Appointment at noon with my internist. Ellie came with me.

My doc and I talked, he said I needed to see a surgeon (from what I told him) and he set me up with his upstairs office neighbor about half an hour later. Very cool guy from Montreal. He listened to the story, unwrapped it and although I said I did NOT want to see it I peeked and it wasn't sooo bad. Clean, no infection any more--pink and as Ellie and I agreed, looks exactly like a zombie took a bite out of my leg before the bad stuff sets in.

Options: First was the surgical one--(he IS a surgeon after all)--skin graft--would need a decent bit of skin from my outer thigh --that would hurt. Wound would not. It would be done out patient but have to be checked regularly and could reject the graft. Would take awhile to heal. And although it's minor surgery it is surgery

Second--some kind of surgical pump that would have to be attached to my leg and which I would have to lug around with me for weeks--not so good

So I'd pretty much decided on the graft and he wrapped me and then he said..there is one other option: the unaboot, a pressure bandage impregnated withe meds that promotes healing and needs to be changed once a week. There's the possibility that the wound will stop healing at a certain point over the next few weeks but even if that's the case, the wound would be substantially smaller, hence any skin graft would be similarly smaller. I can live with that.

So that's what I got--he wrapped gauze around it that he says will fall apart and that I need to replace with an ace bandage (I bought some) and I'll be back to see him Thursday afternoon for a look as to how it's doing.

Slight update 7:15
One of the nurses on Mary Ward C just called me from London to see how I'm doing. I cannot express how moved I am by this. I asked her to give everyone on the ward an update on how my leg is.
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From: [identity profile] casacorona.livejournal.com


That sounds promising. How long does he say it'll take if it works?

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


Weeks --not really sure--depends how quickly it heals. I'm trying to figure out the best foods to eat to promote this kind of healing...suggestions anyone?

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From: [identity profile] sarcobatus.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-09 11:26 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-09 11:38 pm (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] realthog.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-10 12:36 am (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-10 12:38 am (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] realthog.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-10 12:40 am (UTC) - Expand

From: [identity profile] leethomas.livejournal.com


I hope you feel better soon. That sounds awful.

From: [identity profile] angelinehawkes.livejournal.com


Sounds scary, Ellen. I hope your leg heals real soon and you feel better! Glad the dr is fixing you up :)

From: [identity profile] ogre-san.livejournal.com


Maybe the unaboot will do the whole job. That would be even better!

Yes, I know, thank you Captain Obvious. :)

From: [identity profile] norilana.livejournal.com


Wow, Ellen, that sounds like you might need the same kind of wound suction vac my mom had to have for 4 months to heal her post-surgical abdominal wound that also got infected. A home care nurse had to come in every other day to change the wound dressing and re-attach the pump -- it's quite complicated and not something anyone can do. Good luck! Hopefully yours ends up being an easier solution!

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From: [identity profile] dr-phil-physics.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-10 03:36 am (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-10 03:46 am (UTC) - Expand

From: [identity profile] norilana.livejournal.com


Forgot to say, the wound suction vac thing is the size of a brick (and about 2/3rds the weight of one) and you carry it on a strap like a purse.

From: [identity profile] sarcobatus.livejournal.com


You poor girl. Hang in there. You had a near brush with something deadly and potentially life threatening, to have developed necrotizing fasciitis. People who are bitten by fiddler spiders develop similar wounds, lose a great deal of flesh to bacteria. It was good that your wound was caught in time.

From: [identity profile] charlesatan.livejournal.com


May the unaboot be effective and work miracles.

Take care Ellen.

From: [identity profile] neile.livejournal.com


Sending healing thoughts...

Glad you sound so good, and welcome home.

From: [identity profile] pds-lit.livejournal.com


Well, start healing already! :) [livejournal.com profile] sarcobatus is right about the multidophilus capsules. The antibiotics do screw with the flora and fauna of the intestinal system.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


I know I know. I'll be having yogurt for din din tonight.

From: [identity profile] cherylmmorgan.livejournal.com


Much relieved to hear that he didn't say, "OMG, what have those barbarians in London done to you?"

