I’M BAAAACKKK!!!!

My final cancer treatment finished in November 2009. I thought everything would be fine and I could start reconstruction soon. Oh the hubris.

I got another infection. Now my skin was so damaged from the radiation they could not sew it up. They took me in under anesthesia and put a wound vac on me. OMG!! you can not imagine how much this hurts. Basically, your wound is open and the vac attaches on to keep it from getting dirty. The vacuum effect speeds healing.

Unfortunately, I had to wear this thing 24/7. The bandages were changed 3 days a week by a home health care nurse. What a pain in the neck - well not neck exactly. This went on for about 6 weeks.

I got a reprieve when we went to Las Vegas for a weekend trip. But then I had to clean out the wound myself. Not fun, but you know me. If I am challenged, I will do it. So there I am swabbing out the inside of my chest. Ick. It really does look like chicken.

Finally, the wound healed up in February and I was free.