you for all your help, your advise, and your caring. You did save me lots of stress, visits to the doctor, and most important, you saved me from myself :)
Have a nice weekend. I will be back, but I hope is with good news and not due to an injury.....
Anisetta
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maggs224 says:
5 months ago
I was with you and fine right up to step11 but then we got to 12 that is where I started to feel queasy step 13. I started to recover a little I thought I can do that but then I came to 14, my mind and imagination started to work overtime fill the cavity that did it now I feel woozy visions of a bad smelling hole with all that entails for those like me you should have added step 15a which should read something like 'when some one has helped you to come too and helped you up off the floor. lol