Pin site update

If I was unsure this morning whether the pin site had an infection, it left me in no doubt by lunchtime. 4 hours, 2 doctors and a box of antibiotics later and we're back home.

Pin sites

It's been a funny old few days. Ross has been mostly ok until bedtime. Once he's in bed he can't get comfortable and it seems to hurt more. One night he was in my bed and last night C slept in J's bedroom so I slept in with Ross.

I cleaned his pin sites last night and the one on the top of his foot next to his little toe is showing signs of the cheese wire effect. It's also sore and quite red around the edges so I'm going to get someone to check that out today incase he has an infection. I suspect it's only that way because the pin is slicing into his skin but it won't hurt to have it looked at and I have to go to the ward today anyway to pick up some more dressings so I won't be making a special trip.

I'm tired.

Physio-terrorist

Something the physio said to me this morning.

"The pins will have a cheese wire effect as we move them. Don't worry about it too much"

I don't know if it's because I'm tired or I'm just particularly slow today but it took me a moment to catch on to what she meant.

She meant as the frame is adjusted the pins will cut into skin much the same as a cheese wire. Oh yes, I'm not going to worry too much as wire is slicing fresh wounds into my son's already mangled leg and foot!

WTH?! Why weren't we warned before?

Other than that, it's been a pretty good day. We still have the adjustments to do for today so I suspect that will change.

I wish I could wear it for him.

Discharged and distractions

Ross was discharged from the ward on Saturday but not without some drama first!

We were told on Friday night that he would have to stay in hospital until a couple of days after the start of the distraction plan so Nazi Nurse* reckoned, "he might be out before I go to New York next Thursday" (Bitch!)

The consultant actually came to see Ross on the ward on Saturday morning before I arrived so Kev talked to him man to man and it was decided that Ross could come back into clinic on Monday as an outpatient to start the distractions.

Saturday evening it took us a while to get Ross comfortable. Our sofa wasn't big enough for him and his frame so we brought down the double mattress from the spare room and made up a bed on the floor. Plenty of room for him to wiggle and get comfy and our leather sofa was safe from being shredded by his frame.

That was one thing we were warned about - the household damage the frame can cause. It's already shredded the sheet on the mattress, the duvet cover and we've lost some paintwork and plaster on the walls but it's a small price to pay and everything is (eventually!) replaceable. So, if you come to visit excuse the shabbiness but to be honest I really don't care much right now ;)

Ross has had a couple of very good days with only moderate pain relief.

We went to the clinic today to start the distraction process. This is a 24 day plan where the struts on the frame are gradually adjusted 1 or 2mm per day to bring the desired correction on the foot. The distractions should have been started on the 21st so there was 4 days to catch up on! The physio adjusted the struts to todays calculations and Ross was in agony. A couple of them needed adjusting by 5mm so she only did them halfway and said we were to complete the rest later tonight. We did and the screaming was so bad we backed them off 1mm and plan on catching up the rest tomorrow. I have to take him back Weds morning so by then they will be in the correct place.

He's in a lot of pain tonight and isn't settling at all. I've given him all the meds he can have for now and Kev has gone to work so I might bring him into my bed if he gets some comfort and I get some rest.

*Nazi Nurse - patronising idiot who didn't know a lot about anything but loved the power. I was proud of my control...well my almost control. :)

Interesting study

Interesting study (if you like that sort of thing)

http://www.orthosupersite.com/view.aspx?rid=31514

Pic of the frame

Blurry picture but considering the mess it's probably best it's not too clear.

Quick update...

I was intending just to update this blog with only facts about the operation and following procedures but I reckon I will share some thoughts and feelings as well. To be honest, I'm not really in the mood for writing anything at the minute so apologies if it's somewhat disjointed. I'm tired, deflated and disappointed right now so not really in the right frame of mind to write but I'm gonna give it a shot.


Timeline
19th January 2011.
8am - arrive on ward
8.45am - taken down to theatre
9.15am - anasthesia
12.35pm out of theatre and in recovery

After my initial shock when seeing Ross for the first time in recovery, several different kinds of pain medication including morphine, diclofenac and a spinal block which didn't actually work, Ross was in massive amounts of pain and we were feeling helpless, upset and I was wondering if we had made a mistake in agreeing this to go ahead.

60 odd hours after his operation I can think a little clearer and realise now how the severity and sheer brutal nature of the procedure had been downplayed to us. I, for one, just didn't realise!

We did have a counselling session where the procedure was explained to us. Only the explanation was nothing like the reality. Ross hasn't been fitted with an Ilizarov after all. The have used a Taylor Spatial Frame and after some research it's widely recognised as being the preferred option but looks much more brutal. As well as his pin sites (4 wires though his foot at various places so 8 pin sites) there are 2 very large metal bars embedded into his shin to act as anchor points for the heavy frame.

As if that wasn't enough for Ross, they then told us he was having a second operation in 6 weeks time to add another wire (2 more pin sites) and make some adjustments. We weren't previously told about this so it comes as quite a shock.

20th January 2011.
AM - out of bed and taken a few steps with a walking frame
PM - out of bed again and more steps
PM - once more out of bed and taken a few more steps. Mastered the use of the wheelchair.

Ross is very tired and emotional today. The meds aren't agreeing with him and only seem to take the edge off the pain and make him feel very queasy. As well as him being out of bed 3 times today, there has been a barrage of physiotherapists, occupational therapists, doctors, nurses and visitors.

I have banned all visitors for tomorrow.

21st January 2011.
We knew that today the nurses would be taking off the dressings and cleaning the pin sites. We also knew this was something I would have to master before Ross would be allowed home. The good news is the nurses did a couple and I did the rest. So, that's one thing I know will be ok - Ross much preferred me to do them and refused to let the nurses touch him after I had a go.

We also know that the distraction plan was to start today. This is a computer generated plan which outlines how much the pins have to be adjusted each day to acheive the desired foot correction. 5pm came and went and the nurses hadn't been sent the plan. The consultant had left the bloody thing on his desk and gone home! We then found out that we'd have to wait until Monday for the plan and this would mean Ross would have to stay in hospital until Weds/Thurs.

The nurse has since told us the consultant has a clinic in the morning so we are going hunting to try and get the plan.

I've added some pics below of the before shots.