Friday, February 03, 2006

Pressure Sores update

Wound Care Nurse - check.

The wound on Tom's calf is looking really well. Its nearly level with the skin, and hopefully will heal up completely really soon.

The spot on his rear is getting smaller, but there is still necrotic tissue in it. So, we've added Calcium Alginate to the existing treatment. This Alginate should loosen the dead tissue and make it come out. By doing this, the wound will be able to close up eventually. Until the dead tissue is gone, the wound will not heal.

In the process of the nurse changing the dressings, I noticed a red spot on Tom's left heal. Great! (Note the sarcasm, please) This still blanches, which means its not a huge problem yet. But, we now have to keep a close eye on that, too. This spot has occurred because of Tom's spasms, we've decided. His heal rubs across the sheets, creating a rug-burn type mark. So, we must find a way to prevent this. We've put a clear bandage on this spot to help prevent shearing. Hopefully this will stop this spot from turning into an open wound.

We can't wait until Tom's Medicare kicks in. Then, hopefully, they'll see the need for Tom to get a low air loss mattress, and prevent some of these little devils.

Okay. Off to work, again.

3 comments:

Dixie said...

I keep my husband's heels completely off the bed. I have a piece of foam rubber that's the width of the bed and about six or eight inches wide that I have covered with cotton tricot stuff and a medical sheepskin that his lower legs rest on and his heels hang free. A thinner piece of foam rubber also covered with tricot goes between the footboard and the balls of his feet to keep them in a flex position. They also make these sort of heel booties with fleece inside to protect heels.

We just use a regular cold foam mattress and use these medical foam rubber pillows to keep him sort of suspended. There are the ones I described plus one that's under his rear with a tapered hole cut in where his bottom sits sort of hanging free (it's covered with a fitted crib sheet and one of those disposable absorbency pads), another tricot covered foam rubber plank that supports his lower back and his shoulders do rest on the actual mattress.

What y'all need to do is going to depends on Tom's particular needs but don't be afraid to improvise until you get the right combination.

Mikki Marshall said...

They also make special boots, (which I wear in bed) that keep the feet protected.
Here are what Miss Dixie's referring to
http://www.sammonspreston.com/Supply/Product.asp?Leaf_Id=929165

Many people take baclofen for spasms; I had the same problem.

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