Hope it all goes well.

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


I brought Ellie with me in case he said --ewww, that's disgusting. Or "uh oh...." Words I've never want to hear in the context of my wound :-)

From: [identity profile] n5red.livejournal.com


Since I have recently had a skin graft that is almost healed (doc says another couple of weeks), I thought I would relate my experience. It was about the size of a quarter, or a bit larger on the back of my ear. The surgery was absolutely painless. My ear hurt for a couple of days. The stitches from the graft site started itching a week or so later, but not badly. For the first week of so, I could only sleep on my right side, after that I was able to sleep normally. Bandaging the back of my ear was a tedious process, but nothing more. It has taken longer than I expected to heal, but not longer than the doc expected.

So, if you wind up with a skin graft, it isn't all that bad. Since it is on your leg, you will probably keep it elevated and have all sorts of slaves bring you chocolate..

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


If it ends up quarter size I will be ecstatic. Right now it would be several inches across and down--too large for comfort.

Luckily I'm not all that much of a chocolate eater--but other goodies, perhaps. If only I could train the cats.

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From: [identity profile] n5red.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-10 12:26 am (UTC) - Expand

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From: [identity profile] eiriene.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-10 02:09 am (UTC) - Expand

From: [identity profile] martinlivings.livejournal.com


Oww... I hope it all heals up well! But I have to take back everything nasty I said about the NHS, after hearing that the London nurses phoned to find out how you were, that's incredibly sweet.

*wishes Wolverine-style healing powers upon thee*

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


Well, there certainly were problems of communication among doctors and patients and even within the different medical specialties.

From: [identity profile] drpaisley.livejournal.com


that certyainly sounds like a good prognosis. If you are in need of slave boys to carry you around at ConQuesT, just let us know and we'll get them rounded up.

From: [identity profile] realthog.livejournal.com



"Clean, no infection any more--pink and as Ellie and I agreed, looks exactly like a zombie took a bite out of my leg before the bad stuff sets in."

Hey! This sounds 'xactly like the hole in my leg I was left with after the surgeon (with Pam's cackling assistance) cut away a mass of necrotic tissue, back in July or so. I didn't get the offer of the med-impregnated pressure bandage thingie, though. It seemed to take forever to first fill in and then slowly heal over.

Next time we see you we can have a big scars-from-hole-in-appendage-comparison session! Fun fun!

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


I was wondering if it was similar.

Sounds good to me :-)

From: [identity profile] gillpolack.livejournal.com


This sounds good. Not comfortable, but good. May you heal well and quickly.

From: [identity profile] girliejones.livejournal.com


Wishing you a speedy recovery Ellen!!

Sending you good thoughts and healing wishes!

From: [identity profile] splinister.livejournal.com


Fingers and toes all crossed that the unaboot helps the healing process. You've got enough wattage from people beaming good intentions at you to light up a city block! It can't hurt. :)

From: [identity profile] ellen-kushner.livejournal.com


Welcome back! Can't *wait* to see your UNABOOT! Lotsa love for you and for that London nurse.....


From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


Thanks! It's not really a boot but a bandage--not exciting to look at--but if you'd like me to unwrap the bandage...you can see what a bite out of a leg looks like (just kidding, couldn't do it if I wanted to).

From: [identity profile] frostokovich.livejournal.com

Leg irons


You are going to look so right for the Poe book launch in Philadelphia. Maybe we could wrap you in a lot of bandages and you can pretend to be Madeline or Ligeia, fresh from the tomb...it's fun when it's fiction. It's lousy when it's not. Heal, my child.

Love,
greg

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com

Re: Leg irons


Ummm. My head was once wrapped to make a mask. It was icky.

Yes, my dear :-)

From: [identity profile] ellen-datlow.livejournal.com


I had a big hamburger for lunch and it was great. Is that why they've been running when they see me coming?

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From: [identity profile] vylar-kaftan.livejournal.com - Date: 2009-02-10 02:17 pm (UTC) - Expand
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