Pressure Sores

Annie's knees have been doing really well lately.  She has been off her narcotics for a few days now and doesn't seem to have any pain from her knees.  Her pressure sores are another story...

Earlier last week when we changed her dressings we noticed that she was developing pressure sores from the metal in her leg braces that are to keep her leg straight and allow her knees to heal.  So we bought foam to wrap her legs in and protect them from the rigid braces.  About a week later now, her sores still don't appear to be healing, but they haven't worsened either.

Annie's legs wrapped in foam to prevent more pressure sores.

Her left heel, however, has the worst pressure sore from where it rests on her wheelchair or the bed.  Since her knees are immobilized, she's unable to kick her legs around like she usually does, and has developed a worsening pressure sore regardless of our efforts to elevate it.

We had Annie into her pediatrician today because she's been vomiting all weekend and we suspect she has a UTI.  While there, we had him look at her pressure sores, and he sent us straight to the hospital to get her left heel x-rayed.  The concern is that an infection in a pressure sore can enter the bone and then become a very serious and difficult infection to treat.  Fortunately, the x-ray showed that the pressure sore has not affected the bone, at least not yet.  We'll see her orthopedist tomorrow for her post-op appointment and have him evaluate her sores as well.

These pressure sores are from the compression wraps she wore for the first 6-7 days after surgery.

Annie's seizures have also increased dramatically despite her regular doses of valium she started receiving post-operatively.  They are a unique kind of seizure and rather subtle, but if you watch her throughout the day (or night), it's easy to notice several periods of seizure activity.  We have mixed feelings about them though, because this kind of seizure makes Annie giggle so hard.  It's so fun to watch her smile so big and laugh, until we realize that she's laughing because of the seizures. 

So this recovery has been very different from what we've expected.  We really have no concerns about how her knees are healing and they don't even seem to be causing her pain, but her pressure sores are so worrisome, on top of the seizures, and the UTI symptoms. 

Justin, as a leader in our church, gave the sermon on Easter Sunday yesterday in our church.  He did a beautiful job talking about Christ and the miracle and blessing of the resurrection.  I am so grateful for the Savior and the resurrection, and to know that Annie will one day be made whole, especially as we watch her suffer through so many physical trials right now.  We were blessed to have a wonderful Easter weekend spent with family.  We were also blessed to have Molly baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.  We are so proud of her, and are thankful for the friends and family that shared that special day with us.  (Pictures to come once I get them off my camera!)