x5Cat
"I have had a complications. I could use some support or suggestions. So as you know I had my tailbone removed a month ago. It went well and it was my 83rd surgery. Fast forward to a week and a half ago. My husband helped me shower as I had a Dr's appt to go to. I felt like my lower back area was still wet and asked him to dry me better. Then as I felt that area I realized it was NOT water, it was a very oily substance and it was a dark brown/yellowish color. My husband noticed a long cut in my bottom area. A few mins later I realized it was my incision that had come apart. My Dr had used internal stitches that didn't have to be removed.
I emailed my Dr through the portal at Vandy and after multiple emails we settled on an appt that Fri, which was a week ago this past Fri.
After the dr's appt she said yes this was the incision that ruptured. She had a nurse put a wound vac on it. Had an in home nurse come to my house last Tues. The nurse had put it on wrong so it did NOTHING for 4 days! Was very frustrated. She tried to put it on right and it was so painful I could not even sit upright. So she took it off and the Dr said to soak Gauze in Saline Solution and put it in the wound. Then cover with a Dry dressing. So I have been doing that ever since. I have an appt with my surgeon this Tues April 1st.
Now yesterday Robert my hubby noticed it is getting much larger not smaller. I have been in extreme pain. Due to not being able to lay on my stomach well I've been bending over the bed for him to change it, but my elbows have to be under me as I can't stretch them up. Now I am having extreme pain due to being on the elbows.
Why can't they just sew this up? They put me on 2 strong Antibiotics which I just finished. But this thing does not seem to be better. It is much longer, deeper and wider than it was originally. Any suggestions? I need for them to at least try to repair this. I can't keep living in this pain!"
Hi
. This sounds like a terrible experience. I wish I could offer something helpful, but I honestly don't have experience with a wound that wouldn't close in this manner (Kelly never required specialty wound care). The question, which only you can answer, is can you make it until tomorrow for your appointment with the surgeon? You have extensive experience - trust your gut on whether to seek immediate care. I know Vanderbilt has a wound care center, so you are dealing with a facility that has experts. Don't hesitate to reach out to your doctors for guidance and, if you do decide to seek immediate care, let them know what steps you are taking so they can be prepared to consult/participate. Hopefully if there are others with experience they will chime in with thoughts, but I suspect you and Robert are your own best counsels. Hoping you get some answers and relief soon and please feel free to keep us posted. Best, Richard (Team Member) 
Well I was afraid to go to the ER given we already had this appt and involve one more person in the mix. Given I will see the surgeon who did the surgery tomorrow we just felt like it was better to stick with the original surgeon. The thing that worries me is it is getting bigger not closing up. It is STILL leaking with this tape they have Robert put inside so much that it leaked and ate all the gauze in the middle of the pad away! So it is NOT going in the direction they had hoped it would go. I am just tired of the "let's wait and see", nothing has gotten better only worse. I hurt like I am sitting on butcher knives to give you an idea of this pain. Because I am on so many meds they can't add anything. Their suggestion was add Tylenol lol Ok I am on 2 very strong Prescription Pain meds and like I told them I am on Tylenol anyway so I can't add more. lol Both Robert and I are just fed up because my skin is almost raw from taping and un-taping these huge gauze pads. The wound vac they put on it last week was the wrong one. The nurse said as deep as the wound is she didn't feel a wound vac was the appropriate course of action anyway. My elbow is just killing me from having to be on them so often to change the pads. I am at my wits in at this point. lol I will let you know what happens tomorrow.
I am set to see my pain Dr tomorrow, so my surgeon has sent a note to my Pain Dr to see about him doing steroid injections above the wound area to help with this pain. In the meantime I am to continue the 2 day packing and next Tues April 8th I go into the OR and I go back under and have her re-suture me up. She said I will go in and do outside stitches..LOTS of them and keep them in about 3 weeks so that they heal up more.
So that is the best plan I could ask for. I am glad she listened.