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Honestly, he isn't a barbarian; when someone has an infection as bad as this "numbing...

Posted by sisjake1956

Honestly, he isn't a barbarian; when someone has an infection as bad as this "numbing up" isn't going to work. The pathology report came back, no cancer (thank God). The lump was an abscess that they would have had to cut out anyway, and there was no way to tell it was an abscess until it went to the lab. It just looked like a red/yellow lump of tissue. In addition to the abscess, I also had chronic and acute mastitis (since I haven't been nursing for 14 years that was a bit of a surprise). If they could have "seen" the lump was an abscess they would have immediately started me on antibiotics. Once the infection actively manifested itself two days later I got put on oral antibiotics. The antibiotics weren't clearing up the infection so that is when the surgeon put the drain/wick in at his office. I got the packing changed every 3-4 days at his office, and after that first time it wasn't so bad. Last Friday he took me back under the knife and cleaned the wound out again, under anesthesia, because the drain and oral antibiotics weren't clearing things up. I'm now going to a wound clinic every other day for cleaning and repacking with a dressing that is treated with silver. They don't numb up the area either, again because the numbing agents won't work on an infected area. I can tell you, it sure hurts but I should have only 2 weeks of packing to go (fingers crossed). The wound itself is about 2 inches deep, two inches wide and an inch long. That is a big hole to fill with normal tissue so I'll be in for a long haul of healing. I am glad the infection wasn't the fault of the hospital or doctor, and it couldn't have been diagnosed without the pathology report. What can I say but that I'm an oddball case? LOL But again, it isn't cancer! It is hard to rest and just do for myself, but I really can't. My husband would help but he has been sick with something for the last five days and HE won't go to the doctor. I've already told my kids (most are grown and out of the house) that Thanksgiving is going to be very low-key; I'm not going to put myself in a hospital bed just to eat turkey! I'm slowly learning I have limitations. LOL Thanks for all your support, it means a lot to me.View Thread

Posted bysisjake1956

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Unfortunately the doctor did not have any biopsy results yesterday, maybe they will be...

Posted by sisjake1956

Unfortunately the doctor did not have any biopsy results yesterday, maybe they will be in on Monday. Doc took a gander at the infection and gave me two options: he could put me under the next day, open it up, drain it and put in a "wick" to continue draining. OR he could clean it out there in his office with a little opening, push out the "yuck", and put in the wick. I figured I would rather do it in the office, as I have things to do at work. Either way I would be numbed up, right? WRONG! The first cut sure relieved the pressure (Mt. Vesuvius all over my shirt and sweater, Dr. kept apologizing for that LOL). Then he pushed around a bit to clean as much out as he could; which was a real treat...NOT. Then he got a twelve-inch long piece of wick (which looks like a cloth ribbon, Grey Poupon color, and packed it into the 1/4 inch hole he had made. I got a present of a handful of 4 x 4 gauze pads for being a good girl and not screaming (patients in the waiting room don't like screaming). I did make a couple quiet comments such as "ouch", and "that stings a bit". Low-key humor you know. LOL
Throughout the procedure I kept looking at my husband and asking him if he was ok. He was looking at the floor, a little green around the gills. I found out later it wasn't the mess that was bothering him, it was me being hurt (isn't that sweet!).
Anyhow, after doc finished torturing me I made a stop at the drugstore for more gauze pads, (and nursing pads to keep my bra clean) and called my boss to tell him I wasn't coming back to work. Boss encouraged me to stay home, but I'll go in for a couple hours this morning to finish "before the weekend" stuff.

Next time I'll know to ask if I'll be numbed up before agreeing to an office procedure...but I don't think there will be a next time! LOL This gives me one more thing to add to my bucket list of "things I've experienced but most people DON'T want to do"...like rabies vaccinations, Lyme disease, sanding an entire house to bare wood, etc.
I hope I didn't gross you out too much! It still feels like something invisible is busily carving tunnels in my chest (dang human "bacteria-termites"), but Percocet takes the edge off. LOLView Thread

Posted bysisjake1956

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I now have three courses of Bactrim inside me, and I know it usually takes 48 hours for...

Posted by sisjake1956

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They called it a lumpectomy (removed the lump and some surrounding tissue for testing)....

Posted by sisjake1956

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Something strange is going on. My breast started getting red, painful and very swollen...

Posted by sisjake1956

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Thanks to all of you. I'll keep you posted on results!

Posted by sisjake1956

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Thank you Roberta. I am doing all my "normal" things and only occasionally do I get...

Posted by sisjake1956

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Thanks Rachael, I will keep you folks posted!

Posted by sisjake1956

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