Hello Bonesmart. I feel so stupid that I did not update my status. I apologize. With the surgeries and everything going on it just slipped my mind. I had intended to respond. Maybe it is my age...... .
I was retested in April 2024 with no signs of infection. I had the second stage of the revision at the end of May. My recovery went very well and I sailed through PT. I forget the final readings of my extension (0?) and flexion (120?). It was amazing how quickly I recovered. My knee was normal again. The best it had been since before my original surgery in 2022. I could wear heels again, run up and down stairs, do water aerobics, and walk the dog with zero pain. I stood tall and my sciatic nerve pain was gone. My knee looked normal and felt great.
This past January, 8 months later, I started to feel some discomfort down my calf. Similar to what I had felt before, but I brushed it off. I figured it was just a little nerve pain that would go away. The knee would swell sometimes then dissipate so I did not worry about it. In February I tripped and sprained my ankle. Afterwards, my knee swelled up and remained that way. I thought I must have injured it with the fall. I waited for the swelling and pain to go down but it did not. I saw my OS who did an aspiration. They said that a hematoma may have formed from the fall causing the swelling. The fluid was tinged with blood which made me think it was a hemotoma. I had not heard from them so I thought no news was good news.
They did call and informed me that the infection had returned. I was shocked and dismayed. How could this be happening again? It is the same bacteria as before, staphylococcus caprae, so the ID doctor is treating it like it is the same strain and not a new one. He feels it was in the bone dormant and got activated. I would need surgery and a course of long term antibiotics. Another 2 stage surgery was not an option due to too much bone loss. So on March 25th I went in for a DAIR procedure (debridement, antibiotics, and implant retention). I am on IV antibiotics for six weeks then oral for 9 months to a year.
I feel like I have been hit by a bus. I am trying to stay positive. It could be worse. The antibiotics worked last time so they will again. Just a longer course.
In May, my husband and I are moving to the Western part of the state. We are currently on the East Coast. It was in the works in before this happened. I am anxious how this will effect our new life. I want to remain seeing my ID Dr who will now be 2 hours away. I will just have to make it work. I am hoping we can do some telehealth visits and that it won't interfere with my new job.
This is all so unreal. I am hanging in there and doing my best to stay hopeful.
Thank you for listening.
United States
