Since my last blog, I had mentioned how the Surgical Center in NOLA was trying to coordinate wound VAC care on Maui. The two facilities mentioned in previous blog would not take me on as a patient, however the Surgical Center did find a wound care specialist with Venture Physical Therapy here on Maui that took me on as a patient. I am forever grateful to the team in Louisiana for searching high and low for someone that allowed us to return to Maui for my recovery.
Originally I had six drains from the March 1st surgery. Four of the drains were removed 2 weeks post-op, leaving the two on my hips. Traveling with the drains was interesting, but now add on a medical device and it gets interesting. I was also required to wear a compression garment, with ABD bandages padding the drainage tubes and scars around my waist. Let’s just say that I had a private pat downs at the airports getting thru TSA.
Since I have been back on Maui, I have been seeing Terri with Venture P.T. three times a week for wound VAC dressing change, the Jackson-Pratt drains have been maintained by my husband. The WV can be disconnected for two hours daily to allow me to shower. In case you are wondering if it takes two hours to shower? Yes it does. having these tubes connected to your body and wearing a compression garment made it so it was a whole production to shower. The compression garment had to be undone for about half hour prior to a shower to avoid getting dizzy(we learned the hard way). The tubes then had to wrangled on a rope around my neck, they could not just dangle from my body. After showering, the drains, which I named “Bonnie and Clyde” were treated and padded and the compression garment was back on. Then the wound VAC, which I named ” Al Capone” was reconnected and turned on.
Above the tubes with blue are the drains, that are attached to right and left hips. The WV tube is the one that is just below the left breast. With each dressing change, the entry point placement is moved to allow my skin to recover from the adhesive tape. Quite an ordeal, my skin was not liking the tape!
I have been wearing a compression garment and have had the drainage tubes since the March 1st surgery. The wound VAC has been attached to me since March 28th! With that being said, I am now “decompressed and free”! I was given the ok to have the drainage tubes removed on Thursday May 11th! On Mothers Day, the wound VAC was discontinued and we switched to a topical dressing! Last week was a test for discontinuing use of the WC, the decision to keep it off was made on Thursday the 18th!!!!
The left breast flap that detached from my body warranting the surgical debridements and the use of a wound VAC, is not completely closed up. However, it is now to the point where a topical dressing will suffice, so I continue to see Terri with Venture P.T. My first visit with Terri was on April 15th. the open wound measured about 17cm wide and almost 3cm in height, I do not remember the depth. Today the wound is 6cm wide, and under 2cm in height, with the wound being flush to the skin. Wound VACS are cumbersome but amazing !
I am going to stop, I did not intend for this to be so long…Mahalo for reading my blog and for all the get well wishes and prayers.
Much ALOHA, Pina
The picture of me above was taken at The Hotel Wailea, which is where I was treated to breakfast for Mother’s Day by my son-in-law and daughter. We laughed because my shirt matched the orchids!
My Breast Cancer Journey 