Butt woundr

[Ty12]

I had a abscess removed from my right butt cheek on the sitting bone it had a staph infection so I spent a week in hospital and they put me on a vac dressing and I just spent a month on bed rest with no sitting at all. I went to see the plastic surgeon today he was happy with the healing but it still has a small 3.5cm track so he switched me to packing dressing. I asked if I can sit up at all he said yes I still have to live my life so I'm happy to hear that but how much sitting should I do without harming the area? I sit on a roho cushion and my commode chair the spot sits in the open area. I know not to sit up much because I want it to heal up fully but what would anyone recommend for sitting up? I want to enjoy some summer!!

[SCI-Nurse]

If the wound is actually right over your ischium, I would advise you not to sit at all until it is completely closed.

(KLD)

[Patrick Madsen]

I suggest getting a seating eval for your cushion. I had two flap surgeries and an additional abscess drained with a total of 21 weeks in a Clinitron bed since May of 2016. It never seemed to heal until I insisted on a seating eval. I ended up with a Ride Java and that did the trick. Haven't had any reoccurrence since January. Roho showed up the worst for me on the eval. I know Dave Elder from Advanced Mobility has a store on the Island somewhere. He does seating evals.

Rohos are made of rubber and do cause sweating and moisture buildup. Be aware of that. Not too good, esp. for women.

As for sitting, they started me with 20 minutes three times a day and gradually upped it over a three week period. Make sure to have it checked for redness as soon as you lay back down.

[Ty12]

Thanks for the great information.

[Ty12]

I went and saw my plastic surgeon today about my wound I have been battling since early June it's now 3cm and 2cm down from 5 and 4 that is with full bed rest no sitting up. He said the waiting list is 8 weeks for surgery so he told me that I can sit up in my chair regularly and to monitor wound. The home care nurses are packing it everyday. I just really don't want to make it any worse but I'm going crazy being in bed all summer. I sit on a Roho quatro cushion. Any information or thoughts would be great thanks!

[SCI-Nurse]

What is "sit up regularly" for you?? I would avoid sitting on this wound. If you can stay down, and heal this wound further, you might not need surgery. If you must sit, limit it to no more than 1 hour at a time, with at least 2 hours between sitting times. This is a surgeon...remember that to a hammer, everything looks like a nail! You may be able to avoid surgery by staying off it now. Keep in mind that a surgical closure will also require you to stay down for weeks after the procedure.

(KLD)

[Scott C4/5]

Stay off it as much as you can. Believe me, a few months of prevention will save you many more months or years of possible bed rest. I've had two flap surgeries or my right ischial area and now because of less muscle padding and delicate skin, I've been in bed for nearly three and a half years. Aside from wishing I had had a meatier butt, I wish I had done more weight shifts earlier on.