This paper presents a reflection of my journey as a patient following a breast abscess. As an experienced community nurse with a specialist interest in tissue viability, we daily assess a range of different wound types and are adept at early identification and management of an infected wound. We instinctively know which dressing type to use to manage localised wound infection and slough and reduce pain for patients; however, when the nurse becomes the patient with a wound and has welcomed a new born child into the world, we can suddenly lose the specialist knowledge. This paper reflects on a journey I recently experienced.