Almost There…

Monday, August 3rd — Sam the Skin has done his job well and thoroughly, I am happy to report, although it didn’t turn out exactly as I expected. But then, what ever does?

There has continued to be a small (and getting always smaller) area of hypergranulated tissue that has stubbornly refused to lie flat and low. A couple more silver nitrate burns have brought it down pretty well. At last viewing, on Thursday, July 30th, it was only the size of my smallest fingernail! Even with this bump in the middle, the Apligraf has been able to bring the edges of the wound ever closer to each other. Now, instead of trying a third skin (Son of Sam??), they’re inclined just to wait and see if it’ll completely close by itself.

It seems pretty likely that  will happen; and I will find out tomorrow if it’s happening. It absolutely amazes me how the Apligraf has melted into my own skin around the edges of the wound… and it just keeps going! Once skin has grown over the top of the last little island, it will be very fragile for a while, and I’ll still have to be bandaged up.

Hopefully, it won’t be too long till I can go back to using the Velcro Circ-Aid. The advantage of that is that I can take it off at night and just cover the leg with a soft jersey sock. Air can circulate, and that ought to help strengthen the skin. The disadvantage is that I’ll need to have the Beloved Spouse help me put it on each morning: I can’t reach far enough down to the ankle to deal with the lowest straps, because of my tantalum-and-titanium hip joints. But I think we can manage it.

Anyhow, I have a feeling of anticipation and excitement: I’m ALMOST THERE! It will have been half a year, at least, from the time I fell and got the gashed shin in February (wound the size of a cell phone, remember) to the time the last little open bit is closed over. What a journey!

Happily, I am back to seeing the Seaside Chiropractic folks twice a week now. It’s not quite as good as three times a week; but I am regaining the progress I lost during the time my body has been putting all its energy toward healing the infection, and then the wound. It’s a lot to ask of an elderly body. I am so grateful that Dr. David Klein had gotten my spine and other assorted joints into as good shape as they were when all this began!

Well, we shall see tomorrow if it’s completely closed, or still Almost.

Thanks for reading — Betsy