So I just got a call from my mom's facility and they said she had a stage 2 bed sore on her butt that they are keeping clean and ordered medicine for it to heal. They just wanted me to know. When I asked why she had a sore they said because she favors her right side while laying in bed. My mom had a stroke 4 months ago and is now left side paralyzed. They get her up in her wheelchair everyday but she lies in bed 90% of the time.
My question is, should I be worried or are bed sores inevitable? Her facility does a good job of keeping her clean (that I am aware of).
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"Keeping her clean" is not the issue; the issue is that mom favors her right side while in bed and the pressure needs to be taken OFF of that area. A wedge cushion can be placed under that area, as one suggestion, or something of that kind. And she needs to be out of bed a lot more than she currently is. The wound itself needs to be kept clean and medicated and covered, and the bandage needs to be changed at least every other day. And not by just anyone; by staff who's specially trained in WOUND CARE or by Home Health sent out by Medicare.
Hoping for the best results for your mom.
There are bedsores called a Kennedy ulcer that often appear on the tailbone that are typically fatal, so I would find out exactly where this one is other than just on her butt.
Any bedsore not treated properly can lead to all kinds of issues so make sure that her facility is staying on top of things.
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They occur when repositioning is not done routinely or if a particular area of the body is not relieved of pressure. (Heels, back of the head, shoulders are but 3 areas that can get pressure sores and are difficult to relieve of pressure)
Pressures sores can happen fast and they can progress fast. I am wondering why they waited until it was stage 2 before you were notified.
And it occurred NOT because she favors one side of the body over the other it is because they do not reposition to lessen the pressure.
Keeping her clean while important is not a cause / effect of pressure sores. But keeping her clean CAN, if someone notices, prevent pressure sores simply because someone is looking at the skin BUT if they are not looking at the entire area when the change and clean her it is not going to be effective.
I was a son taking care of his mom. The only time she experienced a pressure ulcer was when she was in the nursing home after her hip surgery (so much for "rehab") and when she was in the hospital for observation a few years later (less than a week). Both times I made it known to staff it was unacceptable. In each case, it took a few weeks after she came home to clear it up.
My case was different, as my mom could walk (with walker). Every two hours daily, I made sure she moved to another chair. Each chair had a gel cushion plus a foam cushion, and a pillow for her back. Since she was incontinent, all three were covered with pads that I changed daily. At least three times a day, I made sure she had clean pull-ups. I used Calmoseptine each time on her behind to form a barrier. Her bed sheets were washed daily and clean pads put on. It was tough work, but I am proud she never got a pressure ulcer under my watch.
If your situation allows, make surprise visits to the nursing home as much as possible, and advocate on your mom's behalf. They are supposed to be trained for each patient's situation and have a daily care plan. You need to make sure that plan is being followed as much as possible. I wish you the best.
#1 ASAP: Alternating air mattress overlay. About $75 Vive brand is great. This will help heal, and will keep them from coming back. It also helps with general circulation and good sleep.
Also #1 ASAP: Honey!!! Manuka is best but any unrefined raw honey will do.
Clean the sores, put honey on, seal, change every 2-3 days (2 at first, then 3 days). This is about the only way to truly heal them. And they heal fast!!!
#2 Once they are healed, truly healed, coconut oil with tea tree oil will continue to protect her fragile skin in that area. This would be ongoing as a lotion applied after each daily cleaning.
Some important notes:
Wash can be saline or a drop of mild soap like baby soap, in warm water on a soft cloth (does not need to be rinsed off).
Apply honey without double dipping. You do not want to infect the honey. Also, apply just a small dot of honey. Very little. Also, apply honey PER sore. So like one gloved finger per sore. You do not want to spread honey from sore to sore. This will spread sores, connect them.
To seal, buy special bandages that are padded and completely cover the area. They are expensive but necessary. And you won't need that many. Maybe 6-10. SEAL the bandage. Do NOT put any of the sticky part of the bandage on the sore, but you do want to be sure the seal is flush to the skin. All the way around. Absolutely NO gaps. Otherwise contamination gets in and further infects. IMPORTANT: Buy skin prep. Little cleaning pads that clean the skin around the sore to make the bandage stick. Do Not get this prep on the sore.
If you truly want to fix the bed sores, this is fail-safe, regardless of how bedridden or skin fragility. It has stunned doctors, to tell you the truth. This method permanently cured my Mom's stage 4 bedsores. Her doctor said he had never seen skin so healed. God bless!!!!
That wheelchair cushion is a RoHo. Can be expensive. Its made up of pockets of air. You pump it to the desired firmness.
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=roho+cushion&gclid=Cj0KCQiAlKmeBhCkARIsAHy7WVuW7CqXIfm3l4HeResM0OG3eLKPJh-rhps5e2gfhzukEDZxm-pK6rQaApHSEALw_wcB&hvadid=616991107898&hvdev=t&hvlocphy=9003829&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=9674490236155050115&hvtargid=kwd-127752380&hydadcr=24663_13611861&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_2nqf6lswq_e