Question:
I have a horrible STAPH INFECTION and had to have the sugery site reopened

after having open RNY in Feb. In March I had to go back and have another surgery and open the incision back up completely and leave it open. Now I have this 8 inch by 4 inch "wound" gaping open just below my breast. At first nurses came and packed it with gauze twice daily, but insurance will only pay for 40 home visits so they only come and check on me weekly and bringe me supplies. I am packing myself. The nurses say I got the infection in the hospital and that I shouldn't have to pay for the second surgery and that they should compensate me for all the pain and suffering that this has caused me. I have been off work for over two months now. I have been told that I will be like this for at least another month or more. Wearing a bra is painful and I have to worry if my 'wound' is leaking and not to mention stinking! Are there others out there like me? Has anyone sued their hospital or threatened to? If you have advice or an opinion on this, please tell me.    — LORRIE F. (posted on April 23, 2003)

April 23, 2003
Lorrie, I have been a home health nurse, and I have to say, they are out of line with those comments. Infection is a risk with any surgery. Every human being has staph growing on their skin, and no matter how much scrubbing they do before surgery, it cannot be irradicated. Sometimes it just happens. I doubt the hospital is to blame for the infection. How do those nurses know you didn't develop the infection after you got home??? Also, there are different ways to treat big wounds like you have to help them heal faster. Surely there is some sort of wound care specialist in your area - frequently they are nurses working with home care agencies! They can make recommendations to the doctor and often doctors are happy to try something new or better. Call you insurance company (customer service) and see if you can speak with a case manager or patient care coordinator or someone who may be able to find the help you need. It is in the interest of the insurance company to see you healed up (and back at work.) So sorry you have to deal with this complication and hope you heal quickly!
   — koogy

April 23, 2003
First, let me tell you that I can totally sympathize with you about the staph infection. I had one too and it wasn't a fun experience. However, I agree with the previous poster - the home health care nurses gave you bad advice. How do I know this? I got the same advice when I had a staph infection so I called an attorney. I was certain I had a case! However, unless I had rock solid proof that the hospital negligently infected me then I had no case at all. Of course I didn't have the proof - I could have gotten it anywhere. As for pain and suffering - it's only an add on - in other words you can't sue for just pain and suffering or time off work. We all know going in that infection is possible. With all that being said let me say this.............once time has passed and the infection has healed it will quickly become a distant memory. I'm glad I didn't try to sue someone or pursue any action because of the staph infection. I figure it was just "one of those things". It was tough while I was in the midst of it but now it doesn't seem that it was that big of a deal. I will offer you a helpful hint that made things easier for me. I took a tampon and layed it on top of my skin at the very bottom of the incision then put some gauze over it and taped it at the bottom and both sides. Any drainage that ran out of my wound was absorbed by the tampon and when it needed to be changed I just took it out of the little gauze pocket and stuck in a new one. (Be sure that you understand I'm not saying you put the tampon into the wound - just lay it on top of your tummy at the bottom of the wound). Possibly you can check with your company about short term disability or even call social security and see if there are any type of benefits available. I know you're miserable but if someone asked me today if I'd go through it all again - staph infection and all - I'd say ABSOLUTELY! I'm sorry you're having a tough time. Hang in there and keep your chin up. Better days are fast approaching.
   — ronascott

April 23, 2003
Hi Lorrie- I'm sorry you're having atough time with healing right now. I went thru the same thing; was surgically reopened and then healed slowly. Yes, it did seem like a huge gash down the front, and no, I will never have an invisible scar. I will repeat what other posters have said- you will have an almost impossible time proving you got the infection in the hospital, because we all have staph germs as normal parts of our body make-up (flora, just like we all have some yeast in our genitalia- it isn't a problem until it gets out of control. This really is just a bump in the road, Lorrie. I don't know what kind of job you have; I work a desk job in a hospital and was back at work the whole time I was open and healing. Please email me if I can help further. Please try to stay positive- you aren't on a ventilator, you can still walk, talk & function and you can get thru this because you have no choice. You DO have a choice in how you look at it and live with it. No, my name is not Pollyanna Merry Sunshine... but I believe you can do anything you believe you can do, with a little practice! Best wishes-
   — Karen N.