Reconstruction: January 2005

1/28/2005
Nikki has recovered fine from last week's surgery, her 13th since the accident. She visited her surgeon the day after surgery, to examine the surgical site and the drain. The site was already looking better, with no real drainage, so he removed the drain that day. Nikki's forehead has already returned to normal, with all swelling gone. The eruption in the center of her head is also healing nicely.

On Monday, Nikki completed fitting for her compression garments. She's now wearing the complete set- torso, arms, hands and legs. Boy, these things are a *pain* to put on and take off. They're like very heavy stockings; thick, but very elastic. They're also very tight, and it takes a combination of rolling and tugging to get them on (or off). The torso is easiest, since it zips up in the back. These garments are to be worn 23 hours per day, every day, for 18 - 24 months. She is supposed to take them off only for baths and physical therapy.

Nikki received word yesterday that her Social Security Disability had been approved, retroactive to October 2004. Since we had been told to expect a six month wait, this was a pretty good turnaround. This will give her some source of income, until she's able to return to work.

No word yet on upcoming surgery. We'll keep you informed as things develop. More later-

1/19/2005
Nikki came through surgery fine today. We arrived at the hospital at 9:30am, after a miserable 60 minute drive (normally 20) through a snow storm. It only took about 45 minutes to remove the tissue expander, clean the incision and forehead wound, suture both, and install a vacuum drain into the head incision. Nikki does have an infection where the expander was, which will be treated by oral antibiotics and the drain. We returned home by 6:30pm tonight- a long day for both of us.

I get to empty and measure the contents of the vacuum drain every 6 hours- a real treat. I won't describe what comes out of the drain- suffice to say, it's yucky. Nikki returns to the doctor tomorrow, to make sure the drain is functioning normally. We weren't told how long it will remain in place. Her head incision and forehead wounds also need to be cleaned and medicated every 6 hours. The doctor believes that the forehead graft will heal fine, just slower than normal skin.

After the forehead has healed, the next step will be to perform another release on Nikki's right neck. There is another contracture there, although not as bad as the last time. The surgeon will also release the last two fingers on Nikki's right hand at the same time. The facial surgeon is also waiting for Nikki's skin to continue softening, becoming more pliable. When it's right, he'll proceed with the eye repair, teaming with the ocular plastic surgeon. If needed, skin will be grafted from other areas to complete the eye repair.

Nikki's in good spirits today, with only a "bad headache" from her procedure. She sends her thanks to all of you who wrote in her support. Stay tuned for more!

1/18/2005
Nikki got word late today that she has an unplanned surgery tomorrow morning. The expander in her forehead is going to be removed, due to complications. The skin there has never healed properly from the surgery in early December. Yesterday, a hole actually formed in the center of the forehead, oozing unpleasant things. The surgeon is concerned about the integrity of the forehead graft, and is going to remove the expander before more damage is done.

As you can imagine, Nikki is very disappointed about this. This method offered the best hope for a really good looking graft after her right eye socket is repaired later this year. Other options will be discussed with Nikki after this current problem is resolved.

I'll follow up after the surgery tomorrow. Nikki *should* be coming home later in the day. Stay tuned!

01/09/2005
Things continue to be quiet here- thank goodness! Nikki continues to heal, go through therapy, and plan future surgeries. She *is* having some difficulty with the expander in her forehead, though. It doesn't appear to be taking too well, with the skin over it still bruised and battered. The surgeon is concerned that the grafted skin may not be as elastic as anticipated, meaning the stretching may not work. If the skin hasn't healed up in the next few weeks, the expander will probably be removed. This will mean that secondary sources of skin will have to be used to cover Nikki's eye repair later this year. This is very disappointing for Nikki, and she will be seeking a second opinion on this. She definitely wants the area around her right eye and cheek to look as good as possible when this is all done, so she's exploring all options.

The home health care nurse paid a visit right after Christmas, just to check on Nikki. She liked what she saw, as Nikki has continued to heal very well. Of course, Nikki no longer has any bandages or dressings, except for a moisture barrier over her right eye, which doesn't close all of the way. This barrier (simply Glad Wrap, with a lubricant under it) will remain until her eye is repaired and she has a working eyelid.

Medicaid has been a blessing, covering all of Nikki's drugs and procedures. They even transport her to and from therapy, allowing me to resume a regular work schedule. It's a shame that the Medicaid program is so widely abused, depleting the level of care available for those that really need it. I know that we all greatly appreciate it. I'm fortunate to live in a rural county, with relatively small government offices, staffed with people that still enjoy their jobs. I know that more metropolitan offices aren't always as caring or friendly to their charges.

I did go to court last week over my ticketing and vehicle impoundment for an expired registration. It was a waste of time. I was told that the officer followed the law correctly, and was well within his rights to both ticket & impound my vehicle, excellent driving record notwithstanding. My good record resulted in the lowest fine possible, but it was still over a hundred dollars, on top of the $120 to reclaim my vehicle. I guess that justice isn't always just.
Nikki has more doctors appointments this week & next, and I'll update everyone as I have something to report. Nikki's web log (or blog, as its known) recorded its 5,000th visitor today, as counted since early October. That's a lot of interested people, and I thank everyone who's still following her story. Stay tuned for more.