Healing Progress

November 17, 2023: The Isles Nursing & Rehabilitation Center, Boynton Beach, Florida (https://ibnrc.org/) ... NOTE: I am going home today.

HEALING PROGRESS

The 34-centimeters-long/13.3858-inches-long incision in my back is healing well, except for one small section in my middle-upper back which hurts quite a bit. The nurses here change the bandage on my back every day, including the stuffing of a piece of cloth into the wound for drainage. Ouch !!!

After my second spinal surgery, I had two suction-tube drains and one tube attached to a wound vacuum in my back; all three were removed weeks ago.

My second spinal surgery, which was on October 6, 2023, took six (6) hours to complete: 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. It involved the placement of a titanium rod affixed to my spine with screws by my spinal surgeon due to osteomyelitis (bone infection) in three lumbar (lower) sections of my spinal bone. My surgeon told me that my spine was "collapsing" and that I required this serious surgery immediately.

The incision in my back was then closed by my plastic surgeon so that the metal pieces do NOT form bumps from pushing on my back from the inside.

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 in my lower back. It was discovered at that time that I had osteomyelitis in that area of my spine.