The Wound is looking better!

The home health nurse was just here on the boat.  She changed my VAC bandage, applying a NEW catch basin for 'juice' and a new sponge and surround wrap.

When she finally got the old bandage off she said, 

"Wow that looks great.  

It looks just like Ground Beef.  

Exactly what we want to see.  

Nice and RED and healthy."

Then she went on to compliment me on how well the wound has progressed in just this last week, since she was here.  I was so proud of my ability to heal.  I'm thinking of doing some Info-mmercials on how to grow skin.  Maybe I'll become the spokes person for the VAC system?  

(Secretly I'm hoping my scar is in the shape of a heart.  Hey, a guy has to dream!)

I hope your legs don't look like ground beef!

- Peg Leg Captain Skip

Medievil Torture Device or VAC?

I did a quick internet search to see if this VAC torture was something from the Middle Ages.  I guess I'm just feeling sorry for myself as it seems those techniques were somewhat worse....
The VAC is not without 'mild discomfort' but I'm not really suffering.  I managed to sleep better last night than that first night.  It's bad enough trying to get comfortable with a large gash on your leg, but now you have a tube, a machine and something sucking on your wound.  It definitely takes some getting used to.

This 'leg squeezer' is like the VAC sensation, only worse.  The VAC 

takes an open wound and slowly, continuously gently sucks and squeezes it.

Yikes!  glad I'm not being forced to suffer through this!!!

I hope your legs are perfect.  Capn Skip

Great Day - I got my V.A.C.

"VAC therapy is a medical device, system, that creates a vacuum.  Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a therapeutic technique using a vacuum dressing to promote healing in acute or chronic wounds and enhance healing.  This will help with new skin growth prior to doing a skin graft."

UPS brought my VAC to the marina today 

and the Home Healthcare Nurse installed it.

The battery control creates a suction to the wound via the hose and vacuum.  It feels like a massive leach sucking on the leg.  It's not very painful, but not pleasant either.  Every few minutes it makes little beeping noises as the machine adds new sucking force.  It's all set up by the Nurse so i'm not touching anything.

The thin hose is about 6' long, so i have to / get to wear the "Murse" everywhere.

I'm sitting here in the very cool salon with my leg up, growing skin as fast as I can.

Tuesday I go see the Plastic Surgeon again and we hopefully will schedule my graft.

Fingers crossed and legs up.    - peg leg Skip

THE A, to the C.

It's freezing down in here!

I can only write a second.  i need to go run turn up the air-conditioner.  I had Steve and Air Tight mechanicals on board today to replace my old crapped out AC water pump.  (the AC on a boat takes water from overboard and cycles it through the coils to cool.  It pumps the hot water back overboard) So when a water pump doesn't work, you dont get cool air.  You burn up your compressor and the unit shuts itself off with a beeping error message.  "E1" beep, "E1" beep, "E1" beep.....   till YOU turn off the unit and start sweating and swearing.  (yesterday in Stuart the temp was 92 with a feels like temp of 113)  We are experiencing very high temps - unusually high temps this week.  So my AC is pretty important to stay alive.

The old pump was barely even peeing over the edge of the boat,

 now it looks like an elephant who drank a six pack is unloading.

Thanks Steve and crew for all the help. (i stayed out of the way and watched)

It's freezing down in here now.  YUMMM!

Infrared Digital Temperature Gun Thermometer with Laser Point...  "the better to measure the salon temperature my dear."

- Skip the peg leg pirate

Hello...Meet the Plastic Surgeon

Today I met Lippy!  He's pretty cool.

Today i got to meet and 'work with' Dr. Lipschitz.  Did you know he is a Plastic Surgeon in beautiful Palm Beach Florida?  I think he can give me a beautiful beach body.  I expect to come away from this with all my beauty intact.  I'll have the legs of a ballerina.  (insert laughing emoji here)

Short version:  #1.) Have my home health care, Visiting Nurse Assn of Florida, attach a V.A.C. to my wound.  VAC therapy is a medical device, system, that creates a vacuum.  Negative-pressure wound therapy (NPWT) is a therapeutic technique using a vacuum dressing to promote healing in acute or chronic wounds and enhance healing.  This will help with new skin growth prior to doing a skin graft.

