MIA and 3 yrs out!

So I'm 3 yrs out now and haven't been around much to post. 

Things have been great!  I am doing my own yard work and have even added flower beds and chasing the grandson when he is around!  AND I can keep up with the little stinker (3 1/2 yrs old!)!  THAT was a major goal for me! 

I had a panniculectomy and umbelical hernia repair late last July.  Unfortunately things haven't been wonderful with that and I am having another surgery to correct it on Friday.  The exterior healing was great.  Then about 3 months later I developed a seroma and had it drained in late December.  It is back and I went for my 3 yr check with Dr. Anthone and he said that it has to be corrected.  Thus, the surgery on Friday.  I was ok with the DS and semi ok with the last surgery but for some reason this one is freaking me the heck out!  The incision will be across my stomach and not bikini level, the scaring doesn't bother me, but the whole thing does.  He will also remove the skin that has stretched back out from the panniculectomy (reconstruction).  

I have a couple of questions though.... one related to the surgery and one about vitamins and levels.  Woudl greatly appreciate any info / ideas that be be given. 

1st)  I will be coming home with a wound vac, which I have never had.  I had a lap DS and had drains with the panniculectomy / hernia repair.  Can anyone suggest what is easiest to wear with this wound vac and how limited I will be.  I will be having a home health nurse three times a week according to Dr. Anthone.  He said it will fit in my purse, but is it electric, battery operated or what.  I am home alone during the day except for weekends.  Thus will be doing my own lunches ( and I usually cook something) and make meals for the family for evening meals.  Any suggestions, explanations, insights would be awesome!  


2nd)  I had my annual labs done and everything looks good (I need to get a copy for myself but what the nurse at Dr. A's was saying sounded like good, but we know their levels and what should really be are diff at times).  I am wondering about my Vitamin D level.  It is at 73 now ....not sure where it should be, but it is that level with me taking 50,000 IU twice  a day.  Can I cut back or stay where I am at ?  My protein levels was awesome and the other levels, were good.  But like I said I need to get a copy and check for myself as listening doesn't do it for me.  But this is one I did remember and need to decide, about time to re-order and need to figure out how many to keep taking or if to reduce.  

Congrats to all the newbies out there....you are just begining the rest of your life and ENJOY all the small accomplishments along the way...three and 1/2 years ago I NEVER EVER imagined the life I have now....ACTIVE grandma and enjoying my yard....as well as going back to school full time and looking at the day when I will NO longer be 'disabled'!  

Hugs to all!

Congrats on doing so well!

I had an LBL done 3 weeks ago and have a seroma.  Now I'm a bit freaked out by your story of needing another surgery to fix it.  I thought they usually resolved with time.  Did they tell you why yours isn't resolving and what they plan on doing in surgery to correct it? 

I'd keep the D right where you are.  Reducing it will probably make your levels drop and 73 is good, but not super-star good.

He didn't say what caused it. But after researching it, I found that it does have to be fixed or it will solidify (harden) and that wouldn't be good either.  From what I understand about seromas (did research the first time around on them) it comes from the two surfaces (parietal surfaces) not healing back together and that the friction they develop causes more serous fluid, but that is just my dedcutions.  Do research and know what is wrong.  Sometimes they do disipate on their own, they said the first time mine was drained (had a drain tube reinserted and had it for three weeks, they took 800 mL off of my stomach at the insertion) that it sometimes comes back.  Dr. A didn't feel that it would be corrected by draining it again, because it is so large and that opening me back up to remove the fluid and the wound vac suction would pull the two layers back together properly. 

At 3 weeks out I wouldn't worry too much about it.  Do you have drain tubes or a wound vac?  Overall I healed well, just this little pain in the gut that has to be corrected.  

The wound vac is basically placed into the wound, covered with different layers of special dressings and then normal bandages, then a clear plastic covering, and then one or more small tubes comes out from under the dressing and hook up to the machine. So, you would probably wear an untucked baggy shirt and the small tubes would come out from under your shirt and attach to the box. It makes a little bit of noise, but very faint noise. They can be fidgety sometimes if there is not a good seal around the bandage (it is covered in platic sort of like Saran wrap). Probably more of a nuisance than anything else. I have never worn one, though, so maybe someone here who has, will chime in. The nurse is probably coming to help maintain the machine, check amount of drainage, check for signs of infection, and change the bandages. Good luck with your surgery! Karen

I haven't had my DS yet-- but I have experience with a wound vac.  It will bring your skin up to the level where then you will just need to grow skin over your wound/incision.  I think Karen explained it well, it is a bit of a pain but they usually have a nurse come in to your home and change the dressings.  I had a long cord so I could run my tube down and out the leg of my pants and the VAC which runs on a battery, you just need to take it everywhere with you.  Mine was about the size 5x9.  I was like an extra purse, but that was 7 years ago so they may be smaller now. If Dr A doesn't send you to a wound clinic, let me know I have a  list of foods you should be eating while healing a wound like that. Honestly, I think for me the Wound Vac was a blessing. I would rather have that then pack it every day. Their suggestion was NO CAFFEINE not even coffee while trying to heal a wound or grow skin.  It was all over my paperwork from the wound clinic. 

So happy for your success and thank you for your kind words to us newbies!
JJ

Thanks for the info.  I know that home health will come out three times a week.  We don't have a wound clinic around here...very out in the boondocks rural!!! 

Interesting that there are foods you shouldn't eat....now the caffiene thing will be nearly impossible, that is how I get my protein in...very weak coffee w/ protein powder. 

I would be interested in the list of foods if you could PM it to me that would be awesome!  

Thanks for the info, not sure why but this surgery just has me a bit more worked up than any of the others.. :(

I think you should do a separate post asking about wound vac & vitamins for surgery in that post's title.  Lots of people would likely respond, but don't realize you're asking for help based on this post's title.

Thanks I probably should do that, I wasn't thinking lol.  ;)