I have instructions to clean my eye every morning and to put antibiotic ointment on my eyelid where the surgical wound is twice a day.
Because I've had an antibiotic resistant Superbug which can stay in the environment for a long time, I am trying to be really careful about hygiene when carrying out these tasks including hand hygiene. I am so pleased that the last test for the Superbug was clear of the infection. The infection has been 'recurrent' in the past, so I am also aware that it could flare up again and I am now pretty much asymptomatic i.e. I am not necessarily aware of the symptoms so I might not know. It succumbs to normal household cleaning products. Last time after the biopsy I wasn't yet clear of the superbug as far as I knew, so I tried to be really, really careful and the eye wound stayed fine and healed up really well. I did get a wound infection in a surgical wound elsewhere on my body last year and although I am far less likely to get my eyelid wound infected this does want me to be especially careful.
I bought surface wipes from a supermarket which claim to kill 99% of bacteria. Importantly from my point of view they say they destroy ecoli, as the superbug I've had is ecoli which became antibiotic resistant. The surfaces I've now worked out I need(ed) to clean with these are: the kettle handle in which I boil the water to then cool over night for cleaning my eye, the 'table' tray on which I put all the things I'm using to deal with my eye wound, the taps on the basin where I wash my hands before dealing with the wound. (I also use these taps when washing my hands after going to the loo. My superbug was a urinary tract infection).
I wash my hands with antibacterial soap in the special way that hospitals etc. recommend. I dry them on a hand towel I've set aside for just when I am dealing with the wound. Then I clean my hands with alcohol based hand gel and wait for the gel to evaporate. Then I have to admit that I put on first aid gloves that I got from a chemist. I'm not sure whether this is a good thing or not but I find it reassuring. I then take the sterile guaze the hospital gave me and pour cooled boiled water onto it directly from the kettle. I squeeze the pad out and dab round my eye. I then throw the gauze and gloves away. I keep the other pieces of gauze in their packet in an airtight container as recommended by the specialist nurse. I wash my hands again and then wash my glasses with anti-bacterial washing up liquid that I squeeze directly onto them and rinse them well under the hot tap. I dry them on a piece of clean kitchen paper. I keep the kitchen paper and the other stuff in my spare bedroom as I hope that this is one of the most hygienic places in my house. (I've read that kitchens have the most bacteria of any room in a house.) For putting on the antibiotic ointment I wait until my eye is dry and use cotton buds to put the ointment on instead of using a finger. I use a new cotton bud every time and make sure the unused ones stay in their box with the lid tight on.
Because I was told not to have baths any more on account of the recurrent urinary tract infections and superbug, I do need to shower. The specialist nurse advised me to put a really good amount of antibiotic ointment on my eyelid before I shower in order to protect it from the unboiled water.
My consultant let me have an eye shield to wear at night when I asked for one. I stick this on with micropore tape that I bought. There is a helpful photo on the internet which shows the position it should be placed in and where the tape should go. It is a plastic see through dome with holes in the middle of it for the air to circulate. I asked to have one because I am a restless sleeper and tend to sleep on my front. I don't want my hands going anywhere near my eye or surgical wound inadvertently at night. I thought when I first went to bed last night that it would be uncomfortable to sleep in. I have soft pillows and it was absolutely fine.
Least you think that with all these precautions I must have an immaculate house and be obsessive about cleanliness, actually this isn't at all the case, which is why perhaps, I feel the need to be so careful now. I did give my house a really good clean the day before my latest op. and I washed all clothing that I could think of that might go anywhere near my eye: waterproof coats, hats, jumpers etc. Just in case you think that lack of cleanliness might have led to the Superbug, it's not one of the things that are thought to trigger an increase in antibiotic resistance and those with it in the community aren't recommended to change anything apart from making sure they wash their hands really well after going to the loo and before cooking food i.e. really good hand hygiene.
I made sure that the eye unit knew about the superbug. I have been listed last for surgery to make sure that the consultant doesn't operate on anyone's actual eye after operating on me. That was when I had the Superbug. I am not sure if this still applies now the test came back clear.
The specialist nurse at the eye unit has been really helpful about giving me hygiene tips for looking after my eye wound, when I asked her and told her about my Superbug. I have an appointment booked for a week after my eyelid reconstruction for her to check that it is healing okay. I think this review appointment is standard for everyone?
With all the precautions I feel confident that my eyelid wound won't get infected.
Fraz
