The Evolution of My Wound

Here's a recent picture of Ellie, looking super cute!

Yesterday I was (finally!) released from Wound Care.  My c-section incision is officially healed (enough), after 8 months, 3 weeks and roughly 8 hours. It is such a huge relief.  That incision has been a part of me, like another (unwelcome) family member for the past 9 months!

I cannot possibly thank everyone enough for the love, support, and prayers I've received over the past several months as I've struggled to heal and get through this difficult time.  I have really felt a tremendous amount of love and support from my family and friends, and am so lucky to have so many wonderful and caring people in my life. 

I thought I would share with you the evolution of my wound, but I must warn you that if you are squeamish, or don't like to look at gross things, you might want to think about skipping this post.  I won't be offended.  Some pictures are upside down because I was generally taking the pictures while laying down, and that's how my iPhone did it.  I tried flipping them around before posting, but some wouldn't save right side up. 

I didn't think to take pictures of the wound until September, so this is about 2 months after Ellie's birth (which was on July 14).



Middle of September -- The one on the left is 3cm X 1.5cm X 3.3 cm (length X width X depth); The one on the right is 3.5 X 1.8 X 2.8; A tunnel connects them under the section of healed skin on the top

Early October -- After we stopped using the Wound Vac -- both wounds are about 1 cm deep here, but there is still a tunnel connecting the two under the surface

Mid-October -- So you can see it with a ruler and get an idea of the surface size

Right around Halloween, progress stalled around this point and my measurements stayed pretty much the same for several weeks in a row

Around the end of November, it all the sudden got so much better, but I still had that tunnel connecting the two holes under the surface

 

December didn't bring about much change.  I was supposed to have the deep wound debridment surgery right before Christmas, but developed a mastitis in my right breast the day before.  I had a temperature of 102.2 in pre-op, so got IV antibiotics instead of surgery. 

 

January brought about some major changes -- the tunnel started to close up, and the wound on the right was healing (you can actually see the bottom of the wound in the picture on the right side)

 

 Early February -- Progress continued, and the tunnel completely closed up

 February 14 -- Happy Valentine's Day to me!  My measurements were deeper this week, and I was in a lot of pain.  My Wound Care doctor numbed the wounds (that's where the bruising came from) and got some really good tissue samples.  Those showed an anaerobic bacterial infection and an OSSA staph infection.  I went back on antibiotics and...

 

 The wounds started closing in March!!!

 By the end of March I was measuring a 0.1 cm depth on the right side, and 0.2 cm depth on the left. 

 

When I went to the doctor yesterday (April 5) this is what he saw -- 0.0 cm depth!  And, the surface is closed all the way too. 

 I've been released from Wound Care and can resume normal activity as long as it doesn't cause me pain.  The nerve endings will continue to come back, so the area will likely be tender and sore for several more months. 

 

So there it is, in all of it's glory.  My c-section wound from almost completely open at 2 months post-partum to healed at almost 9 months post-partum.  Now, I am in no way a typical case (I tend to be a medical mystery), but I urge women to avoid a c-section unless absolutely medically necessary.  The risks of the surgery are just so great. there is no way to predict what will happen.  (I'm not talking about women who HAVE to have a c/s, I'm talking about those that WANT one because they want to schedule their births, or are afraid of labor pain -- elective c/s).  This has effected me in ways I probably don't even know yet.  I've been in chronic pain, suffered from post-partum depression, put great strain on my marriage, made work difficult, and worst of all, not been able to care for my daughter as well as I should have been for almost her entire first year.  If this can happen to me, it can certainly happen to any other mother.