Dressing changes

No one tells you what to expect with dressing changes - so here goes.  First, as I learned the hard way, you need someone who really knows how to do acti-vac dressings.  I have little medical knowledge, still I can see they are more complicated than many other types of dressings. So if you need to use the acti-vac take good care of yourself and ask for someone who already knows how to do these dressings well.  You do not want to have one replaced because it wasn't done correctly the 1st time.  The pain involved is enough without at least doubling it.
So let's talk about the pain involved in changing dressings. In the beginning I found the dressing changes unbearable and couldn't stop myself from screaming and crying when the old dressings were removed.   As  some healing appears to be occurring I am more able to bear the changes.  It helps me to have my biting pillow and to take deep breaths.  Perhaps the worst part is the increase in pain experienced for some period of time after the dressing is changed.  Initially the pain is so terrible I am unable to control it with pain medication - which means basically the pain isn't controlled for some period of time.  I believe the period of unbearable pain has shortened recently.  Nevertheless, I look forward to each dressing change with dread and with worry.  The worry is about whether or not the nurse will be well trained with this type of dressing.  Having to have the dressing redone once has sadly frightened me to probably unreasonable levels.
Some day this will be over.