# I can stick my hand into my belly ! (WARNING gross) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 23, 2002, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324 "2002-07-23T02:51:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Ayesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Ayesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ayesha)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/1 "2002-07-23T02:51:18Z")
I just got home from my second hospital stay, yes second in 11 days. You may have read about the hysterectomy I had on July 11th. I am diabetic so my wound came open all the way down when the doctor removed the staples on the 19th. Thankfully the inner stiches held or it would be real bad. This is bad enough. I was taken straight from his office to women’s hospital across the parking lot. I just came home about 30 or so minutes ago. The wound is still open, My doctor says it will heal from the inside out and it will probably take six weeks . It gets packed with damp sterile gauze 3 times a day, covered with gauze pads and covered with a belly band ( huge piece of elastic) . They call this a wet to dry dressing. They should call it a make you cry dressing, it is not plesant thing to have someone using a long q-tip to shove gaze and tap down into your open abdoman. Thankfully I came home with 150 mg. demoral and 800 mg. motrin ffor the pain . This does not feel good at all. I should have a home nurse starting tomorrow to change the dressing and give my doctor a report on my progress once a day. LIONsob will do the other two everyday, he had to do one at the hospital with a nurse watching today just to be sure he could do it before they would let me come home. He did a great job. So I will see the doctor once a week and will also do everything within my power to keep it from getting infected. I will also happily take any prayers and good thoughts I can get. ---
**Author:** ![Zyada](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zyada/32/3028_2.png) [@Zyada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zyada)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/2 "2002-07-23T02:56:57Z")
{{Ayesha}}\* \*_being very careful to not get her hand in Aye’s tummy_ ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/3 "2002-07-23T03:25:38Z")
Ow! I’m sorry to hear you’re hurting. I hope it heals quickly. ---
**Author:** ![heresiarch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/278dde/32.png) [@heresiarch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/heresiarch)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/4 "2002-07-23T03:30:59Z")
Ow! I’m sorry to hear you’re hurting. I hope it heals quickly. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ecccb3/32.png) [@Lord\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Jim)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 4:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/5 "2002-07-23T04:20:39Z")
So sorry, Aye. Hope things get better real soon. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/6 "2002-07-23T04:38:58Z")
Heal quickly and get well soon, **Ayesha**. I’ve had a relative in the past with similar problems – having wounds is not easy with diabetes. {{Ayesha}} ---
**Author:** ![Revedge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ecae2f/32.png) [@Revedge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revedge)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/7 "2002-07-23T06:21:56Z")
:eek: Aye, Arrrrgh! I am so sorry to hear that you are in such distress. (You’re right. It is gross.) “She, Who must be obeyed” Had a similier thing happen to her with her appendix scar. (This was before I married her.) And she had to do all of the cleaning and care for herself. (She also drove herself to and from the hospital for surgery. She is tough.) I always thought that that was the worst, now I know better. Get well soonest. You are one of my favorite dopers. {{{{Ayesha}}}} All my prayers from the Reverand Edge ---
**Author:** ![Coldfire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a587f6/32.png) [@Coldfire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Coldfire)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 7:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/8 "2002-07-23T07:54:03Z")
Hi Ayesha! My father had the same thing. Well, not the hysterecotomy, obviously. 😃 He was operated on because of prostate cancer, and the wound burst open 2 weeks later, whilst he was taking his evening leak right before bed. Blood _all over the bathroom_. My mom freaked out, and my dad was rushed to the hospital by ambulance at 1 AM. They re-did the stitches on the inside, and left about a 10 centimeter part of the wound open, to heal from the inside. The crack was big enough to rest two eggs in, according to my father (I declined the invitation to look at the wound). Nurse came over to clean it twice a day. All of this is now 2 months ago, and the wound still hasn’t healed entirely. FWIW, he’s 60 years old and quite a burly man, both are important factors here. But he’s gonna be A-OK. Oddly enough, he says the open wound never caused him any pain whatsoever, not even when the nurse had to open the shower head on it twice a day. :eek: Take care, my dear, get well soon! ---
**Author:** ![Nenya\_Elizabeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ea5d25/32.png) [@Nenya\_Elizabeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nenya_Elizabeth)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 8:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/9 "2002-07-23T08:23:38Z")
OWWW…sorry you had that happen, **Ayesha**. Hope it heals very well and as fast as decently possible. I can’t believe you are still posting in these conditions! 🙂 Although, if it was me, I’d probably being trying to think of _anything_ to distract myself from the pain. Yikes. (((Ayesha))) Love and prayers, Nenya ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 9:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/10 "2002-07-23T09:54:55Z")
