Questions for y'all packing wounds....

I packed my BB for the first time this morning.  The hole is teeny in diameter, only about 1/4" round, but it's a full 1" deep.  This morning was my first attemtp and I only got it in I think about 1/4 of the way, not the full inch. 
1)   Is this ok for a first attempt? Should it go ALL the way in? 
2) What do you use to pack such a tiny space? I just used a bobby pin (obviously covered in gauze) 'cause it' was little enough to go in the hole.  What do y'all use?

Thanks!

Being a former home health nurse I've done lots of wound care through the years and packed many a wound...I would get some sterile cotton tip applicators from your local drug store and use those.  You want to use a clean one each time so you don't run the risk of introducing bacteria into the wound.  It is important to pack it fully down as far as the wound extends.  I would first put the cotton tip applicator in all the way so you can measure exactly how deep it is.  Are you packing with Nu-gauze?  Or something else?  Let me know if you have more questions.  I LOVE wound care!!  Karen

THanks, Karen, that helps! I'm packing with the gauze the surgeon gave me yesterday; he didn't like the stuff I had.  Because the hole is so tiny, I'm having to cut the gauze and he said that's ok, just don't put the cut end into the hole.  So....sterilized Q-tips? Are those different from regular Q-tips? We have a Walgreens here so I"ll check to see if I can find some.  With the hole so tiny, won't it be harder to get the q-tip in with the gauze around it?  Is there a special technique I should be using to get it in? And now, should I go and try to repack this thing since it only went in about 1/4 of the way (the surgeon showed me yesterday how far it should go in but I couldn't get it in that far!)?  I'm sorry to ask so many questions...I may ask to go in Monday to have him actually teach me to do this if I can't get it right by then (but would rather not!).
Thanks for your help! 

Yes go to Walgreens and ask the pharmacist for sterile cotton tipped applicators - they should be able to take you right to them.  You could also buy some 1/4" Nu-Gauze, get the plain, (not Iodoform Nu-Gauze) and if the cotton tipped end of the applicator is too big around to get down in the hole you can use the plain end and cover it with the gauze and poke it down in small increments.  Make sure you go all the way in to the bottom of the wound the first pass.  Then pull out the applicator and poke some more guaze in and repeat until the hole is completely filled.  This may take 6, 7 or 8 passes to get the wound completely packed.  Then when you go to change it you can see how much gauze was packed in there and over time, as the wound fills in and heals from the inside out, there will be less and less gauze needed to pack the wound.  What you DON'T want is for the skin opening to "heal" or "get smaller" first as that could lead to the wound sealing itself off and then you won't be able to pack it.  This will lead to continued problems and could cause an abscess to form underneath that would require opening and draining, then the wound packing process has to start all over and overall leads to prolonged healing time.  Ultimately packing it now and packing it correctly will shorten your overall healing time and therefore reduce risk of further complications, infection, etc...  Does this help?  Nu-Gauze is best described like hemming tape - the edges are not frayed so you don't have to worry about pieces of it coming off inside the wound.  It does come in 1/4" width which sounds like what you need for such a small opening. I have packed breast  and hip wounds with only a pinhole size opening with this stuff and, although it can be tricky to get it in place, it can be done.  Let me know if you have any more questions.  Always happy to help.  PS - always wash your hands thouroughly with soap and warm water prior to the dressing change!!  Karen

I am using Kendall Single Tipped Applicators, the ref/sku number is 541400 if you want to try to get a medical supply place to order it.   They are 6 inch wooden sticks with a cotton q-tip on the end.  They come in a box of 200 packed 2 to a sterile package.  I have some of another brand that are non-sterile.   They are Puritan Ref# 806-WC.   I prefer the ones that are individually wrapped and sterile since I live in a house made of dog-hair. 

 
I use the wooden end, not the cotton tip and poke the gauze down as far as I can.   I started using a 4x4 gauze square which I opened up and twirled into a rope-like shape (this was on my doctors instructions and example).   Take one end of the twirled rope, sort of wrap it over the end of the applicator and pu**** down into the hole gently, but as far as it can go, and then pull the applicator out and keep pushing more gauze in.    When mine was at its largest, I put about 8 inches in at least, now I am probably putting 2-3 inches in as it's closed up a lot.  

You definitely get to the point where this is routine, but at first I felt as frightened as you were.   It's doable, but it's a hard thing for someone not medically trained to just start doing it and the doctors just take it for granted that you can find the supplies and do this kind of thing with 3 minutes instruction.   It's nuts.

Thank you both SO much!  I decided to give it another try after I went to Walgreen's.  They didn't have the sterile q-tips like y'all talk about so  I went to the nail care side and picked up a little stainless steel nail groomer. It looks very much like the one the doc was using yesterday (but I bet I paid less for mine! :)  ).  I also bought some alcohol to sterilize it before each use.  I came home, took out the packing from this a.m. (I was right, a little over 1/4" ), and re-packed.  I think this time I got it all the way in as it felt like I hit bottom.  Since it's so tiny I have no way of telling, but it sure did go in much smoother with that little tool!  I guess I'll find out tomorrow how good I did....the doc said I only have to do it once/day, after my shower and after squeezing all the water out that'll come out.  I wish he'd demonstrated yesterday, but he wanted me to bleed most of the day so I didn't get the benefit of that! 
Y'all have been terrific, and I feel like this is something I can do.  It helps SO much to know others have BTDT!  :)