Vac Be Gone!

The Japanese Maple buds are now transforming to leaves!

We had a successful, though not entirely satisfying, visit to the Wound Clinic today. The tunnel remained at the same depth as on the previous two visits. We confirmed the radiologist had read and commented on Skip's x-rays as if we were looking for evidence of osteoporosis rather than osteomyelitis. A nurse in the clinic will speak with the infectious disease doc to have him request another reading so we can find out if there's anything worrisome in the pictures.

The best part of the visit was the removal of the wound vacuum. We're taking a "vac holiday" that may become a vac retirement. From the plastic surgeon's perspective, the value of the vac has diminished, and it's time to move on to another therapy. Also, Skip's skin around the wound is starting to get irritated from the continuous covering with tegaderm. So, they packed the tunnel with an anti-microbial tape, put some gauze on the outside and it was done. We'll still have a nurse come every other day to change the dressing, but it will be much easier and quicker than the changing of the vacuum's sponges and drape.

Skip is quite pleased that she will no longer have to hear the vacuum gurgling 24 hours a day, as it has been for the last 4 months. (At night, our bedroom is alive with white noise from the vac, the air blower for her mattress and a fan. This is good for me to help drown out some of my tinnitus.) It definitely was a valuable tool in the wound healing process, but we're not sad to see it go.