POD#16

Yes the wound is infected. Immediately my mind entertained the worst possible outcome. Again because of the complications I have seen in patients during my training. Hundreds of patients are discharged home and live happily ever after. It is the one or two that stay with a bad outcome. Those you have to see every say, with feelings of guilt and frustration that leave the mark in your memory. But at the end of the day the reality (as my husband reminded me) is that it is just a little infection.

So it took 24 hours from my diagnosis of a wound infection until my first dose of antibiotics. In the last picture posted you can see a little redness at the top of the incision. Later that day I noted drainage (determining infection not just inflammation). It was 9PM. I called the SuperNurse early the next morning. I suspect they were in the OR all morning. I emailed with pics of the wound shortly after lunch. At 3PM I called again, to reiterate how concerned I was, and to share the pictures were available. The called me a little after 4. SuperNurse discussed it with the resident (an individual with 6 less years of training than myself) and they called the antibiotics in to the pharmacy. Viola, 4 hours later my husband brought it home.

Okay I realize patients go through this all of the time. I want to to be a good patient, let go of the urge to direct everything, not obsess about the details. I am trying. But waiting for treatment I could have gotten for myself a day earlier, is that the best ultimately?