98 % Good News, 2% News I Didn’t Want To Hear

So I went to my doctor yesterday to see how the healing of my wound was progressing. It was 98% great news and 2% news I didn’t want to hear.

First, the nurse was amazed. They always measure the width, length and depth of the wound. She kept remeasuring and going back and forth to enter the info into computer. Then another nurse comes in and is watching and finally asks “Are you doubting your measurements?” The other nurse says no but she goes on to say that the amount the wound has healed in two weeks is amazing, almost magic. The other nurse, my personal favorite of the nurses in the wound center, puts a big smile on her face and says something to the effect of “I love magic healing,. It’s the best!” Personally, I’ll take healing anyway I can get it.

After doing a little cleaning of the wound the nurse goes and gets my doctor and lets him know I’m ready for him to see me. A few minutes later the doctor comes in, sits down and inspects the wound. He does some debreedment and then looks at me and the nurses and says “This is really good. The amount the wound has healed is astonishing for a two week period.” At this point I’m almost giddy. I’m loving what the doctor is saying. It gives me hope and makes me feel like I will be able to get a prosthetic and walk again. So I begin to ask the doctor about a shrinker which would be the next step towards getting a prosthetic.

A Shrinker is an elastic sock that is made to control swelling, promote healing and assist in shaping your amputated leg. This will allow for a more consistent fit of your prosthesis (artificial leg).

The doctor interrupts me and says I think you should call and make an appointment to get the shrinker and the whole process of getting a prosthetic going. This was music to my ears. I looked over at my wife Sharon and she was smiling ear to ear. The nurses were all smiles and the look in my doctors face confirmed that the progress was great news

So that’s the 98% good news. I will be calling the prosthetic people on Monday to get the shrinker and set in motion the process of getting a new leg. I’ll have to ask if they have any bionic models that can make me run faster, jump higher and tap dance.

Now for the 2% news I didn’t want to hear. On the way out I asked if they had a scale I could use to see how much I weighed. They did and the nurses assistant wheeled me over to it. (The nurses assistant is my absolute favorite person at the wound center. She is the funniest, most upbeat and politically incorrect person you could meet.) Once on the scale it came back with my weight. I wasn’t happy with the result. It said I weighed 183 pounds. We’ll adjust that number down to 180 to take into account my shoe and the stump protector I wear. This is not a good weight for me. I’m 6’4″ and haven’t weighed this little since I was 14. I knew it wasn’t going to be a number I would like. With all I went through, the hospital stays, severe sepsis and finally the amputation, I had lost so much weight that I look frail. The amount of muscle mass I lost is very concerning to me. For the first four months of this year I had absolutely no appetite and it shows.

I’m thinking I probably got down to 150 or 160 but I have since been putting weight on. I have my appetite back, I’m exercising and trying to build up muscle again. Sharon has been going out of her way to make sure I eat and eat alot both carbs and the all important protein for the wound and muscle growth. Lots of protein.

I have to be honest. I’ve lost so much weight I don’t like looking at myself in the mirror. I’m embarrassed with myself. But that is also what helps motivate myself to get better and change back to the old me, actually to a better me.

All things considered I’m pretty damn happy with how things are going. 😁