Hospital Horrors

[QTCut5]

Wow, what an ordeal both physically as well as mentally. The fact that you survived and are are able to tell your experience is inspiring to others who suffer physical infirmities of one kind or another and struggle to endure.

Although I have seen many photos of your vast knife collection, there are still far too many out there waiting to be added; they're not going to collect themselves, so you can't bow out just yet. It ain't over 'til it's over.

Keep up the good fight...

~Q~

[glennbad]

Oh my, Ray, what an ordeal. That you are able to even be willing to recount it to us is remarkable. We put our trust in medical professionals to make the right decisions for us, sometimes it is a scary prospect.

Glad to hear you are on the other side of things.

[sam eib]

I'm kinda surprised you haven't contacted an attorney.

[kootenay joe]

Hey Ray, you have not posted here for a few days. You doing o.k. ? Is the wound beginning to close in from the bottom up ? (meaning skin edges are last to get closed up).
kj

[knife7knut]

Hey Ray, you have not posted here for a few days. You doing o.k. ? Is the wound beginning to close in from the bottom up ? (meaning skin edges are last to get closed up).
kj

Doing fine Roland;thanks for asking. It's a bit difficult to sit at the computer for any length of time due to some issues with fluid retention in my feet.I've had that problem for several years and the hospital stay only exacerbated it. Gained ten lbs. and it was ALL fluid. I'm not going to say where a lot of the fluid settled but let's just say it was uncomfortable and leave it at that. They didn't want to start me on diuretics because of possible kidney issues.
The incision seems to be healing as you describe and except for a couple times it started to bleed due to the gauze adhering. Went back to the doctor yesterday and she thinks all is progressing well. What amazes me is the almost absence of pain involved. Strangely the only real pain I experience is around where the robot was inserted(5 small incisions).

[sam eib]

No pain is a good thing!!!!!

[kootenay joe]

Thanks for the update Ray. Your wound is healing by what is called "secondary intention", it has to close from the bottom up, leaving no spaces (no swiss cheese look) and this takes weeks. Once healed up it will be the strongest toughest tissue in your belly.
kj

[RobesonsRme.com]

Like Roland, I do not understand why an experienced surgeon would remove the skin staples in a man of your age, medical history and body habitus before you left the hospital, unless you had been there at least two weeks postoperatively.

That was just plain stupid, in my opinion.

Charlie Noyes

[knife7knut]

Thanks for the update Ray. Your wound is healing by what is called "secondary intention", it has to close from the bottom up, leaving no spaces (no swiss cheese look) and this takes weeks. Once healed up it will be the strongest toughest tissue in your belly.
kj

Thanks for that info Roland! It has been just over three weeks since I was discharged from the hospital and the incision is almost completely closed now! Just a couple of raw spots on it but those should be healed in another week or so. Strangely enough the only real pain is where the small incisions were made to insert the Nautilus;they are still a bit tender. The large incision has experienced no pain at all around it. Here is what it looked like yesterday.

[sam eib]

Man, that looks bad bit I'm sure it looked worse two weeks ago. Glad your recovering!

[kootenay joe]

Looks great Ray. I am surprised the scar is not wider. You are a good healer !
That this incision area is not tender to touch (assuming this from your 'no pain' statement) is a good sign that there are no small pockets of infection that might flare up.
kj

[bighomer]

Good to see you're on the mend Ray.

[wlf]

Sounds weird Ray,but I don't remember staples, I think they wired me shut internally when I had open heart.

I'm like you though,I had a minuscule amount of pain afterwards and walked that evening. My hernia operation when I was 18 was more painful,especially walking.Although I've talked to a friend that said he experienced excruciating pain with his.

Glad you are doing much better.