DAY OF SURGERY
Done at the Outpatient Clinic. I had to arrive 1.5 hours before the
surgery to be prepped. After changing, all my vital signs were
recorded and I was set up in a bed. The anesthesiologist came over
and spoke with me about which types of anesthesia he would be using
and why - he answered any questions that I had and hooked me up to
an IV. When it was time for the surgery I was wheeled into the
Operating Room and moved onto another table, face down. I found this
to be the most unnerving part as the OR staff was all gowned,
covered and moving briskly to make ready. Once they started
positioning the lights I told the anesthesiologist that I was really
nervous and would like to be unconscious from here on in. He
complied immediately and the next thing I knew the surgery was done
and I was in the recovery room feeling a bit groggy.
From the records, the surgery took about 40 minutes. I was "out" for
just over an hour and was able to leave the clinic about 4 hours
after I had initially arrived. My lower body felt a little numb but
certainly in no pain. There was a huge bandage across the area where
the cyst had been removed. Just from looking at the size of the
bandage I was afraid of what I would find when it came off...
My instructions were to go home & rest. The first time I should
change the bandaging would be the next day. My friend brought me
home, fed me and tucked me into bed with a nice Vicadin. I did begin
to feel a little bit of pain at that point but the Vicadin kept me
pretty oblivious for most of the next 24 hours. Instructions were
"No driving for 3 days" (not that I was remotely interested in
sitting anyway..)
DAY AFTER SURGERY
Doctors instructions were to take 3 hot baths daily and flush the
wound out with the hand sprayer. The bandaging was changed each
time. I added a cup of Epsom Salts into the bath water each time.
The wound turned out to not be as huge as I thought, about 2.5
inches long and just about as deep, but it was really gruesome to
look at none-the-less. Not very much blood, which was a relief.
Instructions were to let it close from the bottom up and it needed
to be packed each time the dressing was changed. Packing involved a
smaller piece of cotton gauze, slightly moistened, inserted as deep
into the wound as possible. This is done to abrade the damaged
tissue from sides of the wound as it heals.
After a couple of days I began to notice a grayish-green goo inside
the wound. I was concerned that this was infection but found out
that it was something called exudate (which is a by product of
tissue healing) and one of the reasons for the packing the wound is
to remove the build up of the exudate. If the top portion of the
wound closes too soon without the bottom "filling in" an abscess can
result and this is where many of the horror stories about unhealed
wounds from this operation come from.
When cleaning out the wound I would use Q-Tips to scrape any of the
goo out that the gauze didn't get. Sitting was not an option for the
first couple of days. The only way to do so was to "lean" onto one
side or the other.
ONE WEEK LATER
By the end of the first week after surgery I could sit ok, but not
in positions that place pressure on the tailbone (talk about being
forced to have good posture and sit correctly like you mother always
bothered you about!). Driving was possible but not particularly
comfortable - 15 or 20 minutes was about all I wanted to drive,
after that point I really started to feel pain from the pressure
being placed on my tailbone. Sometimes I would go all day without
needing pain medication and sometimes (usually by bedtime) I was
really starting to want it. I could definitely see the wound getting
smaller inside and it was a bright red.
TWO WEEKS LATER
I return to the doctor for the first post-surgical check. I'm
healing well but need to be packing the wound deeper. Driving is
less painful and I'm using the pain medication only sporadically.
Sitting is fine (just watch that posture!). My muscles are feeling
achy from lack of use and from moving differently than they are used
to (walking a little slower, bending very carefully, etc...)
THREE WEEKS LATER
The wound is about 3/4 of the way closed inside. The outer area of
the wound is really starting to itch - a good sign of healing. I've
started putting a little bit of vitamin E around the edge of the
wound. Sitting & driving are not a problem and I've started doing
yoga again. I've also started taking short bike rides for 20 - 30
minutes a day, it feels very good to exercise and just get out and
MOVE after these weeks of inactivity.
FOUR WEEKS LATER
Only the top 1/4 inch of the wound remains unhealed. The edges are
healing in and the overall size is much smaller. I'm really hoping
that by the next week it will be in the final stages - the routine
of caring for this wound has gotten old really fast... I'm back to
full workouts of everything but fitness walking.
FIVE WEEKS LATER
Just the topmost layer remains to heal, the inner cavity is
completely closed. The remaining wound is about 1 inch long.
Important Note: I stopped being so careful about my diet for about a
week and noticed that the healing process slowed considerably. After
bumping my protein consumption back up to 50 or 60 grams a day I
notice a big difference in the rate of healing - pay heed to this if
you want optimum wound healing....
SIX WEEKS LATER
Another follow up visit with the doctor. He says that I'm healing
beautifully. I'm a little concerned that I'm feeling small twinges
of pain deep in my tailbone when I climb steps or when rising from
sitting in a chair. Doctor says it's probably just the new tissue
pulling as I become more active. I'm still nervous but there's
nothing to do but wait and see. The remaining wound is now about the
size of my thumbnail and in the final stages of healing over.
EIGHT WEEKS LATER
My wound is fully healed!!!
Total supplies I've gone through:
3 rolls of 3M Durapore first aid tape
10 boxes of Kerlix Bandaging Roll
about 1/2 small box of Q-Tips
2 cartons of Epsom Salts
4 MONTHS LATER
Still doing fine, no sign of recurrence. The wound does get a little
sore if I spend too many hours driving.
ONE YEAR LATER
All continues to go well, no sign of recurrence. I still feel
twinges deep in the muscle tissue of the healed wound like they are
pulling. The scar does get sore still if I spend too many hours
slouching in a chair with all my weight on my tailbone. Gotta learn
to stop that!
TWO YEARS LATER
Everything is still great! I still get occasional twinges in the
scar and still get sore if I put pressure on my tailbone area for
too long (still that same sitting problem...when will I learn?)
Otherwise, all is well!
FOUR YEARS LATER
Still going strong. Still getting
some tenderness in my scar, sitting wrong AGAIN! No Bump RX to
the rescue, takes care of it every time.
|