Yowch. **Ayesha** , my thoughts and prayers are with you. A friend of ours went through this last year. (Not a hysterectomy, but the problems with the operation wound healing and being left semi-open like that for some months.) It took some time to heal, and really limited what he could do and how fast he could return to normal strength during that time. I hope your healing goes as smoothly as possible. I’m glad the **LIONsob** is able to help you out here. ---
**Author:** ![Theobroma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/b5a626/32.png) [@Theobroma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Theobroma)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 10:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/11 "2002-07-23T10:43:24Z")
I’m in the H-club too (and my mother just joined a couple of weeks ago), and I have some gross stories, but NOTHING like that! You definitely win! Good luck, babe. ---
**Author:** ![Missy2U](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3bc359/32.png) [@Missy2U](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Missy2U)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/12 "2002-07-23T12:44:13Z")
Ayesha, I’m sending as many good, healing thoughgts to you as I can! And hugs, too! ---
**Author:** ![Abe\_Babe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ab097/32.png) [@Abe\_Babe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Abe_Babe)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/13 "2002-07-23T13:12:02Z")
Well, you can now make some good plays on the old song, “Yummy, yummy, yummy, I’ve got \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ in my tummy.” My dad is diabetic, and it takes him forever to recover from wounds. Of course, the gout and the neuropathy in his legs doesn’t help, but I suppose it does cut down on the pain from injuries below the knee. Get well soon. ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/14 "2002-07-23T14:06:36Z")
Yikes! ☹ I hope you heal up soon and we get to see more of ya around here and on LJ. {{Ayesha}} ---
**Author:** ![Ayesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Ayesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ayesha)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/15 "2002-07-23T15:01:11Z")
Thank you all very much. Friday was just a sucky day all around ! Aat 2 pm just as I was starting to get ready to go to the doc’s office I got a phone call. It was my bestfriend’s daughter-in-law calling to tell me that my friend had died thursday night. Her funeral was monday, I didn’t get to go of course. ☹ I have to say I am glad that if this had to happen it happened at the doctor’s office and not at home like Coldy’s dad’s did. ::shudder:: {{{{{{{ColdyDad}}}}}}} ---
**Author:** ![Skeezix](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/839c29/32.png) [@Skeezix](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skeezix)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/16 "2002-07-23T15:43:20Z")
EEE-youch. Massively sorry to hear alla this, **Ayesha**. Sometimes it don’t rain but it pours. On the plus side, maybe the _Big Wheel O’ Karma_ has got a winning lottery ticket in your future, or somesuch? 🙂 Here’s to a quick recovery. **Coldfire** : Not knowing your dad , somehow, from what you mention of him in that post (“Hey, wanna see what I can do with an egg?”), I still think I can hear him at the time: “Ah, gimme a break. First cancer, now this s\*\*t. Honey… DEAR! Stop freaking out, and call for the ambulance, already. Now, I gotta clean this mess up \ \…” Some guys are just too cool. 😃 Best wishes to your pop, too. ---
**Author:** ![Jorel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f19dbf/32.png) [@Jorel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jorel)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/17 "2002-07-23T15:50:39Z")
Ayesha, Newbie is sending good thoughts your way. May you heal quickly. ---
**Author:** ![PunditLisa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/4af34b/32.png) [@PunditLisa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PunditLisa)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/18 "2002-07-23T16:49:49Z")
I long for the good old days when having a gaping hole in your gut was sufficient reason to keep one hospitalized…Best wishes for a speedy recovery, Ayesha, and at the risk of being obvious, don’t let anyone eat Junior Mints in your room. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [July 23, 2002, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/19 "2002-07-23T22:34:53Z")
**Coldfire** , you just gave up the right to complain about being forced to read the gross shit people post in MPSIMS. For a couple of weeks, anyway. **Ayesha** , you have my sympathies, but as I’m not wearing my raincoat, you’ll have to settle for a well-intended arms-length tap on the shoulder. 😉 to both of you. ---
**Author:** ![Ayesha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c0e974/32.png) [@Ayesha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ayesha)\ **Post date:** [July 24, 2002, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324/20 "2002-07-24T00:48:51Z")
Thank you all again, now for an update, The home nurse came today and measured the wound - 6 inches wide, 3 inches across and 2 inches deep. It is not as deep now as it was friday, they used a whole roll of kerlex (sp ?) gauze to pack it. Now it takes about 3/4 of a roll. :eek: the police police are after me to eat and lay down. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-can-stick-my-hand-into-my-belly-warning-gross/120324.md?page=2)