Monday 20 August 2007

Allergic Reaction

If there are two words more beautiful than those in the English language, I don't know them.

What I thought was a pressure sore, is, in fact, an allergic reaction. To what, we don't know. And truthfully I don't care.

I had a wonderful anxious anxiety type freak out all over the nurse but she reassured me that it really ISN'T a pressure sore. And that she can understand why I was concerned given that a big thing is made of my checking my skin. And the fact that pressure sores are so scary didn't help me I think.

I do really think I need to go back and do more work on "dealing with the known". I had a sore, I thought it looked like the pictures of a pressure sore I've seen, I got it checked. That's fine.

The fact that before it was checked and despite knowing it's not on an area that is at great risk of pressure sores (although I *think* you can get them on any part of your body) I was freaking and panicing and imagining bed rest and dressings and all the other nasties that treatment can involve. Not fine.

Jacqui asked in the comments what the big deal with pressure sores is. Basically they can lead to weeks and months of treatment to get them to heal, frequently bed rest with specialist matresses and nursing visits multiple times daily. They can lead to surgery. They can even (worst case scenario, very rare) lead to amputations. I have a friend who ended up with a huge hole in her leg as a result of two pressure sores not healing and joining together. Your Turn has more information about the whats and wherefores including some very nasty photos. Or WebMD provides information in what I consider an easier to understand format.

That's why I am very thankful that I've never had one. That's why I am so thankful that it's an Allergic Reaction, that even the fact she told me I have an ear infection didn't put a downer on my mood.

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