Since I'm too chickenshit to repack my own wound, I've been running back once a day to the Urology center to let friendly non-squeamish nurses do it instead.
The day the last staples came out, it turned out that the 3-inch incision (used by the surgeon as a "hand assist" for the two smaller laparoscopic cuts for popping the bad kidney out) hasn't closed completely; there's an inch or so to go...and there's a small pocket in my belly at that spot.
The first "Hey! Uh...don't." moment came Wednesday when one doctor swabbed the incision to get a sample of the fluid that's been dribbling out for the past 2 weeks. I didn't feel anything, but I was watching as he ran the swab along one spot...then plunged the swab about 3" deep. He freaked out (quietly) and went looking for a doctor with laparoscopy experience; second guy told him it's fine, you see this sort of thing with "big guys" like me. The pocket's in the fat layer, not down in the muscle, and it'll just take a bit longer to heal up. But it's fine as long as I keep the area clean and change the packing and bandage (looks like a maxi pad).
Nobody did any poking yesterday, but this morning, a different doctor came in to look things over. This one stuck his finger in there to feel around (yes, he had a glove on...no glove, no love, right?) and while I didn't feel it, I could see what he was doing.
It's still creeping me out, 9 hours later.
At least it doesn't hurt. I'm looking forward to a weekend of no poking or prodding or doctors going belly-spelunking.
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