Lower leg wound

Sparklefizz

karmalady That is shocking!

I am shocked to the core, my sister told me of her experience as did some of the older ladies at my craft group. It has really hit home. We oldies are now considered to be the expendable dregs, it is awful.

We do what we can for ourselves but that bit of extra help is needed at times

Good to know you did at least get a few hours sleep in your chair last night. Hope your home help sorts your fridge out for you and can retrieve food from your back up freezer. You must feel very lonely at the moment and do keep posting to let us know how you get on . 💐💐

you poor thing if you are near ludlow i would willing come and help you

ferry23 I am so sorry you're going through all this. It's so hard when we live alone. I hope your home help person makes life easier for you.

karmalady That is shocking!

Thank you karmalady and everyone else who has responded.

I can't tell you what a difference all your replies made last night - I really was very down in the dumps.

I slept in an armchair covered with my heated blanket and my leg elevated on my own makeshift device of a pouffe with three cushions on it - I couldn't risk going to bed and the covers pulling all these damn bandages down even further. I did manage to sleep for about 5 hours on and off so better than nothing.

We apparently do have district nurses here but I'm predicting a battle to try and get one out to me and I just can't face it this morning.

I have arranged for a private (£££ ) home help to come in for an hour today. My fridge is full of festering leftover Xmas food and I can't even get outside to do the rubbish or get any food from my back up freezer in the garage. The box of empty Celebrations (bar the toffees) is still on my lounge floor from Boxing Day along with everything else I've managed to drop over the last couple of weeks.

This getting old lark is a bundle of fun

I have been thinking of you Ferry23

I live in a small old market town, we do not have any district nurses, none at all. People who need a dressing changed are in real trouble, no-one will come to change it and many don`t have a car

Even if someone can get to the surgery, they will no longer even remove stitches

This sounds like Lymphodema and that you also have cellulitis which is painful and dangerous as it can lead to Sepsis. It causes the skin to split and your leg/s will leak.

Find out if there is a Lymphodema clinic in your area.
.
If you have Cellulitis you need antibiotics.

Gp's are often lacking in knowledge on this topic. I was very ill before a professional examiined me and properly diagnosed what was wrong.

I hope you receive help very soon.

Oh my goodness, I have no advice but I am thinking of you this evening.
💐💐

ferry23

Hmm, seems like they cut away with impunity!

Yes I'm on antibiotics, it's more the pain of a burn rather than the actual heat - I think. Difficult to describe pain isn't it?

Night time can be a bit brutal when you're alone and not feeling great. One of the downsides of being free & single I suppose. The 9 hours until it gets light may as well be 9 weeks.

Can you take ibuprofen?
Not everyone can, I know.

I have had a similar problem with both legs and within 24 hours the dressings were an unsightly heap just above my ankles.

The dressing was thick to soak up the fluid leaking but I was able to get my shoes on.

I had the dressing applied, then a cotton bandage which was not applied firmly enough and then a light tubular bandage to attempt to keep it all in place.

The best I could do was to sellotape the first bandage top and bottom, and that helped.

I was lucky and only had to endure this for 3 weeks because x3 a week to the surgery for a change of dressings and antibiotics, and my legs healed.

I have a carrier bag full of dressings which you could willingingly have!

Say that you are unable to make your way to the surgery

Yes. They must visit housebound people.
Tell them you cannot drive or walk.

Hmm, seems like they cut away with impunity!

Yes I'm on antibiotics, it's more the pain of a burn rather than the actual heat - I think. Difficult to describe pain isn't it?

Night time can be a bit brutal when you're alone and not feeling great. One of the downsides of being free & single I suppose. The 9 hours until it gets light may as well be 9 weeks.

ferry23 sorry to read you are feeling so miserable. I’d recommend that you phone your GP practice at opening time tomorrow morning. Tell them that your leg feels very hot and uncomfortable and your dressing is already working loose.

Say that you are unable to make your way to the surgery and ask if the district nurse will add you to their house calls for the day. They are very experienced at leg dressings and hopefully will redress your leg and if necessary will return again later in the week.

Oh sorry, they cut right up the leg of my trousers, not my ankle!!

and my leg feels as though it's been badly burnt or it's submerged in boiling water.

Have you been prescribed antibiotics? If it feels hot it may be infected.

I remember when I broke my ankle, they cut right up them to be able to plaster my leg. They were a favourite pair, too!

Allira

seadragon

Sounds like a job for your health centre's District Nurses..

If you can shuffle out to your car and drive or someone drive you, District Nurses won't call to your home.

They don't sound very expert at bandaging and perhaps should have given you a soft boot or shoe with velcro fastenings and a good sole, such as you might be given after an operation or broken foot or ankle.
Did they give you crutches or a stick?

No, they didn't give me anything. Just cut my expensive shoes so I could get home!

The Urgent Treatment Centre put me under the Wound Clinic - the Wound Nurse said I needed to go to my surgery for dressing change twice a week then back to the Wound Clinic once a week.

The nurse at the surgery says she's using these different dressings and I don't need to go to the Wound Clinic.

Honestly, they're all telling me different things, the ones I've got on now are ridiculously uncomfortable and my leg feels as though it's been badly burnt or it's submerged in boiling water.

I'll have to do some research on District Nurses here, not something I've ever needed.

Thanks.

BigBertha1

I would say the same. The experts at leg dressings are District Nurses. In some areas you can just refer yourself. If nit ask the GP surgery to refer you.

Perhaps they're better in some areas than others.

seadragon

Sounds like a job for your health centre's District Nurses..

If you can shuffle out to your car and drive or someone drive you, District Nurses won't call to your home.

They don't sound very expert at bandaging and perhaps should have given you a soft boot or shoe with velcro fastenings and a good sole, such as you might be given after an operation or broken foot or ankle.
Did they give you crutches or a stick?

I would say the same. The experts at leg dressings are District Nurses. In some areas you can just refer yourself. If nit ask the GP surgery to refer you.

Can you use that Microporous tape? Wrap it around the top and bottom of the bandage so that part of it sticks to your leg.

I’m going to try to get to the Nurse tomorrow as my toe has been a problem for 5 weeks or so, MrOops will drive me but I’ll take a pair of crocs with me in case she puts a bigger bandage on it. Or my bootee slippers as they are quite roomy.

Sounds like a job for your health centre's District Nurses..