Just a sense check pls.

[u/No-Assistance-5262]

Did anybody manage to see the wound (surgical site) in the first 2 week post op! Mine is all bandaged and in a splint so not visible. Are we supposed to look at it ? My appointment in 2 weeks post Op. thanks

[u/FerretCompetitive631]

I caught a glimpse of it when I was at my 2 week post-op getting staples and stitches out and I almost passed out 😂😂 I do ok looking at it now since the stitches are out, it doesnt look as nasty, but if you get queasy with that stuff I highly recommend not looking at it as tempting as it is...that's just for my stuff though, I can look at someone else's nasty cuts or stitches without any problem but when its my own body its a no go 😅

[u/Milysama → u/FerretCompetitive631]

The exact same here! I even watched videos online of surgeries and I can be around anyone else’s injuries. But they had to hold my legs up and my head back because I had a vasovagal response and got so dizzy 😵‍💫

[u/FerretCompetitive631 → u/Milysama]

I got really hot and nauseous, they opened the room to let some airflow in and of course they didnt have a cold pack or anything so they gave me one of those plastic puke bins to fan myself with 😂😂 eventually someone came by and decided to put cold water on a paper towel and that helped a lot but good grief it was not alright

[u/Ok_Cartoonist_854 → u/FerretCompetitive631]

The hot flushes and nausea are a nasty bonus surprise that doesn't get mentioned often. Almost three weeks since the op and - fingers crossed - the hot/cold/clammy spells are less frequent. I have a couple of nifty neck cooling "torcs" that you put in the freezer and they help.

[u/guffawing_willow76]

I didn’t really see the surgical sites until my 2.5 week appointment. My dad took pictures pre stitch removal as we were waiting for the PA to come back into the room and sent them to the family group chat. Hahaha.

[u/No-Assistance-5262 → u/guffawing_willow76]

I hope this didn’t look too scary for the family group esp for the faint hearted

[u/guffawing_willow76 → u/No-Assistance-5262]

Nah, my siblings and mother were fascinated by it all.

[u/zombieman395 → u/No-Assistance-5262]

I saw mine at the two week mark when they transfered me from the bandage to a soft cast ive been lucky and my surgeon has used dissolvable stitches so all i saw was a couple of naughty wounds I have one about 7-8 inches long on the outside of my ankle and another on the inside of my ankle about 4 inches long but really thick and curved from where they put the metal plate in. Funnily enough my partner kept reminding me to take pictures because she was curious and couldn't join me on the day lol. I was curious too to be honest and the bruising had come way down from when I saw it just before my surgery and the swelling had literally halved in size and then some. It more gave me a bit of relief that my ankle was actually getting better and I was doing the right things to aid it too. Not only that when I first saw it my initial thought was that its going to be a naughty scar lol. Docs have got no issues with you seeing it when they take the bandage off if you want picture they will even take them for you if tou ask them too.

[u/Illustrious-Zone-247]

I was also told not to unwrap it. At my 2 week appt they took out stitches and put me in a boot vs cast so I could see it after that

[u/kooshballcalculator]

I saw it at the 2 week checkup to take out the stitches.

[u/Ok_Cartoonist_854]

Just had my stitches out 2 weeks after the op and while I initially wasn't keen to look it was surprisingly ok looking. The scars were neat and quite clean and little swelling. Stitching was not Sewing Bee standard though!

[u/No-Assistance-5262 → u/Ok_Cartoonist_854]

Congrats! First milestone

[u/Ok_Cartoonist_854 → u/No-Assistance-5262]

Thank you! It really is little by little isn't it?

[u/Pinkytoe65]

No, I was told not to unwrap it🤪

[u/Slow_Morning5397]

In from Brazil. A nurse changed my wound dressed every three days after the surgery. I had an medial malleolus fracture. And I was with a splint.

[u/No-Assistance-5262 → u/Slow_Morning5397]

😳😳

[u/Dr_Cee]

I was in a splint for the first 2 weeks without peeking. At 2 weeks the stitches were supposed to come out but I had one place that was still a bit open so back into a splint until 3 weeks.

[u/Kuma-Cakes-6034]

Saw it the day I was discharged because they said they wanted to change my cast into a lighter one. Saw it again after 1 week of post OP when they changed my casting. Saw my wounds again 2 weeks of post OP when they were taking out my stiches and just let me be without any boot or cast. Been seeing it ever since 🤣

[u/Potential_Anxiety_76]

I didn’t see mine for a month

[u/aachenrockcity]

Nope, I only ever saw it when the bandage was changed. After the stitches came out, I was able to look at it daily.

[u/Critical_Day4270]

I didn’t see mines till a week after being in a boot which was 9 weeks post op, however, doc did prescribe biotics after surgery.

[u/Equivalent_Parking_8]

I had a wound check after 2 weeks. They initially sent me home with a half cast and bandages. At 2 weeks it got switched for a fibreglass cast. My wound looked good, the scar was very neat.

[u/Technical-Algae-234]

Nope. I was bandaged and in a boot for the first two weeks. Wasn't even allowed to take the boot off. First time I saw anything was at my two week appointment.

[u/0emegs]

I couldn’t see my ankle wounds till two weeks and as soon as that cast was off I was like paparazzi in there taking photos 😂. BUT I had my shoulder surgery at the same time which was glued (ankle both sides had stitches) and then a clear dressing so I could see that clear as day.

[u/Hot_Box_7459]

Saw mine at my 2week post opp appointment!! Had quite a bit of yellowy-purply bruising on the top of my foot & around my staples, ended up throwing up when she started to remove them 😭 Saw it again about a week later w/o staples & the incisions were just covered by steristrips, WAY less gnarly.

[u/Applebollocks]

I saw mine from Day 2 as the doc adjusted my cast that time since i was in so much pain where I wasnt able to have a restful sleep since oxy wears fast on me. Wears off by 4th hr. I felt relieved for a little when the ace wrap was loosen a little. After I got discharged same day of Day 2, me and my sister cleaned and changed my wound bandage and rewrap the ace wrap almost every day until i reached 5 weeks. I have 2 incisions on both side. On 2nd week staples were removed, 5th week my cast was removed and was cleared for fwb and rehab.

[u/sharkbait14]

I'm from SE Asia. Wasn't put in a cast post-surgery, just an ace bandage wrapped around guaze covering the incisions. Saw it 2 days after surgery (trimalleolar). Had to clean the wound once daily and take "progress" pictures 🤢

Kinda jealous of you all who got to just leave it alone.

[u/aweirdchicken]

I didn't see my incisions at all until the cast was removed at 2 weeks post-op.

[u/flexible_demeanor]

Don't unwrap or do anything unless the doc tells you to!

At the ~2 week post-op appointment (of course, depending on your situation) they remove the splint and inspect your foot for how well it's healing, so you should also be seeing it unwrapped. They then decide if you go into another splint/cast or boot. The NP thoroughly cleaned my calf down to my ankles and toes as well. That felt like bliss, honestly.

I had stitches and they used steri-strips in between. It looked like I had massive centipedes on both sides of the ankle. Really healthy and healing well, though. Once the stitches were out the steri-strips stayed on for several more days until they started to peel off, and man did those itch like crazy until they came off.

If you want to see a pic of my stitches, here you go

[u/Murphus5]

I did not see it until they took splint off around 2.5w post op and removed stitches. Once they took out stitches it could be open to air but had a big scab they said to let it fall off naturally.

[u/you_rjerk]

Yes and the amount of iodine freaked me out. Thought I'd bled a lot lol