Looks like a scrape. She broke ankle on Sept 17th. So in wheelchair a lot since but now on a walker with supervision and P.T. about 40% of time. But still sitting a lot. She did not have one and hasn't whole time I've cared for her and Dad, 7 yrs. Dad passed on Sept.22nd, 2019 and Mom fell Sept 17th and broke her ankle. Her and I were not there when Dad passed. Hospital, no surgery. But slow recovery due to having to move her to my sibs house 1 hr and half away in another state. So when she did move sibling messed up and didn't have Mom's usual mattress. So Mom had to use a different one. Foam, and scooting on it was hard. It also had an egg crate foam topper (egg crate down) but she sank into it and couldn't move around much or adjust position, I'm thinking. Like I said she has never had this until she moved Dec 29th to sibs on that foam thing.
Well bedsore pops up. Home health said stage 1 then it went to stage 2. It was bumps at first and red all over. 2 inches from top of crack, in between crack. Then apparently bumps/tops came off. I've seen it twice. First right after nurse saw it. I was visiting and helping. It was red and bumpy. Then next week husband and I brought Mom's usual mattress and switched them out. It seemed to get better I was told. Then I just went and now it looks like road rash sorta or a scrape in crack. No depth. Not really red around it except right on it. But looks like someone (which didn't happen just explaining what it looks like) took a piece of skin and ripped it off. A little long piece in the crack about 2" fr top of crack (down). So home health is putting Phytoplex (?) Silicone cream and saying clean it with the hypoallergenic huggies wipes but I thought there was a saline wash for bedsores with a tad of bleach in it. Starts with a D? I think we are beyond huggies wipes to clean and I also think this cream stuff is making it too wet or soft to heal.
I've been in med field since 18 but these are not my specialty. What have others used? I bought her a coccyx pillow with slit in it to get weight off while in wheelchair and her reg chair. I told her she has got to get the pressure off. She has CNA there with her M-F while sib is at work. I also turned Female depends around where padding wouldn't hit that area to see if that helps. Hope my sib and CNA are doing that. She has been in female depends since Sept so only thing different was mattress and not getting bath for 7 days after arriving at sibs, from final move from her apartment, due to my sib not having bath tub ready with anti skid treads so she could have bath with Carousel bath chair. Excellent chair fr Platinum Health. It is expensive($ 300) but it turns 360 and glides seat into tub. 4 legs. 2 in an 2 out of tub.
So not much was ready for my Mom in way of safety and bathing and basic med stuff a human would need to stay clean and not be so jarring to my Mom. And not even have her matress she loves. No bars. No treads. Her room was a nightmare. And hoarding is a prob with sib. But house sure was decorated for xmas to the T. Sib had 2 months to get these few things done. I meantime was living with Mom. Fr Oct till Dec 29th. Away from my husband and sons. Mom can't be alone now and big fall risk. And like I said 40% only on walker with supervision. Then packing, insurance adjustment, adjust bills, new address with S.S. banking stuff then all med stuff to see about. She has many specialists. She has Pulmonary Fibrosis. Diabetes. Diverticulosus. Sciatica. But she's a tough lady and nicest person I know. I hated her moving but I needed a break mentally and no room at our home. Sib has never caregived. An said "you will need to train me!" So I did mention bed thing, tread thing, the room issue but not done when we finally did big final move. So gets there an gets bedsore withn 2 wks!! So what have others done for them? A wash of some kind? Help! And it's hurting her.
Reading more about your situation I can see that you have been through an absolute wringer. It seems you have been put in an impossible spot, with terrible stress and responsibilities on every side. Going above and beyond for years, taking care of your family with so much strength and love. (You are definitely stronger and more loving than I am, even on my best day!) And now grieving your beloved dad.
I hope you will not give up on this forum because of my stupidity! Again, I am deeply sorry for my hurtful post.
Yours truly,
SnoopyLove
Anyway, I apologize if I was too brusque about this very difficult situation your family is in.
"She has CNA there with her M-F while sib is at work."
"She has been in female depends since Sept so only thing different was mattress and not getting bath for 7 days after arriving at sibs,"
"So not much was ready for my Mom in way of safety and bathing and basic med stuff a human would need to stay clean and not be so jarring to my Mom. And not even have her matress she loves. No bars. No treads. Her room was a nightmare. And hoarding is a prob with sib."
"Sib has never caregived. An said "you will need to train me!"
So your mom is with a person with no training or aptitude for caregiving who works all day and then comes home to more work. And she hoards.
Why on earth is your mom there? Why is she not in a facility near you or sister, so that neither one of you are overwhelmed to the point of not being able to care for mom properly or take care of her kids and spouse?
This doesn't seem like a sustainable situation to me.
Contact someone knowledgeable in wound care. There is also a barrier gel that is placed on the surrounding areas of the wound to keep moisture at bay. DO NOT PUT THIS DIRECTLY ONTO THE WOUND! The nurse ordered this too. You can also use baby diaper ointment for this purpose.
It’s a pressure sore. There are pillows made to sit on to help prevent getting these sores. The nurse told me about that too.