When Good Surgery Happens To Good People...who still get complications (Graphic...

I agree!!!

My doctor rocks. I'm so protective of him. People were like "bad surgeon" when they heard about my wound and I was like "No, not my SURGEON".

Thank you.

Holy Sh.........  Thank goodness you have such a great attitude about it.  I'd be freakin out!  Thanks for sharing too because I think its good for everyone to see the "other side" of what can happen.

You know, I could freak out. And when I start seeing my therapist here in LA, and it all finally hits me (body image issues aside), I'm going to have a good cry.

But in the meantime, when you have serous fluid (the **** the drains) going through all your clothes, you do what you have to.

Yes, I'm an expert in crisis situations!

Also, I just feel people should know. I mean, this is a rare complication, but it happens, and people need to know that a) it happens and b) you will SURVIVE.

Sweetie bless your heart .that looks like the opened wound i had  .it took far ever to heal .good luck .Brenda in TX .

Thanks Brenda! I'll take all the luck I can!

That picture STILL freaks me out. Seriously.

But I just realized how awesome your scar looks otherwise. Really, how come my open heart surgery scar from years ago will never look that good?

(And looooooooooooooooooong time no see, OH!)

Toldja so. You remembered NOT to eat before opening this thread, right?

Okie dokie -- Aboolian is my surgeon-to-be.

And that photo just scares the **** outta me!!!

My heart goes out to you AND your mom because I would be very upset if my child had such a wound ... I am so very sorry that this has happened to you, Shira.  And just to let you know that Aboolian's practice also thinks the world of YOU ... You are the reference they gave me for compliant-patient-who-also-fought-like-hell-for-her-surgery-who-I-should-call (though I didn't).  (Well, it's you or a different Shira, but I'm guessing it's you.)

That pic shares the daylights outta me, but I thank you, thank you, thank you for sharing it.  G-d bless you with success on your followup surgery.  Please do let us know how it goes.

Charm

Charming,

What a LOVELY message, thank you.

*sits by phone*

*sits by phone*

Um, hello? Cawl me, dahling. We'll do lunch. No, seriously. We'll do lunch. Yeah, I'm the girl who fought for 8 months to get her abdominoplasty covered. And it was WORTH it.

My Mom...she hadn't seen it (we were all in NY together for two days, but I put on braveface), and when I showered last night she almost cried. I mean, she said "I've seen this before with a flesh eating virus in the third world when I was traveling through India". She's sort of fascinated by how I'm dealing with it, but if I dare say, I'm excellent in crisis situations.

For example, they wrapped me up good and tight when I left the office today, and I hoped it would stay 'til tomorrow.

Ha. Totally drained through. And I'm out of gauze. 4 maxi-pads later, some bandaids, some tape...I'm all set!

I felt it was necessary to share, especially so that people who get complications know that, say, unless it's gangrene (and where were you that anyone gets gangrene anymore!) you'll be fine. It's scary, but important to know.

I'll let you know how it goes tomorrow. I'm booked in the OR for an hour (or whatever) in the afternoon.

Oh, and CALL ME. Seriously. I don't tell them "give out my number" for my dating life.

My whole ass popped open from butt crack to hip.  I had psudomus.  It was twice that size.  OUCH!!!   Just got it all sewed back up again 3 weeks ago after 10 weeks of two antibiotics, Cipro and Keflex.  With a wound that big you do want them to debrid it and sew it back together when it is safe to do so.  Otherwise, you are going to have a nasty scar.  I had a wound after my TT that was the size of a 50 cent piece and it left a terrible scar.  Are they talking about putting you back together again???  What's the plan?   I look great again now that I'm sewn back up, and I dont' think it is going to pop back open again.  Nice and tight and healing beautifully.