So I’m home right now after two recent surgeries. The next step – figuratively speaking – on my recovery is to close up a massive wound on the outside of my left foot. This wound still exists after various debridements and bone removals and infection cleanouts.
And now comes the latest in healing … a wound vac.
A wound vac is like a portable vacuum cleaner that attaches to the open wound in your body. Using negative pressure, the wound vac sucks out microparticles and contaminants in the wound area, and stores those contaminants in a plastic container. The connection from wound vac to the damaged area gets changed every two to three days, and a nurse monitors the size of the wound. Over time, the wound vac will allow healthy tissue to heal.
Last week, the nurse measured the wound on my left foot. It measured 8 centimeters long by 3.5 cm wide, with a depth of 0.3 cm.
Meanwhile, the wound vac sits next to me as it gurgles and ripples throughout the night and into the morning. I can’t take the wound vac off, but I can disconnect it for short periods of time (i.e., to shower, to go to the bathroom). But I can’t remain disconnected from the wound vac for very long – the wound vac has a little “tattle-box” in it, and if I’m disconnected for too long, I get a phone message to call a certain phone number and speak to a wound vac representative. In other words … they need to make sure that I’m using the unit properly and at all times.
The wound vac also has a battery-operated function, I could take the unit with me for a period of approximately eight hours – but for now, I’m limiting my trips outside home to doctor’s appointments. There’s no need to go anywhere else; I can get my groceries and sundries through delivery services; my laundry can still be picked up and dropped off at my porch; and I do have friends who can visit me and make sure I’m okay.
Yesterday, another nurse stopped by and changed the wound vac connection to my foot. She also measured the wound.
This time … the wound measured 7 centimeters long, and only 2.75 cm wide. This is a week’s worth of healing progress.
Now the wound vac won’t completely seal up the damaged tissue; but it will promote growth and healing. I’ll need another component in a few weeks – some sort of wrap or chemical or ointment or liquid or tincture or something to assist in the healing. But at that point, I may be able to go back to more functionality and freedom outside of home. And get back to a semblance of normalcy.
One day at a time. I can and will do this.
Just keep going.
Chuck The Writer 
Modern mechanical maggot machine.
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