Knee Infection* The girl with the two fake knees

[Red's Mom]

Jen, your on the right road now! As others have said in all likelihood this pathogen was acquired nosocomial meaning in the hospital. Infections are infections nothing to do with personal cleanliness. Please make sure that anyone looking, touching, checking your incision uses proper protection and hand washing techniques. I would suggest asking your new ID specialist if she sees many infections from your OS practice. Professionally I am stunned that your OS did not immediately bring in ID when he or she saw the initial wound and culture. In the future if you see ANY sore or wound anywhere on your person get immediate medical attention. Your immune system is on low with the multiple surgeries, antibiotics and open wound. Your strength and determination are incredible, keep on keeping on!

 

[ACDCJen]

Thank you for the words of encouragement!!! I'm going to do my best to leave it be and wait for my appointments next week. Of course, that is much easier said than done!!

For my fellow infectionites:
*Did you ever get to a point where you were so weak and tired that just doing simple things wore you out?

*For those with wound vacs: did anything ever drain that wasn't red/pink serous fluid? I'm getting tiny pieces of greenish discharge.

*Has anyone ever had the feeling of intermittent chills in and around the wound site?

*Does icing directly over the wound cause any problems? I have some pretty significant swelling and thought icing would help.

Thank you in advance for any and all responses. Just trying to feel normal within the 1%!!!

I feel like such a whiney baby, which is not my thing...I'm definitely more of a grin and bear it type!! This forum has helped so much!!

Jen

 

[ACDCJen]

Hello moderators!

Could someone please change my thread to...After 20 years...the good, the bad, the infected.

Please and thank you!

Jen

 

[Red's Mom]

You're not a baby. It's normal to feel AWFUL when your on big gun antibiotics. Are you able to eat? Are you eating or drinking adequate protein? When you see ID ask if they have recommendations to support your normal flora. Are they doing wound and blood cultures with each wound vac change? I'm so relieved your headed to an ID specialist!

 

[Jamie]

Jen, way to go, girl!!! That's taking the bull by the horns. I'm glad you'll be seeing a good infection specialist within a few days. I've changed your thread title for you.

 

[KarriB]

Jen, I was exhausted after my infection surgery and really feel that it, along with fighting the infection took a greater toll on my energy. Two major surgeries one month apart and an infection wore me out. Energy wise it was like right after TKR again. I had to work back up to doing anything around the house and really just rested and napped much of the day. My leg was in an immobilizer so I couldn't really ice it. My knee seeped yellowish pus from a closed incision and continued to seep after my staples were removed. I was changing the dressing a couple of times a day. The seeping gradually diminished and by the one month mark stopped. You aren't a whiney baby at all! I cried everyday after the infection surgery!

 

[zzevi]

I was plenty tired by the time I got the wound vac and found out I had infection. I chalked it up to going back to work a little earlier than I should of. But those first weeks between work and dealing with the dressing changes were exhausting for me.
No drainage at all for mine, but your looks deeper and larger than mine was.
The nurse I had that did alot of my dressing changes for my wound vac, mentioned to me the benefits of using
Boost, or Ensure protein drinks. The bottles are small and for healing our bodies we need that extra protein, I purchased some to drink during, while I had the wound vac, any extra boost I thought would be helpful.
Had no swelling while I had the wound vac on, the doctor stated I wouldn't have any because of the wound vac, it actually allowed me to feel like I was normal at the time, swelling returned after the removal of the vac.
I had no fever or chills, and no pain at the wound site.
Think overall my incision/ wound had been present for a long time prior to getting the vac, but I personally think the infection just was getting started when I sought treatment.
Think I was lucky to have finally had enough of a open area and wanted answers, think my situation would have been different had I been put off for additional weeks. When trying to set up an appt on my own, I would have had to have waited an additional couple weeks, but thanks to my surgeon's PA and my demanding to have something done she was able to get me in sooner.
I wondered also how I would have picked up an infection, but sometimes I keep the open area covered and tried to pull it shut on my own with butterfly closures and stuff and cover it with meplix bandages, but I think going to the hospital for p/t and not having it covered at times and having my knee against the equipment may have been what invited my infection. But my surgeon at one point had told me to let it get air to it and not have it covered. Think when you have a open area for any length of time that is not being cared for properly you risk the chance of inviting a infection. Plus with having the surgery and working towards recovery I think our immune system takes a beating.
I've battled a cold and sinus issues most of this fall, and I haven't had issues like this for a long time, but I think my immune system is still trying to build it's self back up to my pre-surgery days.

