I found out in mid 2010, that I had a painful infected bump on my butt. At that time when I went to see a doctor and have it drained, I was told it was a carbuncle. It was drained, all was great, or so I thought.
Fast forward to four years later. The same painful and infected little bump came back in the same spot. I thought it was nothing since I had recently given birth to a beautiful little girl. I didn’t have it drained then, since I didn’t have any insurance to see a doctor. I was checked into the emergency room, found out that it wasn’t a carbuncle, but in fact a pilonidal cyst and was given some antibiotics. Everything eventually went away and life as a new mother was all gravy (I’m from the Southeastern part of the United States, southern Georgia to be exact, and we all just happen to love gravy.)
Two years after it last went away, I was doing something and I had shooting pains in my butt every time I tried to sit down. It got so bad, I had my husband carry me to the emergency room. I still didn’t have any insurance at that time, but it was drained and packed with gauze, I was given some antibiotics and pain medication, and was told to schedule a follow-up appointment with a doctor who specializes in cyst treatment and removal. Well the next day I called the doctor I was told to follow-up with, and because I had no insurance, they refused to see me even though I was an ER referral and my local hospital will pay for 2, not 1 but 2 follow-up appointments for whichever type of doctor necessary. So I had to unpack it myself (which made me sick by the way), and just hope for the best. It eventually went away and I didn’t have any problems until earlier this year.
I finally, after years of being uninsured, I can excitingly say I have the much needed health insurance that I had desperately been trying to get ever since my daughter was born in 2013. It was 2017 when I got my insurance. I was able to get an appointment made with my PCP and she scheduled me an appointment with the same surgeon who had removed my gallbladder back in January, (I want to say it was the middle of April 2018 when my cyst pain returned as well as the annoying abscess that comes as an unhappy tag along gift.) I was given some antibiotics to help clear up the abscess and make it to where it would rupture on it’s own, my doctor didn’t want to drain it since I had already had it drained twice. It ruptured as planned while my husband was out fishing with his boss at the time. After it was all cleared up, my appointment with the surgeon was right around the corner. I met with him and he told me he could remove it, but there was a 50/50 chance of it coming back, and that I would not be able to sit on my bottom for 7-10 days.
Not thinking clearly, I said, “sure let’s continue on with plans for it’s removal, I know and understand the probability and am willing to take that gamble.” Surgery was planned and I had time to mentally prepare myself. Surgery date rolls around and I go to the hospital for my surgery. Everything goes smoothly and according to plan. The one thing I didn’t factor in was being equipped with a JP Drain. It was strange, disgusting and an utterly forign thing for me to wrap my head around.
Almost one week post-op, I had my first follow-up appointment with my surgeon. He removed the drain and told me to be careful about going on with my life since the bottom half of the inscision was starting to scab over. I was told not to sit unless I was in the car going to doctor appointments or using the bathroom, but I could lay on my back, which was a relief for me since I had been stuck laying on my right side and stomach. I ended up going to the emergency room that next night because I started leaking and I thought the worst. I was convinced my inscision had busted open and that I would be stuck doing wound care, which nobody wants.
At the hospital, I was told it was infected, was given some antibiotics and was sent on my way. My husband stayed home from work the next day and it completely threw me off, so I forgot to call the surgeon. The next day was Friday, and I called as soon as the office opened up. While speaking with the nurse, she told me that what was leaking out was completely normal and that everything was fine. Her recommendation to help keep my undergarments free from this fluid, was to use feminine hygiene sanitary pads and to change it out 3-4 times a day and to shower a few times to help keep things clean. I discovered that I can lay on my back and left side, but my back not for long before becoming unbelievably uncomfortable.
I am still having leakage, and that alone is very inconvenient and uncomfortable. I have told my friends and family that this has been my biggest mistake in a long time, and that I would not have surgery unless it was a life or death situation. I have not been able to deal with uncomfortable car rides and uncomfortable sleeping positions. I will return to the surgeon in 2 days time, (I go back Monday, June 3, 2018 to have the stitches removed.) I have still been taking the antibiotics that were given to me at the emergency room, and I plan on taking them until they are completed. I just hope and pray that everything heals like it should, I am not a very religious person, so that means quite a bit if I am hoping and praying everything is fine.