Deja vu
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| My new addiction, everywhere I go! |
Here I go again
I really thought after my experience eight years ago I was done with pressure ulcers but alas no. What I do know is it’s impossible to legislate for third parties (idiots). My first one was as a result of not being turned regularly in bed when in hospital. Thank goodness I haven’t had a stay in hospital since when all the necessary precautions haven’t been put in place.
In April this year we were lucky enough to fly to Perth Western Australia with SMD and her partner to see my best friends and go to their daughter’s wedding.
The day came we had decided to use Disabledholidays.com and fly direct from Heathrow to Perth. But what we never considered was it would be ‘Disabled Assistance’ at Heathrow Airport that inflicted the damage to my skin that has resulted in a Pressure Ulcer.
At the airport we had pre booked airport assistance, the team responsible only won the contract two months before hand and they had never had to help someone in a electric wheelchair with complex needs and boy could we tell. Trying to get the transfer sling on was the start of me being yanked and pulled about, with a blink of an eye I very nearly got tipped out of the sling and onto the floor, thankfully hubby was there to step in. While SMD was ready to ‘deck’ the supervisor! The flight manager put a glass of champagne in each of Shannon’s hands to stop her doing any such thing! The end result of this chaos was the start of my pressure ulcer. 😥
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| A simple scratch you might think. |
But little did I know.
After having a great time in WA we landed back home, to the joys of Heathrow Assistance. Hubby not wishing to experience a repeat performance of our outward journey took charge and told them they would be doing exactly what he was about to ask them! Needless to say it all went smoothly.
Now back home we soon were back in our usual routine of carers, District Nurses and hospital appointments. The District Nurses soon started coming in twice a week to dress the wound as it was developing into something more sinister looking. Unfortunately the wound is on my inner thigh, as a permanent wheelchair user I am sitting on it during the day, which is not ideal. In July of this year it really wasn’t improving.
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| July 2026 |
The next words came (the ones that fill me with dread) “we need to get Hampshire’s Tissue Viability Nurse out because we really need some advice “
Hence the reason a Vac Pump was issued . It is like a vacuum cleaner removing all the rubbish. As it’s permanently attached everything I did we obviously had to take the pump into consideration when having care, out in the car, hospital visits etc - you get the idea it really is a pain in the bum quite literally. Yesterday the nurse came back as she wanted to see how it was progressing.
I wasn’t expecting to be told things had worsened, my original pressure ulcer had opened up and merged with the new one.
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| Not looking good - taken today |
I was reassured by what I keep referring to as the District Nurse when she is in fact a District Sister that I am doing nothing wrong unfortunately everything is stacked against me. The vac pump has gone, I am back to using a Manuka honey dressing (used for its antibacterial benefits) three visits a week from the District Nursing Team. Next week I will be starting an extra lunch time call from my care team so I can have 30mins bed rest every day.
It is so important for everyone who comes into contact with me understands how vulnerable my skin is, it is crucial that additional care and attention is given while manual handling me.
I must sound like a right drama Queen but I feel so reliant on others - I hate it.
It’s necessary that we are all aware of pressure ulcers and the risks that a sedentary lifestyle brings. Thankfully there are advances for the treatment of MS. While there is still no cure, permanent wheelchair users are in the minority. Approximately 130,000 people in the UK have MS two thirds are still walking and a third are either occasionally or permanently in a wheelchair.
Most importantly if you want to find out more about MS please go to organisations like the following ones at the bottom of this page and not Doctor Google!
I hope this post makes people aware of the dangers of pressure ulcers and how important for all care givers to regularly check the skin viability.
What an ordeal. Big respect to Shannon and Dave, and to you, too. Keep up the good work with the blog, and try to stay positive. The photos really help to illustrate the pressure ulcers, although I am a bit squeamish! Hopefully you can successfully clear those with the new treatment. Take care
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