Euw! Damn it!

It is 2 weeks today when I go back to the surgeon to have my stitches removed. I was told to leave the sticky tape bandage on, not to remove it, only if it came off on it's own was I to replace it. I hadn't had to replace it and I am ready to go today to see the doctor. The bandage was looking the worse for wear, looking just a little bit dirtier every day, I tried not to cringe when I looked in the mirror in the mornings. I had wondered a couple of times if I had got the instructions right, but I was sure that I had. I was, however, looking forward to getting the bandage removed.

It had been an easy couple of days, all of the girls were excited to see me back at work, which is nice. I don't know if it is because I am gay and non threatening, they say it is because I am funny and irreverent and so often it has been said that I am breath of fresh air, whatever that means. I guess it is because I don't really take things too seriously. WTF, life is too short.

Yesterday, we had a morning tea for a new girl who started this week. We gathered around, we had a platter of cakes to eat. After we had all introduced ourselves to the new girl and given a brief run down of who we are, we were ready to hop into the cakes.

It was about then that one of the girls, one of my favourite girls, asked me what I had done to my head. I instinctively reached up and touched the bandage as I responded with an explanation. When I pulled my fingers away, they were wet. WTF?

I headed to the bathroom, my stomach was turning just a little. What the hell? I looked in the mirror, the bandage looked the same as it had this morning, kind of grubby and ready to be removed. I pushed at it, it felt a little squishy underneath, to tell you the truth. I pushed it again and a good amount of blood and fluid leaked out of the top of the bandage.

"Euw!"

I had a box of tissues, so I wiped away the excess goop. I didn't want to remove the old bandage, as I didn't have anything to replace it with. I didn't want to walk out into the office with the stitches exposed. I headed back to my desk and said to Kirin and Mazz that I was heading to the chemist.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," said Mazz. "It is only tomorrow, you don't want to buy anything especially."

"Huh?" I was just a little distracted.

"There is a first aid kit here, use that." I love Mazz.

We found the first aid kit, it was well stocked. There were all sorts of bandages, we found Elastoplast and gauze and tape. Mazz cut the Elastoplast and I headed back to the bathroom with my medical requisites and a tube of sterile water to wash the stitches.

"Just lean over the sink and pour it," said Mazz. She gave me a physical demonstration.

I pulled the old bandage off carefully, the stitches came into view for the first time. I was surprised with how long the wound was, it seemed twice as long as I expected it to be. I noted the blood stained medical tape, which had deposits of puss, as though it had been covering a scabby sore. It was immediately obvious that the Elastoplast was no good or, at least, one piece of Elastoplast was not going to work, as it has 2 sides that don't stick down. I put a tissue over the wound and headed out to Mazz to get her to cut me another piece of Elastoplast so I could use both pieces crossed over so all sides were effectively sealed.

Of course, Mazz wanted to see the "business." She said it was bigger than she expected. Kirin wanted to see it too. She inhaled sharply and also said it was bigger than she expected it to be.

I criss crossed the Elastoplast across the stitches, but the combination of both pieces was huge on my forehead, it hung off like something oversized, and was completely unfit for the purpose. I tried the tape, which worked quite well, and I gave it a go for a while, even if it didn't, actually, stick as well as I would have liked. The wound also continued to weep, which made the tape wet as though it was being wet by a weeping wound, oddly enough. 

Another rummage through the first aid kit we found a self adhesive gauze bandage, which worked much better than the first 2 attempts. It is large and covers half of my forehead, like a racing day hat on ladies day, but it sealed on all sides and it was neat and easy to wear, even if one side was stuck to my hair.

What the hell, my appointment was less than a day away and it only had to last for 12 hours. I'm sure it will be alright, I have nothing to base this on, I guess the basis is hope. It all looked kind of wet and messy, but I feel absolutely fine, so I guess it is my intuition that is telling me it will be fine. 

All will be revealed today. I have to leave in about half an hour. Yay! It will be nice to get it over and done with.