Need some Prayers

So I just got back from the dr and I need your prayers. I am shocked, stunned, upset, empty...blah blah blah. Turns out that my bandage should have been removed a week ago. No one took it off a week ago or told me that! When they took it off today, they said the site looked good but they didn't like the little bit of "oozing" that came out. They cultured it to see if it is infected. Seems I should have left the hospital on an antibiotic as well. No one gave me one so haven't been on one! My mouth dropped open and still hasn't closed. They said worse case scenario is that there is an infection, then they take the pm out, let me heal and then put another one in! I CANNOT GO THRU THIS AGAIN!!!!! Why wasn't everyone on the same page at discharge? I am on an antibiotic now...I just hope it's not too late. Please pray for me......pray for no infection. Please...please.
God bless,
Thanks,
Wendy

10 Comments

you got it

by Tracey_E - 2009-09-17 04:09:43

Consider it done! Praying the antibiotic does its job. When do you go back?

I've had three pm's now and never taken an antibiotic so it's not surprising you were sent home without it, not all drs prescribe them. If it makes you feel any better, we've had a few members with infected pockets and redness, puffiness, streakiness, heat- those are all things that lead up to removing the pm, not a site that generally looks clean. You should be fine!

prayers are with you

by aldeer - 2009-09-17 04:09:49

My thoughts and prayers are with you. I was not sent home with an antibiotic either and did fine. My youngest daughter once told me when I was upset as you are, "Mom, let's cross that bridge when we come to it".. so Wendy, we are praying and try not to be upset. If it is necessary for another pm, you can go thru it. Lots of luck and best wishes.....aldeer

Poor Thing

by ela-girl - 2009-09-17 05:09:16

Hi, Wendy.

So sorry for all your frustrations. I cannot even imagine. I WAS sent home on an antibiotic and to my enjoyment...turns out I am SEVERELY allergic to it. Fun fun. So, I had this new pm to get used to and had to treat all the problems from the antibiotic.

I agree with Aldeer's daughter's advice. Trust the antibiotic you're on now to do its job. No reason to fret over something that may not come to be.

Wishing you the best!
ela-girl

Hang In There!

by scadnama - 2009-09-17 06:09:19

Hi Wendy!

So sorry that you are having to go through this. :(

I also was not sent home on antibiotics after 2 pacemaker surgeries...one of them was even combined with open heart surgery, and no antibiotics.

I think your doctor is probably just being extra cautious. Since they don't want to see you again until Tuesday, I am guessing that things must not be too bad.

Just try and relax this weekend and take it easy. Hopefully your site will heal up normally soon and you can put all of this behind you.

We are all rooting for you!
Amanda

UGH

by wenditt - 2009-09-17 06:09:52

Thank you all for your thoughts. I suppose it's much easier to go to worst case scenario lately as I have just lived through it having to get the pm in the first place! I was just in such shock!

The site looks good, clean line, no puffiness or redness. Just the end where the line didn't "seal" all the way. I just hope this tiny little spot doesn't turn into a huge crisis.

I go back on Tuesday to have them look at it again...and to get the results of the culture. Wondering if they were REALLY concerned about an infection...would they make me wait all the way until Tues?

positive

by countryriders2 - 2009-09-17 07:09:23

Our prayers are with you. stay positive and keep some positive people and vibs around you. love diane

Hi

by Gellia2 - 2009-09-17 07:09:34

That sounds exactly like what happened with my first pacemaker. I had a ton of bandages, was sent home, and no one told me a thing. When I took them off, I had what looked like a little pimple at the very end of the incision.

What did I know? All I did was keep it clean and treat it like what it looked like. A pimple. By the time I went to my dr for my check up, it was mostly healed.

Oh, yeah. That was 34 years ago.

I'm hoping you will do as well!

Best to you,
Gellia

best wishes

by lamoureternelle - 2009-09-17 09:09:25

not really related to your case, but here what i experienced after i got my pm. a few hours after the procedure i had a mild fever, upon which they (hospital staff? my doctor?) put me on antibiotics. had 3 dozes before they let me out. my doctor told me that the site was covered up with epoxy and may eventually peel off on its own, but not to be peeled off by hand. no more antibiotics after that until a week later (that was something else, another story). by the time i went to check with him (10 days after procedure), i saw a bit of fluid come out from under the epoxy film. he saw the site and proclaimed: beautiful! and not to worry about the fluid.

so i hope yours is ok too. bon courage, as people in france would say.

Fingers Crossed

by wenditt - 2009-09-17 09:09:53

Thank you everyone. I have relaxed a bit since coming home and I am trying to be positive. I do remember getting 2 IV bags of antibiotics in the hospital though...at least I think that's what they told me. So hopefully all is fine.

I did get my interrogation report. Used the pm 1% of the time while I've had it (7 days) and it was while I was sleeping...so I guess that's a good thing.

Also got the ok to drive and go back to work on Tuesday-after full round of antibiotic is in me...I work with little children.

Thanks again everyone! Going to bed tonight thinking only good/healing thoughts.

Antibiotics

by ElectricFrank - 2009-09-18 12:09:48

The cardiologist that did my implant gave me an antibiotic drip about 15 minutes before going to surgery and then followed it up with another one 15 minutes after. This seems to be an alternative to being given one orally to take for several days.

It also seems like (its been 5yrs) that I had one little area of the incision that took a bit longer to heal. I just put a regular band aid over it with some Neosporin OTC for a couple of days.

frank

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