Another Tube Removed

October 14, 2023: GOOD NEWS !!! This morning, my plastic surgeon removed the "Superficial" drain (plastic tube) within my incision in my spine. Yes, I was screaming with pain as he removed it. On October 12, 2023, he removed the "Deep" drain (plastic tube) within my spinal incision with similar pain. I still have the wound vacuum that continues to suck blood and discharge through a plastic tube. My plastic surgeon affixed the apparatus to the entire length of my spinal incision shortly after my second spinal surgery on October 6, 2023.

PHOTO (below): My plastic surgeon took this photo of my back this morning to show the bandage that covers my incision from my second spinal surgery. The strip of bandage that covers my incision is connected to a plastic tube that is connected to my wound vacuum.

My second spinal surgery took six (6) hours to complete (8 a.m. to 2 p.m.) and involved the placement of titanium plates, titanium screws, and about a fourteen (14)-inch-long titanium rod affixed to my spine by my surgeon due to osteomyelitis (bone infection) in three sections of my spinal bone. At least that's how long it looked by what the surgeon appeared to show me on his fingers. He didn't exactly know how long it was at the time of the surgery, but you can tell from the photo below. The incision was closed by my plastic surgeon so that the metal pieces do NOT stick out of my skin.

My first spinal surgery was on September 2, 2023, when I had an infection (an abscess) removed/cleaned out in one of my spinal disks. It was discovered at that time that I also had osteomyelitis in that area of my spine. My legs are still numb, but at about the same amount of numbness as I was experiencing a day after my first spinal surgery. My lower back still hurts, as well as in the area of the incision.

I am also still struggling with a blood infection (staph); possible osteomyelitis in one of the two fractures in my right ankle from two falls in April 2023; and my spinal osteomyelitis, treated with two bags of two types of intravenous antibiotics every day. I was on a six-week-long regimen of daily intravenous antibiotic for my ankle fracture, but now an additional six-week-long regimen has been added for my spine. I am also being treated for low hemoglobin levels by receiving blood transfusions.