Hardware removal...be gone you nasty infection, be gone!!

April 8, 2013-Hardware Removal...seriously this time it will happen!

This time is was going to happen, no matter what. This infection seemed to just want to taunt me and my DR. It appeared when it wants to. I swear it had ears...As soon as it heard I was going to take a Friday off..it appeared. As soon as someone mentioned my Dr was going to be off, it appeared. As soon as my Dr was going to take care of it, it disappeared. This time not matter what, he was going to take care of it. Just in case it attached itself to the hardware, it had to go.

I got to UTMC this time bright and early. I had to be there at 5ish in the morning. As I was scheduled to be the first surgery for my DR at 7:30 AM. I got there, all prepped and all. My fav nurses were there, and they took great care of me, as usual. My Dr came in and explained everything. I tried to convince the Anesthesiologist that I did not need general, I still to this day to not think it was necessary...general anesthetic made me sick this time around too :-(.

My Hardware

Next thing I know it was over. I woke up in recovery with my proof of HWR, I got to keep my hardware. My Dr explained my surgery to my mom, and did not get to talk to me afterwards...Im sure I would not have remembered anyhow waking up from GA. I went home and recovered..I did end up emailing my dr that day who emailed me within minutes explaining my surgery, did I say my dr is awesome? because he is...lol I was back to work within 2 days after my hardware removal.

My pretty Post Op Splint

It all went very well. It was a lot easier of recovery than my initial surgery. I was expecting to be in pain, I was not. No pain pills were even needed. I did not even take any over the counter pain pills. I was able to be prepared. Prior to the surgery, and even before my non-HWR, I was able to prepare my house for my NWB period. I bought easy to prepare foods which were high in
protein and calcium. I had things made easier so I could easily get around on my knee scooter. I also practiced my crutches so I could use them in the house and leave me knee scooter out in my truck for work, and shopping.

I only had that post OP splint for a week. My Dr wanted to check my incision in a week to make sure the healing was going as planned. He  took off the splint and told me to keep the incision clean and wrapped. So I got to leave with ace bandaged. I did have promise to keep NWB, so my incision would heal. Also my HWR removal was still considered early, so I still had to be very carful. The next week, the stitches and staples got to go. I had stitches along the original incision. he has staples on another incision on the lateral side where I was having issues with pain. He cleaned both sides out during the surgery.  I was ok'ed to start weight bearing gradually.