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Thursday, January 19, 2012

I don't do puss

Really. I don't. Purulent discharge is one of the most stomach-churning things for me. I just don't do it. Today I had to get the one stitch removed from where the graft was taken from my IT band and, unfortunately, it is horrendously infected. I had no idea. I had steri-strips on the incision and there was no oozing whatsoever. As the doctor took off the steri-strips my incision area ripped open, and, it was green. I really thought that I could have taken this stitch out myself since I am a medical student, but there was just no way. She initially thought that she couldn't even get the one reinforcing stitch out because of the infection. But, she managed to wiggle the stitch loose and pull it out. It....hurt...so...much...:( Getting stitches out really doesn't bother me, but this was horrendous. In any event, she cleaned it out, and put a dressing on it and sent me on my merry way. I have to keep an eye on it, if it doesn't start to granulate in or if it is still oozing in a couple of days, I have to go back. I just so happen to start my doxycycline tomorrow (for cartilage formation); so we'll be using the antibiotic effects as well now.

I haven't ridden the bike yet today and I am very hesitant as I am afraid that the open wound on my hip will rip open. I am extra afraid since the entire area is numb and there would be no way for me to know that I had done so. Maybe I'll take it easy today? I dunno. This stinks (not literally, thank goodness). I have a picture, but I'll spare the gruesomeness.

Also, I can't sleep! I sit around worrying about my future and just lie awake. I think it is a combination of that the fact that I am researching for programs in which to do residency as well as the fact that I simply can't get comfortable. This coupled with the fact that I really want to completely eliminate my narcotics sends me into an insomniac state. Not cool.

So, I have four more stitches left in my hip which will be there for 1 more week and then I'll officially be stitchless! woot woot.

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