Woods' World: Be Careful What You Pray For!

Before you scroll down beware that there is a gross picture of my foot after the debridement on Monday. Kevin is keeping a photo journal of this for some bizarre reason. Anyway, it all started probably 2 weeks ago as I was praying for a really restful summer. One where I would really be able to just sleep till at least 7 every morning and not have to go anywhere in the car if I didn't want too plus lots of family time. The school year commute, working and "trying" to balance house work with after school sports and preparing for Kelsey's graduation and party had just worn me out. I just wanted rest! Ha! God has a sense of humor! Thursday night - 2 days after school was out - I decided to make homemade french fries for the family and ended up french frying my legs and left foot and ankle. I truly believe that Kevin's fast thinking saved me from really cooking myself. He sat me down immediately and washed the oil off my legs then put me in the shower for a while to cool the burn. Then we went and spent a little time at Mary Washington's freestanding ER. I can honestly say that after delivering 4 children without any medication that I would much rather do that 10 more times than feel the pain I felt Thursday night. Of course the Docs and nurses gave me several bags of IV fluids and fentanyl (4 doses) and morphin (1dose) and I did feel better. They dressed me all up in bandages and sent me home with a prescription for percocet and zofran and a referral to the VCU Burn center. Strangely I didn't feel much pain Friday and Saturday and slept alot. Sunday I began to have more pain and this should've served as a wake up call for me to stay on the couch. By Monday I was way overconfident that my visit to the burn center was just gonna be a pat on the back and some advice to "continue doing what you are doing". Imagine my surprise when they took off the dressing and my left foot and ankle were a little worse than I expected and they said the "D" word. Debridement - the removal of dead tissue!! Yikes I didn't even take pain medicine before I went down there and had left my crutches in the car and bravely hobbled in there thinking I wouldn't need them. Kevin and our friend, Navy Flight Surgeon Dr. Mark Pressley had told me to take percocet ahead of time...I'm so hardheaded! Well they did let me take a percocet and zofran before they started but only about 10 minutes before they started! The doctor came in and proceeded to start washing my leg and foot with the nice soft foamy side of the brush but then before I could blink he had flipped that brush over and was using the hard bristles on the other side to scrub the dead tissue off my blistered and swollen leg and foot and ankle. He wasted NO time and even used his tissue forceps and scissors when the brush didn't get it all. You can see all his tools of torture in the little disgusting picture below. But, I digress!! Kevin was great and stayed in the room with me the whole time, mostly he stayed in his chair but once tried to hold my hand but I squeezed too hard he said! Anyway, I got a wheelchair ride back to the car and instructions to stay off my feet for the next 10 days. Also got lots of cool burn supplies because I get the pleasure of showering and debriding my injuries every night! Monday night and Tuesday pretty much were spent in a percocet state of sleeping. Last night I was able to shower and clean the burns - yikes- that sorta hurt! Kevin redressed them for me and here I am on the couch again. 7 days to go and I'm totally bored but getting exactly what I prayed for - LOTS OF REST!! And Kevin is taking some days off from work to help out. Isn't that precious!! Seriously, I feel much better and know that without prayers of family and friends and Kevin's quick thinking last Thursday night that things would be much worse. We've been blessed by meals from family and friends from church so we are set for the next 7 days. Lots of rest and family time!!

Okay this is after the debridement on Monday!