Day 13: My Old Nemesis—STAIRS!

Just like Po in Kung Fu Panda, “Ah, my old nemesis! STAIRS!” Today was the first time since my surgery (13 days ago) where I descended & ascended the 15 stairs to my home. It was bound to happen, as my two week follow up appointment is two days from now, and my visiting PT suggested we try it right before they left. 

13 down and 13 up, and now I am exhausted. 

Additionally, I’m pretty disappointed with the visiting LPN’s ability to dress my incision and stitches. The first dressing she put on was on these 3 strange stitches no where near my incision on the glute medius. Within 4 hours that fell off. The second dressing was at the top of my incision, and I went through my “morning ablutions,” only to see that despite her telling me otherwise, the gauze stuck to the top of my incision, which no doubt will be getting a butterfly or two when i see the surgeon on Friday. 

I was stuck standing for about an hour, between washing up in anticipation for the PT to arrive, and when Maharajah returned home after a nice outing for himself. I couldn’t remove the gauze as it dangled from the top of the incision and the location was so awkward I couldn’t reach it myself to cut off what I could. 

When Maharajah arrived, he cut off what he could, and I slathered a non-stick telfa with neosporin and taped the shebang over the top of the incision. 

IDK, basic wound care should be pretty standard for a visiting LPN—shouldn't it? 36 years ago when I was in basic training, we did an entire training module on first aid and battlefield wound dressing. Not to sound haughty, but imho I do a better job, and would have, if I had eyes in the back of my head. 

TBH, if I were able to have dressed my own wounds, i think I’d be better off by now. Meanwhile the top of my incision still seeps a bit. I will just keep everything clean and dry until i see the surgeon on Friday.