Voicelessness and Emotional Survival > Voicelessness and Emotional Survival Message Board
2019 Farm Life
sKePTiKal:
Feb 21st Lighter.
Because of her age, she needs to see OB-GYN. Can't get in until Tues next week. She also has a few other things that MUST be taken care of.
I am better mostly due to getting some rest; downtime... time to spend w/Buck... at least at the distance. Time alone too.
sKePTiKal:
And Buck is in the hospital for another holiday. He had two appts yesterday and his pain pump has started break through the skin. Sigh. The pump and spinal catheter will both need to come out (catheter delivers timed dose to spinal nerves) but he'll still walk if the doc leaves the stimulator. But neither of us trust these docs/hospital to not remove everything. There is no way a medical device could CAUSE an infection, but it seems that's the belief of the docs. Perhaps there was bacteria ON the device due to mishandling... but antibiotics of the right combination/dose DOES clear it (I've looked; UK has some interesting research).
Last message from him was at 2 am; still running tests. I've heard nothing this morning so I have no idea what's going on. Been 8 hours; he should be coming back up from anasthethia if they did the surgery already.
And I'm wrapping information around my mind, to keep from feeling my apprehension and anxiety. Might go shopping; I'm making a baklava for next week.
lighter:
OK, Amber.... it's going to be OK.
I'm looking for some clarity....
Correct me if I have anything wrong:
B's had a 2-year infection in or around his spine, with zero idea what caused it.
Have the doctors been faffing around identifying infection, or passing blame like a hot potato this entire time?
The pump has to come out. OK.
Maybe they took out the stimulator, which means he won't walk.
I want to weep for B's journey. If they took out the stimulator.... can they put it BACK IN once the infection is cleared up?
I don't understand why they can't remove everything THEN PUT IT BACK THE RIGHT WAY under sterile conditions once he's all healed up.
I'm so sorry, ((Amber and B)).
I'd be making A LOT of baklavas right now too.
Lighter
sKePTiKal:
I know it's going to be OK; this is like 4th or 5th time I've gone through this experience with Buck - mostly on relayed info from another friend of his.
NOTHING has happened yet; they do have him heavily sedated - which, last time, they kept him in that state until they had an open OR and a surgeon on call. I suspect that is also what is happening again.
The infection is most likely hospital acquired; it's a nasty strain of staph and the docs alternately call it staph or MRSA. Medical devices are maintained sterile inside packaging until needed - opened in a sterile environment - surgically implanted sterilely, etc. Or such is the CDC recommended protocol to try to stop the spread of hospital acquired staph infections. (Told ya; I've researched my butt off.) Less likely, but still possible - the device was contaminated with bacteria prior to sterile packaging. From the amount of reports I've read, most of the infection cases (say knee/hip replacements, pacemakers, etc) involve some human making a mistake.
The saga he's been through is long Lighter. Back & forth. No way I'd get it right if I tried to tell it. Suffice it say, that this time, whatever comes out - is not going back in again without a court order. He can manage without the pump & catheter to the spinal nerves; he has been doing so since July. He hasn't been able to have the pump filled and set to the normal dosage since it was implanted due to the infection.
There are two things that boggle my mind, OK? Impossible to wrap head around with any form of common sense. One is that the Infectious Disease dept refused to treat his infection; tried to tell him it was dermatitis. DESPITE his records detailing when/where he acquired the staph infection. :insert emoji of eyes rolling so far back in my head they're looking out my arse: Despite his MONTHLY scheduled visits.
The only reason he got antibiotics recently (ineffective as that cocktail was) was because he went to the ER in a different hospital with a sustained fever over 101. Totally different doc. The fever was his ticket to treatment outside of the people he normally is required to deal with. The infectious disease people are treating antibiotics as if they were opioids. And while I understand that many people do unnecessarily ask for antibiotics, if one has an internal staph infection - it can get as bad as septicemia - which is lethal, if left untreated. He has been on the verge of that once or twice. Usually requires IV dosages of an antibiotic which he is highly allergic to. CONUNDRUM for the docs; but he's willing to suffer the allergy symptoms (which are extreme) to clear the infection.
Here's the thing about taking it all out & putting it back Lighter. There is no way - not even autoclave - to effectively sterilize that particular set of devices. Docs have to start fresh with new ones. Because the infection symptoms are localized right in the pump area... and he hasn't come down with meningitis yet.... only the pump & catheter will NEED to be removed and the current infected fluid drained; massive A/B dosages to knock the infection back down to a level that can be dealt with oral A/Bs on a regular rotation (like is done for Lyme Disease)... LEAVING him the ability to walk with the stimulator, and perhaps a knee brace.
He and I know this is the correct way to treat this post-op. WHY don't the docs? Look online - NIH, CDC, UK's NHS, etc. Paper copies of his medical records weigh 80 lbs, Light. Over 4,000 pages.
I also know he's submitting to this now, because of how we discussed moving up the timeline. Get it out of the way and get recovered.
I can not complain; I have to turn him loose to do this; it's his choice. I have already done all the dishes and cleaned the worst out of the kitchen, including scrubbing the sink. I'd go to the studio & bug John... but I can also sew the finishing touches on his camo smock. There's a little more space out there for me to pace; stalk; walk like thunder. I'll do that and perhaps a little more shopping. Late as it is. And then if I still have restless energy, I'll clean my bathroom. Maybe measure the closet space for how much I could steal and incorporate into the bathroom remodel.
and he's just now calling me.
lighter:
I hope he reported expected news, Amber.
Or better.
Lighter
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