Green Gauze

If the hole has not healed and it is green, you should call your doctor. I am a month out from reversal and mine healed weeks ago.

Lisa,
It could be a mild infection that needs to keep draining out...and if there is no redness, no fever, no muscle aching then you can just allow it to drain...I infect and dehyss at ever surgery (dehyss=scar popping open) but and they never put me on antibiotics unless I have a fever...so just continue to allow it to drain but if it starts getting unusually painful, red, hot etc then call your doctor and let him know...until then, keep the gauze clean and dry, change it often with clean hands and if you have sterile vials or tubes of saline solution then just squirt some over it 'if the hole isn't deep you can squirt some betadine onto it and then rince with the saline, do not dry...other than that, do not change anything.
Keep us posted on your progress.
Sharon

All of Sharon's tips are great. I would also call the doctor/wound care nurse just to be sure. My wound care nurse told me that green, yellow, brown, pus, or excessively bloody discharge from the wound was a cause for concern and should be followed up. Even if you are not having other symptoms, you may need a topical antibiotic ointment so that the infection doesn't worsen.

The other thing, how often are you changing the dressing/packing? It could be that it was left on too long; that is another factor that can lead to infection.

Thank you! Can you believe I forgot what the doctor said it was? He said it's nothing to worry about and prescribed Dakin's Solution to apply to the gauze and insert twice a day. He said it's not an internal infection so I guess that's a good thing. Six months of cancer treatment, four surgeries and radiation and I now get so scared in his office that I forget what he says
In the beginning I was told to change the gauze once a day, but I'm thinking perhaps that wasn't enough. Anyway, I started the Dakins today and we shall see what happens. It smells like bleach...I feel like laundry!!!!

Good news Lisa,
Yes, it is bleach but a tolerable form for humans and is ofen used in this sort of case...here they use Dakin or Betadine yellow...my nurse usually just squirts it into me whenever I get infected...just don't try it on your laundry!
Get better soon...And yes, I get the fact that you 'white out' in the doctor's office! I do it constantly...it is the fear.
Sharon

"Psudeomona"...finally remembered the official term! I'm happy to report that I've had three days of being green gauze-less The hole is closing up rapidly and I'm thinking that with the hole closing will come "closure" to this chapter!Thank you for all your help