27 May 2022
This morning Dana (pronounced Donna) the RN visited to qualify Joyce for continued home nursing and do the dressing change. When it came time to apply the Santyl, she said she'd apply it thickly to the Kerlix gauze rather than directly to the wound.
Hawkeye the wound care specialist on the hyperbaric team had mentioned that technique. And we'd tried it a few times before realizing the problem with it. It uses a lot of Santyl.
Joyce tried to reorder the stuff earlier this month, only to be told that the prescription couldn't be reordered until May 19. So we stretched out what little we had until then and reordered.
It didn't arrive until May 23, this Monday. Three 30g tubes.
Dana used almost the last of the first tube. Maybe one more application left. We can't reorder until June 22. But at this rate, using the proper application, we'll be out of it by June 10. That would be nearly two weeks without any Santyl.
I had emailed Dr. Tong earlier this month when we found out we couldn't reorder until May 19. But I didn't get a response.
So Dana called and told them We Don't Have Enough Santyl.
And a few hours later, Cat the Physician's Assistant called* to tell me she had figured out a solution.
She ordered a "two month" supply of Santyl. How much is that? Is it 180g? Which would be six 30g tubes.
No.
She ordered 900g in a tub, which would give us about 100g a week. And the order can be renewed three times. Which should get us through the summer.
We should be able to pick it up next week at the French campus pharmacy (where we can park on the street).
Somehow, I don't think this is the end of the story. But it would make a rather nice ending.