#183670 - 03/15/10 08:25 PM
HELPPP!!!!!
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davelatte
Junior Member
Registered: 03/15/10
Posts: 1
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I am a stepmother, 6 hours away from my stepson who is a t5 para. He has many problems, but here's a biggie-he has three pressure sores and goes to a wound care center every week. He tells his dad and I that he CANNOT take a shower with these sores. It's quite possible he has not taken a shower in a month. His mother, who lives with him, is his "caregiver". What would you recommend I do? (He has had pressure sores for several years-I'm sure he has taken a shower in that time. They moved to a new house a month ago-I'm thinking he's afraid to use the new shower. Not that I would know this.) Should I get involved? Get his dad involved? Call the wound care center? We're visiting next week...
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#183671 - 03/15/10 08:45 PM
Re: HELPPP!!!!!
[Re: davelatte]
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flicka
Member
Registered: 04/06/00
Posts: 24616
Loc: SLO County, CA - 66.122.77.142
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We're visiting next week...
I would wait until your visit to make any decisions to get involved. Hopefully, you and his father are on good terms with his mom/caregiver and can get her input on what would be best for your son.
_________________________
"A lot of things were acceptable--until we stopped accepting it." -- Al Sharpton '12
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#183725 - 03/16/10 01:38 PM
Re: HELPPP!!!!!
[Re: flicka]
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Johnboy 64
Member
Registered: 11/16/01
Posts: 15944
Loc: a nice place
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i'm with flica. not sure if you can shower withh sores or not though.
good luck
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#183736 - 03/16/10 02:30 PM
Re: HELPPP!!!!!
[Re: davelatte]
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YosemiteSam
Member
Registered: 05/20/00
Posts: 5386
Loc: No. Calif. (SF Bay Area)
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There is a lot of info missing from your post: (1) how old is your stepson?, (2) is he a para from birth or an accident?, (3) how long post injury if not from birth?, (4) are you and his father on the same page on this?
If his mother is his caregiver the assumption is that she is in direct contact with his doc and/or the wound care center. The younger he is the more likely she has control of the situation.
If he isn't showering is he following directions from the wound care center? They might have told his mother to give him bedbaths. Are these pressure sores recent or longstanding?
I'd suggest you wait until you visit and can observe the situation. It would probably be best for your husband to take the lead and,if you and he are still concerned, he might want to get in touch with his doc and the wound care center.
Every family is different so it's hard to offer advice. I'd have to give his mother the benefit of the doubt unless it is a case of neglect.
Of course, if your stepson is an adult then the decisions are his to make.
_________________________
 Bob
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#183830 - 03/17/10 12:28 PM
Re: HELPPP!!!!!
[Re: YosemiteSam]
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paradocs
Member
Registered: 11/20/04
Posts: 2323
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My last pressure sore was 10 years ago. My wound care specialist told me not to shower to avoid getting the dressing wet. I had to put up with bed baths. I REALLY wanted a shower. I reached the point where I felt I was no longer environmentally friendly, but I went along with my doctor's advice and when I got the OK, I took a LOOOONG shower. I wouldn't do anything without checking with the wound care specialist.
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#185250 - 04/03/10 05:03 PM
Re: HELPPP!!!!!
[Re: paradocs]
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chipper
Member
Registered: 07/22/00
Posts: 212
Loc: Maryland
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im a t10 para who has her first pressure sore in over 30 years, and i am also a patient at a good wound care center. i can only tell you what i was told -- not giving you advice just information -- i was encouraged to take daily showers which was extremely beneficial for me both physically and emotionally. i was told to remove the dressings and let the warm water and gentle soap clean the area thoroughly. then just redress as instructed as soon as the area was dry. my sore was not infected and did not become infected for the duration of its healing.
eventually i also had a wound VAC system and was told i could shower with the system as well. just make sure the electronic parts don't get wet.
i'd ask why your stepson was given that information. there may be a good reason for it that applies to him and not to me.
best of luck to you and your stepson. pressure sores are no fun!
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#187802 - 06/11/10 10:41 PM
Re: HELPPP!!!!!
[Re: chipper]
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Susan34
Junior Member
Registered: 04/14/08
Posts: 24
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There is a cure for pressure sores. One that I have found that has saved my ass (literally) on more then one occasion. It is an Amish cure, and believe it or not it is Preparation H, but you want to use the ointment not the cream. Because they have changed the ingredients in the cream, (use the one with fish oil in it)this is good for a pressure sore that is not already opened. You will be amazed at the results when you use the stuff!! I have no idea if it would heal an open pressure sore or not, because I have never tried it.
There is a cure that works really well for a pressure sore that is opened. You take one capsule of the herb, Golden Seal, open it and put it into a small bowl, then take a gel capsule of Vitamin E, poke it with a straight pin, squeeze it, and put it in with the Golden Seal, and mix the two together. Then cover the sore. Now you want to alternate this with Aloe Vera Gel, because Aloe heals from the inside out, and that's the way a pressure sore works it eats from the inside out. I have been in a wheelchair for 30 yrs. and have only had 2 pressure sores and have never had to have surgery because I have used these two cures. The 2 that I got were before I found the cures, and they were extremely small.
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#192137 - 09/02/10 01:39 PM
Re: HELPPP!!!!!
[Re: Susan34]
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Winterwhite
Member
Registered: 06/01/09
Posts: 34
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Susan...
This is a very helpful post. I am a polio quad and while I have sensitivity, I am always conscious of pressure on my backside. Truly valuable. Mary
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