It's been established. I'm losing my mind. To the detriment of my kids, no less.
After the last surgery for Big Boy's broken arm it was placed in a half cast that we could remove after 48 hours and start rehab on the arm.
It looked sick when we unwrapped it, but healthy. Gross but healthy, does that make sense? The incision was healthy but around it in the perfect shape of an oval was a rash. Not bad, but definitely there. He must have been allergic to something applied during surgery, some sort of topical treatment or latex or adhesive.
Anyway. After getting him to move the joint and giving him a shower without having to bag it (yay!!) we re-wrapped the arm in the half cast.
This is where we ran into a small snafu. Neither his dad nor I remembered the order of the dressings. There were three parts:
Protective sleeve/sock thing.
Half cast.
Ace type bandage.
Welp, we figured it out. So we thought.
The next few days we noticed the oval area seemed to be getting more inflamed. So strange. It was itching and red and swollen with blisters that were generally...weepy. Ew.
Finally I called the Dr. and he had us come in so he could look at it. He affirmed that it was a reaction of some kind to a special adhesive spray they use at the end to help seal the incision.
Everything was fine, we just needed to leave it alone. Okey doke.
He then proceeds to redress the arm in the half cast.
And there's where I see that I have, indeed, lost my mind.
We had been wrapping it wrong. We were putting the protective sleeve/sock on around the half cast, thinking the half cast was held in place by the sock. Then we wrapped it all in the Ace bandage.
Apparently...the protective sock goes on by itself and then the half cast. Then the Ace.
Now I can see why that damn allergic reaction was getting worse. The scratchy felt covering on the half cast was agitating the reaction spot.
So, yeah, the poor kid was suffering for like 3 or 4 days because we were wrapping his arm wrong. I mean, granted, the allergic reaction was there to begin with, but we did nothing to help it go away.
If you were to look at his arm now you wouldn't notice the incision, which is very healthy and not noticeable, compared to the major scabbing in the shape of that oval where he had the reaction.
So.
Yeah.
I rock.
After the last surgery for Big Boy's broken arm it was placed in a half cast that we could remove after 48 hours and start rehab on the arm.
It looked sick when we unwrapped it, but healthy. Gross but healthy, does that make sense? The incision was healthy but around it in the perfect shape of an oval was a rash. Not bad, but definitely there. He must have been allergic to something applied during surgery, some sort of topical treatment or latex or adhesive.
Anyway. After getting him to move the joint and giving him a shower without having to bag it (yay!!) we re-wrapped the arm in the half cast.
This is where we ran into a small snafu. Neither his dad nor I remembered the order of the dressings. There were three parts:
Protective sleeve/sock thing.
Half cast.
Ace type bandage.
Welp, we figured it out. So we thought.
The next few days we noticed the oval area seemed to be getting more inflamed. So strange. It was itching and red and swollen with blisters that were generally...weepy. Ew.
Finally I called the Dr. and he had us come in so he could look at it. He affirmed that it was a reaction of some kind to a special adhesive spray they use at the end to help seal the incision.
Everything was fine, we just needed to leave it alone. Okey doke.
He then proceeds to redress the arm in the half cast.
And there's where I see that I have, indeed, lost my mind.
We had been wrapping it wrong. We were putting the protective sleeve/sock on around the half cast, thinking the half cast was held in place by the sock. Then we wrapped it all in the Ace bandage.
Apparently...the protective sock goes on by itself and then the half cast. Then the Ace.
Now I can see why that damn allergic reaction was getting worse. The scratchy felt covering on the half cast was agitating the reaction spot.
So, yeah, the poor kid was suffering for like 3 or 4 days because we were wrapping his arm wrong. I mean, granted, the allergic reaction was there to begin with, but we did nothing to help it go away.
If you were to look at his arm now you wouldn't notice the incision, which is very healthy and not noticeable, compared to the major scabbing in the shape of that oval where he had the reaction.
So.
Yeah.
I rock.
22 comments:
I'm so sorry that poor kid but it's funny because it's something Tyler and I would do!
In your defense, it's not like you had written instructions on how to do it. You had absolutely nothing on your mind when you were told how to rewrap the arm, nothing at all (like whether he would be OK, the arm would work again, you know, stuff like that).
I would have trouble remembering in circumstances like that, that's why I have Nick. He's the one who has to remember.
I do stuff like that all the time. Now I try to remember to take photos of things before I dismantle because I know I'm not going to remember how it's redone. Glad it's healing nicely.
Oh I'm sorry, I must have missed the post that described your time in medical school!!!!
It is not your job to know that kind of stuff. It is your job to take care of your son, which you do very well.
At least you got it figured out eventually though!
Well how were you supposed to know? Last I knew, you weren't a nurse.
I do the same thing. I take something apart thinking the whole time I need to remember how to put it back together. And within seconds I can't remember. It's very frustrating. But he is doing good, I think that basketball hoop sure helped bring the use of his arm back. :)
Your kid is a rock star for handling that with aplomb. And ya know...live and learn! You didn't make it worse, just a little more irritated. I'm glad he's healing!
UGH! That sucks. Glad he's doing better now.
Oh man! But you didn't know. I totally know I would be the same way as you. It will get better. So sorry. :(
Things like that have happened to all of us a time or two! Sounds like he's handling it like a champ, though! :)
I hope you have a wonderful week, hun!
Indeed you rock Mimi! I wouldn't have handled that well if it were me. Glad everything is turning out okay.
LOL! Oh you poor woman! I hope you didn't say a SINGLE word to that doctor about how you were wrapping it!
Poor little man! I'm so glad he's better.
That could have happened to ANYBODY. In particular, me! Totally innocent.
And yay for not having to bag it!
too many things to worry about it all...you will find your sanity again. maybe while on vacation!
Bummer! But yea- like you said the reaction was already there and it's getting better now.
Glad he is doing better.
I would have done the same thing.
At least you got the right appendage. It wouldn't surprise me to be telling this story myself and say I wrapped the wrong leg.
Its healing
Give yourself a break!
Yikes! I have to tell you that the rash that I get from the adhesive spray is way way worse than the incision! Hope it calms down a bit.
Girl, this could have happened to anyone! But it made for a great blog post! See? Win/Win Well, maybe not for K.
Darlin', how were you to know? You were doing the best you knew how to do with what you'd been given. So yeah. I'd say you rock! :)
I do stuff like this all the time, but I also think people assume we should know exactly how to do things and don't properly give directions. Or maybe they do and I just ignore them. Very likely.
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