#2.) Meet again next Tuesday to check the site.  If continued improvement sustained, we quickly schedule and do the skin graft.  

#3.) After the surgery, keep graft immobilized, elevated above your heart, for a week. (you can get up to cook, eat, bathroom breaks.  otherwise stay off Leg.)

4.) Then, live happily ever after.  (honestly i dont know anything past that, but expect some time for healing to continue.)  Time will tell.

The Doctors visit today was pretty quick but not anywhere near as horrible as i expected.  Dr. Lippy was pleasant and spent lots of time to explain all the possible scenarios i should expect going forward.  He was pleased with the progress of the wound so far and optimistic we can keep to our tentative timeline.  I was thrilled to get out of the office with no pain and no tears!

I hope your legs are already beautiful 

and that you dont have any hideous scars.

-Peg Leg Pirate Captain Skip

Lynn, the question sister asks: "why is there no mention of Butt Wound care after the skin graft?" Frankly, i was so happy that i didnt get a lot of PAIN today that i forgot to even quiz him on the donor site.  GREAT QUESTION LYNN.   I'll put that one down for next week when i see him again.  

*If anybody else thinks of a good question, please ask it in the Comments.  

Thanks for...ahhhh........ 'covering my donor site.'

How is the leg?

  

I'm still on hold.  It's been two weeks of leg healing.  I sit down in the salon in the A.C.

This photo is down into the bilge and my water pump ---(on the back left) the pump that is SUPPOSED to feed the AC.  Instead i have the water hose sticking down through my roof, from shore into my AC and cooling me off.

I had an AC service company arrive today.  They are shipping a new pump for delivery tomorrow afternoon.  It wont take them long to exchange the worn out one and be back to 'normal.'  (whatever that means on a boat?)

I go in the morning to see the Plastic Surgeon.  he stood me up last week and now my appt is for 8:15am.  So i'll awake early and take pain meds.  I KNOW he will be in a hurry, rough, brusk, mean and very very painful.  (maybe i'm a little scared?)  I just hope that everything goes smoothly and the healing process moves along.  Maybe even speeds up some!

- Peg Leg Skip

How are your LEGS?

My Sister-in-law, 

Susan, my older brother Steve's wife, 

sent me a photo of her legs.  

They asked me to send them a photo of my wound....    Afterward, Susan wrote, "Steve grimaced and I totally would have cried and still would be crying. Of course my legs are prettier than yours! "

Well she's right.  My legs were never beautiful. Now i am going to have a Frankenstein scar.

Send me a photo of YOUR legs, and I'll post them here.

[L to R.]  Sister Lynn, the question sister, Dad, David, Lynn's husband.
Note: Dad's legs are wrapped like mine with compression bandages.  He's 89 and diabetic requiring the compression to combat poor circulation.  Both Dad and I go to a Wound Care facility.
His is in Searcy, and mine is in Stuart.

These are the very lovely legs of Gene Gould, 
computer tech extraordinaire.  Gene still works at PSAV, where i did for 27 years.  (I think you can see a keyboard and monitor in this shot, where he is probably doing some fancy heal tapping.)

Gary Garner sent this in last night.  Circa 1985'ish.

Similar shot to one i took back in April of this year.

Thanks for sharing - MORE?

authors comment:

i noticed Thursday night as i watched some relaxing TV, leg elevated above my heart, that i was NOT drinking my dad's root beer and yes, eating peanuts.  The irony is, my Dad loves peanuts.
So the oxymoron in this must be me?

Remember, it's not a beauty contest.  It's 'a lovely leg review!'

- Peg Leg Skip