re: Anyone Have Experience With Wound Healing / Wound Care?

Thanks to all for the many thoughtful replies, sincere gratitude to all of you. I will try to go through one-by-one and respond to things:

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She said her best bet is to go to an outpatient wound center with actual wound care experts, the home health nurses likely aren’t wound certified. She also said the dressings may need to be changed more, not less, letting them “air out” could increase the chance of infection.

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Yes, I should have mentioned that--her home health care is being coordinated with the outpatient wound care clinic at a hospital that she goes to. And yes, at first they were allowing me to change the dressings on the off-days in between nurse visits. However, I'm positive that one of the nurses reported to the wound care doctor that I wasn't doing a good enough job, and they told me to stop after that. Not a coincidence to me, but that's when her wounds started getting progressively worse. The longer in between having her dressings changed, the more the dressings stick and the worse the pain is for her. I wasn't an expert at changing the dressings, like I couldn't make them look as neat and tidy as the nurses, but it was a reasonable facsimile and better than nothing in my opinion.

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The home health nurse trained me in dressing wounds so they could be changed 2xday.

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The way the wounds are now, and with how painful it is for my mom, I doubt she would allow me to change them 2x a day anymore. But I agree that it would probably be helpful.

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mepilex border type dressing

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Haven't heard of this, will have to look into it.

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As an aside the scab over generation is gone

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Yes, that's one of the things that's occurred to me--until recent history, people used to rely on the body's natural processes for things to heal, and now we have all these modern interventions that seem to prolong the suffering and make things worse actually. But yes, I know, a lot of people died from infections or had to have amputations back in the day.

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After initial treatment i skipped wound care and used dressings i got from Amazon. It healed slower and with a bad scar. But none of the wound care pain.

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Yes, as misguided as it sounds, I've thought about getting ACE wraps and non-stick honey dressings (shown to improve wound healing) from Amazon and changing them myself daily. And also using one of those near-infrared lights that are supposed to encourage wound healing.

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Pack them with placenta powder.

Add hyperbaric chamber treatment. Then stick a fork it and they’re done.

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I'm actually the most intrigued by these suggestions. There is a wound care center halfway nearby that offers hyperbaric chamber treatment, maybe we can call them in the morning. The only thing is that she is wheelchair-bound, so not sure if that's something that can be accommodated / whether she will be able to enter the chamber without having to stand and walk.

Placenta powder is new to me, will have to look into that. I'm assuming it's only available through medical providers?

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Wound vac

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Will have to look into it.

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I would assure that my mother’s care was provided under the supervision of a CWOCN, CWCN or CWS.

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Yes, she has more or less reached the end of the line with her current wound care doctor, so it sounds like the next step up will be a wound care doctor that comes to the home for a second opinion and maybe some new interventions. Although as mentioned earlier, I'm now interested in calling the wound care center nearby that offers hyperbaric treatment.

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Venous wounds will not heal without managing the swelling through compression and elevation. ... Nutrition is also extremely important. Protein supplements are a must. Get her started on juven.

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Yes, this is the killer and the frustration I have with my mom--the solution is right there, kick your feet up and relax for a few weeks on end, but she just won't do it. Then complains about the way things are when she is the one refusing the essential treatment. She keeps talking about getting a Zero Gravity recliner, but the recliner she has now goes back far enough, and with a foam implement for elevating the legs and some slim pillows on top of that, she could easily achieve the elevation needed with stuff we already have in the house.

She couldn't tolerate the taste of Juven, so a few days ago I finally found her Prostat Advanced Wound Care where you only have to take one TBSP twice a day in some water. It's starting to sound like she not only can tolerate it but actually likes the taste, especially when adding an ice cube in it.

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Not going to knock the home health nurses, because they do a lot, but there is no way they specialize like nurses do in the hospital and specialty clinics.

Also, being home health, when was the last time an MD put eyes on her wounds?

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Yes, one of the home health nurses they sent the other week was clearly not trained in changing dressings for wound care. It was like they had just picked someone off the street--honestly I could have done a better job myself. She crisscrossed two bands of the velcro wrap that my mom wears on one of her legs--I had been trained just once in putting those on and even I know that you don't crisscross them like that. It was ridiculous.

Yes, we were just at her wound care doctor last Tuesday. Sounds like we are moving on from them and seeking second opinions of wound care doctors who will come to the house. And in the morning I'll probably try to call this wound care center that offers hyperbaric treatment and see what gives.

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I have also seen wound care clinics that grossly mismanage care

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Yes, see above about to read about the incompetence of one of the home health nurses who was sent.

Ok, whew, sorry for the long message. Thanks again to all.

Juven, L-emental or Agriinaid. 1 pack I 8 oz juice or water twice a day. Better tasting with juice.

Zinc sulfate 220mg every day
Vitamin c 500 mg twice a day

Extra protein — ensure, boost etc.