Knee Infection* Revision with infection

[sistersinhim]

Hoping you can get back home quickly. You will feel so much better there and will have control over yourself, your ice, your elevation and your meds.

 

[KarriB]

The drain tube removal . I was so happy they just let my 2 from infection surgery fall out. Were they giving you anything intravenously for pain?

 

[LolaBee]

It's Monday night and finally feeling somewhat better because all docs are finally agreeing on same diagnosis.

After 4.5 days of excruciating ocular headache, vomiting, roaring sound in ears, my PT (who happens to be the mom of one of my son's friends) and one of my ICU nurses went up the chain of command to get answers. The puzzle pieces finally fell into place when realizing symptoms only happened when I was sitting or walking. Completely eased up when I was lying flat on my back.

The anesthesiologist insisted it couldn't be an epi spinal leak. Other docs just agreed and kept out of the fray. Finally nurse and PT, with help of patient advocate got another hospitalist involved. Just in time, because other docs had ordered all kinds of abdominal tests and even an upper GI scope believing I might have an ulcer causing my vomiting! Good grief!

I am scheduled for a blood spinal patch in the morning if tests confirm leak.

One positive: the horrendous head pain kept my mind off any knee pain.

Knee pain has been manageable with Norco, Percocet, and Dilaudid. I wasn't able to keep any food or pills down for 4 days, so most meds had to be IV.

Cultures have come back positive for Staph. I'm not sure what strain, but will try to find out tomorrow.

After fixing spinal leak, I'll be in Hospital another 24 hours for observation. Still not sure if releasing to home or nursing facility.

 

[Jockette]

Oh my, that’s awful. I do think I’d take knee pain over a headache like that any day, though.

I’m so glad you had 2 staff members advocating for you.

Hugs that things will improve soon.

 

[LolaBee]

Now the consensus is to wait 24-48 hours and treat with meds to see if conservative approach will close leak and stabilize. So.... I am flat on my back staring at hospital ceiling tiles for the next day or two. I can get up for quick potty runs, then back to bed. PT is coming by 1-2 times a day to do easy in bed movement, while lying down.

Knee pain manageable.
Except when anesthesiologist xane in to chat and wanted to sit on end of the bed. ON MY ANKLE!!!! I yelped, and he said, "Oh, is that the bad leg?" And unceremoniously moved it over.

 

[dsinger51]

New to community chat. Sorry about your TKR revision. I to am currently 3 months off an explant. Been immobilized since March 6 with "toe touch" and crutches. Completed 6 weeks IV at home antibiotics. Going to Duke this Thursday to access status of femoral osteomyelitis. Hopefully, I did this correctly, I just wanted to encourage LolaBee, you are not alone and hang in there.

 

[sistersinhim]

Except when anesthesiologist xane in to chat and wanted to sit on end of the bed. ON MY ANKLE!!!! I yelped, and he said, "Oh, is that the bad leg?" And unceremoniously moved it over.

Many of them have no clue!

 

[KarriB]

What a pain, literally! I’m so glad you’re able to see the bright side of such a horrendous situation. I. Hoping the next 24-48 goes quickly for you.

 

[LolaBee]

Dsinger51,
3 months?!! Oh my! That is,a long time to toe touch. What exactly are they looking at at Duke? I hope you get the answers you need to get you back on your feet.

 

[LolaBee]

I'm starting to get the sharp little zings of nerves waking up at lower end of incision. More memories coming back of original tkr.

Headache still awful if sitting or standing too long.

Insur still dragging it's feet to let me know if I'm going home or skilled nursing. Guess they are waiting to see when I'll finally be sprung from here.

Forgot to find out staph strain.

Keeping food down, so every little win is helping.

Ice is my best friend and cold washcloth on face is next bestie.

 

[LolaBee]

Going home today.
Knee extremely painful.

 

[Jockette]

Best wishes for your ride home, is it short or long? Mine was only about 15 minutes.

Take tings easy when you’re home, just move your knee gently. Ice and elevate.

 

[LolaBee]

It's only 10 min or less.
PT just did some light movement exercises with me for a few min. Now I'm icing until discharge.

 

[LolaBee]

Went to Infectious Disease doctor today. Had the best interaction with any doctor thus far on this journey. He is changing the vancomycin to daptomycin. I am already dealing with some side effects of the vancomycin. Abdominal pain, severe fatigue, dizziness, and fever.

I will start the new antibiotic on Monday.

The Home Health company bailed on me an hour before their expected visit early yrsterday evening. After lots of phone calls and worry, we finally have a new home health nursing starting tomorrow morning. Because it's Blue Cross/Blue Shield and not a Medicare case, many agencies took a hard pass.

Knee swelling is a major concern. Just trying to stay a step ahead of it with elevating and icing.

 

[Jockette]

Hopefully you’ll have good nurses coming by. I’m sorry it’s been a tougher than most journey for you.

 

[LolaBee]

Thank you, Jockette.
It helps to read other's journeys. Trying to stay positive.

I found out more info from the Infectious Disease specialist today.
The nasty germ causing all my troubles is Staphyloccus caprae. He is quite certain it gained intro through that bug bite that wouldn't heal.

Nasty, fast acting bacterium, but one that is treatable.

 

[Izabel]

@LolaBee so pleased to hear the ID doctor has found out which bacteria you have so it can now be treated appropriately.

Take care and have a good weekend.

 

[sistersinhim]

Praise God that it's treatable!

 

[LolaBee]

Today did not start out well, but I'm doing better this afternoon. Went too long without pain meds and fresh ice. Double whammy to try to catch up. I'm setting alarms tonight.

I finally had to relent and use stronger bowel meds today. Now daily stool softeners can work. I'm hoping the new antibiotic I'll be getting this week won't wreck havoc.

I cancelled the home PT today. (I was getting quite a lot of exercise running to and from the bathroom)

I feel my leg is dealing with a lot more swelling than my original tkr and a much larger area. 4" above knee to 3" above ankle. Like one large sausage link of tight swelling.

Tomorrow is blood draw, IV meds change, PT, and picc dressing change.

 

[LolaBee]

Nurse came to my house yesterday. Changed the picc dressing, wound dressing, and tried to draw blood. The picc is not working for blood draw. She poked 3 times elsewhere and could not get veins to cooperate. I've been hard to draw blood my whole life. Her nurse manager came by and got the samples.

I'm on a 9:30am and 9:30pm IV schedule. The nurse called last evening and said my vancomycin labs came back sky high, and not to infuse until I heard back from her. She was calling Infec Disease doc. I still haven't heard from anyone this morning.
The vancomycin trough range is 10-20. My lab cane back 28.7!!

Was supposed to change to daptomycin, but would take a few days to wrench approval from the insur company.

The side effects of vancomycin are terrible.

My husband is calling the surgeon's office this morning. I'm nearly out of Norco 7.5 and pain is in no way controllable. Something has to give. He's ready to take me to the ER. Even with meds and ice the pain is constant 7-10. The extreme fatigue, joint pain, muscle spasms, and abdominal pains from the vancomycin isnt helping.

Feeling miserable and having a pity party.