Jedi Wound Care

Jedi Wound Care

Last night, there was a "scab" on my middle finger  MCP.  The skin around it was swollen and red.  It was hot to the touch.  I decided to use  non-stick gauze cover it and applied antibiotic ointment.

I've Been Slimed!

Two house later, I took a peak and there was - for lack of a better term, green slime.  I removed the dressing and prepared myself for a relaxing soak.

De-Sliming Protocol Engaged

I filled  bowl with warm water and hydrogen peroxide.  I soaked for about ten minutes.  The slime was drawn out by the warm water and the peroxide cleaned the tissue.  Note: Never soak in straight peroxide.  Always mix with water.  Ask your doctor or a wound care health practitioner at your next doctor's appointment for advice about soaking.  It's not that anyone is withholding secrets: Appointments have time limits.  Put this question on your list.

I soaked my hand for almost 10 minutes.  I took it out of the water frequently because I was curious and impatient.  That's how I made the time pass quickly.    When my hand was immersed in the water/peroxide solution, I could see the "slime" float away from the wound like wafting cigarette smoke.

When finished with my soak, I rinsed with sterile saline solution.  (Warm water will do if no saline)  I gently dabbed away remaining slime that was now yellowish-white, and allowed it to dry for about 45 minutes.

That's A Wrap People

It's not always possible, but after soaking if you can let the wound dry out before covering, skin is less likely to break down.  Don't sweat it if you need to cover it and go.  Just use non-stick gauze with no ointment to let the gauze absorb moisture.  Bring some ointment and supplies for a clean dressing change with ointment later.

Once the wound is dry, apply ointment to gauze straight from tube.  By applying to gauze, you are not compromising the ointment by applying directly to tissue, and you won't need to use a cotton swab.  A cotton swab to the wound may not sound "traumatic" but it has been my experience, the less I touch the wound, the better.

So, a dollop of ointment to the gauze, then apply tape to back of gauze and smooth tape gauze side down over wound.  If you have Colban (stretch it- you dont want it to be constricting.) or a thin way to wrap the wound, great.  I have uses a thin ankle sock with holes cut for fingers and thumb when I don't have something.   I roam around the house in tape & gauze, but when active, I wrap it for extra protection.

The Law of Attraction

I don't know about you, but when I have a healing wound, if I'm going to bump into something, I will bump it with my wound.  Yep.  I have tried to be more aware and cautious, but that only seems to make it more likely to bump or bang it into something.  I call it The Danger Prone DaphneEffect.  So, rather than fight it, I wrap it.  So, yeah, the sock is not crazy.  Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

And now, some before and after pictures.  Try not to be eating.  If you have question's please post them in comments.  If I don't know the answer, I will find one or send you to a source that could.  

See the hole? That is surrounded by tissue that was once swollen, then drained by soaking. Notice the redness around the tissue surrounding the hole. Never, ever puncture a wound. Soak it and let it drain. The implement used to "break" it will introduce bacteria that can make it worse. This picture was taken last night. The anatomical location is my middle finger knuckle attached to my hand or MCP. Still wondering, go to link provided for hand anatomy.

This morning: The tissue is not as yellow as it appears. I left these photos unedited because it did not help. The redness present last night around the swollen tissue is gone. The area is sore, but only if I press on it, not to the touch. It is also no longer "warm". When I removed the dressing this morning, the tissue was wet and beginning to break down, so I have left it to air dry this morning to allow my skin to regain some integrity before showering. After I shower I will let this air dry for an hour before rewrapping and setting out for my active day.

Hand Anatomy 

For more information about Scleroderma and related conditions, please visit:

Scleroderma Research Foundation

Scleroderma Foundation

Scleroderma Care Foundation

FESCA

The Raynaud's Association

Pulmonary Hypertension Association

Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation

And a word from our sponsor: Me

Votre Vu

Yes, It Looks Scary, but it Will Grow Back...

I've had a wound /ulcer /hole in my knuckle for a few weeks now.  I had an upswing and it looked like it was going to close, but there is still some icky drainage going on, so I made an appointment to see my doctor to have it looked at today.

I have to say, the hole was huge two  days ago, and now the hole is smaller surrounded by healthy tissue regrowing nicely.    Inside the hole it's just gross, but very clean and rarely oozing.  With all the experience I do have as a wound care Jedi, I am not a doctor, or in other words:  I still need to go before the Jedi Counsel.

For those of you experiencing ulcers from impact, calcinosis or Raynaud's, I'll post pictures of the wound progression in Pinterest.  These wounds can be scary and insanely painful- I don't have to tell you that.  I want to post them so you know that you are not alone.  When I got these back in 1996, not only could I not find anyone else who knew how to take are of them, I knew of no one else who had experienced the weirdness that is slow healing and puss as something that occurs normally.  Not that these wounds are normal.  I do have a choice to avoid them.  I live alone and I don;t like asking for help and I love to get  out and do things. I am willing to risk infection and pain caused by a an impact injury, than sit still.  Playing with my son and having adventures that risk my bumping my hands into something or by unpacking myself and having my home the way I want, outweighs the setback of wound care.  I have accepted it as a very painful inconvenience.  I get a sore, take care of it and roll with it as it heals.  I can focus on how much it sucks, or I can tale care of the wound and focus on life around me.  It took years for me to get here.

A few of my favorite things... and I don't feel so bad...

If you are new to these ulcers, learn to take care of them.  Ask for a referral to a wound care specialist. If you are ever in a hospital, ask your nurses to see if they can score you some Medicpore tape,  Colband and cause.  Yes, stockpile and squirrel away.  Never  turn down free wound care supplies when you can get them.  Saline solution is outstanding for  rinsing wounds.  Saline filled syringes can be reused to help rinse.  In another post I will unpack my first aid kit, but for now you will have to live with a tease of a picture, but I need to get going.  I am to go before the Jedi Counsel for guidance.

Have a great day everyone!

PS:  instead of being shocked over breakfast by my waving my wounds n your face, you can to Pinterest and click to see them.   They will be up Saturday, but connect with me on Pinterest if you happen to be there.

The bandages always make it look bigger than it really is.  This is quite comfy.