Hi Mrs. D.

I thought I would give you an update. It's been about 3 weeks since I first noticed the hematoma. After the blister formed, I kept it clean and dressed.

(I did see the doctor and I'm fine), but I have to tell you what led up to my being fine.

We have a friend in the neighborhood who works for a veterinarian. Everybody goes to him for this boo-boo and that boo-boo (be it animal or human). He knows a great deal.

I was on my friend's porch and he walks by and I said "Can I ask you a question?" I didn't mention the word hematoma, I just said 'Well, I have a black and blue and I leaned against the sink and I got this skin bulge with all the red around it but I don't think it's infected because it's not hot, I feel fine and I drained it"

I showed it to him and he exclaimed "Oh that's a hematoma, it's not infected, you just have to let it take it's course, it will reabsorb and then there will be serum coming out of it". (I should have listened to the serum part) He told me to use an antibacterial ointment on it and dress it. That's what I was doing anyway.

So I kept doing what I was doing and every day the red part around it left it and it went towards the middle and one day I looked down and it had burst and all the blood went everywhere (I thought when he said the blood would reabsorb into my body I didn't completely understand that there would be a blood blister)

So again, I'm at my friend's and he comes by and I said "it burst and now there is no more blister but there is some ooze coming out of it"

He says 'I told you THAT'S THE SERUM". I said "what the heck is serum?"

He explained it to me. He also said that his brother had this huge hematoma on his knee and he drained it and gave him a shot of some anti-imflammatory and his brother was back playing basketball the next day.

So after two weeks of this hematoma getting smaller and smaller, the other day we were at the doctor and I said "I gave myself a hematoma" The doctor said "Show me"

I showed him and he said "Oh you did a good job, that's serum coming out of it. " He said to keep doing what I'm doing and I'll be all done in about two weeks.

And it's not infected.

So whatever I did, it looks MUCH better, doesn't hurt, it's still black and blue, no more blood is coming out. no more oozing, just a drop of serum here and there.

I never knew about this serum coming out of the body.

I actually found a message board devoted to hematomas and found out that it's VERY common after surgeries and people get them at incision sites.

Some have to be surgically repaired. All are drained.

So from now on, I give myself the injection at different places. NEVER on my stomach because I'm always leaning over the sink.

But I never lean into the sink. Never again.

Thanks for all the input.

And I hope I never have a hematoma EVER AGAIN!!

melody