 

[Bikesouth]

The whole situation can be an energy drain. The pump kicking off & on during the night, tangled hoses, general discomfort interrupting your sleep. So what your experiencing is normal albeit after two TKR's in a short span your body is working overtime to heal on top of fighting infection.

Certainly mention the green chunks to your ID doctor and if they get worse with increasing volume you may need an ER visit. It is normal for some tissue to die off from the washout though so don't freak out either.

It has been 10 years since I had a wound vac but I do remember all types of sensations from itching, tingling and mild burning.

As for icing we need a medical professional to speak up, I can see pro's & con's.

 

[lene']

Hi Jen, I have been reading too and watching how you are progressing. Hang in there, this will surely get better especially now that you have the professionals on the case. Please don't beat yourself up either..as others have said...It could have come from anywhere and most likely right at the hospital..! Keep your chin up everyone is pulling for you.., praying for you.
Blessings,
Lene'

 

[kneeper]

Very happy to read you are seeing an infectious disease specialist in a few days. She'll be able to target these nasty bugs.

 

[skigirl]

Jen, here is an excerpt from an article about how Proteus is contracted.


Proteus Infections
Excerpt from MedScape
Updated: Oct 21, 2016

• Proteus species are most commonly found in the human intestinal tract as part of normal human intestinal flora. In hospital settings, it is not unusual for gram-negative bacilli to colonize both the skin and oral mucosa of both patients and hospital personnel. Infection primarily occurs from these reservoirs.
  
  Proteus mirabilis causes 90% of Proteus infections and can be considered a community-acquired infection. Proteus vulgaris and Proteus penneri may be isolated from individuals in long-term care facilities and hospitals and from patients with underlying diseases or compromised immune systems.
  
  Patients with recurrent infections, those with structural abnormalities of the urinary tract, those who have had urethral instrumentation, and those whose infections were acquired in the hospital have an increased frequency of infection caused by Proteus.

 

[ACDCJen]

Thank you for the information! I'm glad to see an ID doctor so I can ask all my questions. I've decided not to obsess about it until then.

My wound vac started to hiss at me, so it was leaking from the disk on the wound and nothing I did fixed it. I had the nurse come and fix it. She is the best one yet!! My regular weekday nurse used a syringe to inject Dakin's into the tubing to loosen the foam so it didn't hurt so bad just pulling a dry sponge from the wound (ouch!). So, I showed this nurse and she hadn't known about it before! Anyway, most of the wound looks so much better than just Thursday! I am worried about the tunnel that's running off of it because it seems worse than the last change. But, I'll find out more next week!!

I'm attaching the new picture from today. The front part of the wound Looks much shallower, for sure, but that tunnel is NOT good. We'll see what happens!!

Jen

 

[Bikesouth]

No worries your body knows how to bridge that gap. One grain of sand at a time so it will be bit.

 

[zzevi]

Jen was just thinking about the wound vac dressing, of course I am just putting this out there. When the dr. and the nurse that did my dressing when the dr. wasn't available, they would do the packing with the white foam into the tunnels, the black foam was then put on top like yours, but the only difference is that disc that has the tubing attached to it, is hard, the dr. and nurse would take the black foam material and make what they called a bridge and put that disc and tubing up away from the actually wound a bit. I still had the pressure, but didn't have to worry about that disc causing any additional discomfort from it digging into the wound. If done slightly differently it may help that area from being so sore and tender. Although I see they are not using near the draping over the area that they did on my knee and that is the stuff in time that irritated my skin. ( I'm fair complexion and a red head, sensitive skin in general.) Just thought I would put this out there. The actually suction disk and tubing was probably a good 2 inches away from my actually wound. Going up the leg towards the groin area.
To fix the leaks the nurse or dr, would take any extra draping material and leave it for me to fix the leaks, sometimes you just have to add a additional piece over what's already there until the leak is sealed. I always got flustered when my started leaking tho, sometimes I added a lot of extra pieces to keep it sealed until my appt time. Plus at the time when I was using the vac, I was doing a lot of walking and movement of the knee joint so it was at times challenging to keep the seal.

 

[skigirl]

I like it that our members are able to help one another.

 

[ACDCJen]

Saw the infection specialist, Dr. Bottler, today. I really like her!! She said that I was "in a pickle" right now. She explained, like many of my fellow infectionites have, that she will have me take oral Cipro for 2 more months. At the end of that, she will assess whether I have the infection still. If I do, it's removal of the prosthesis, and placement of an antibacterial spacer with PICC line antibiotics for several weeks. I'll be tested again and if it's gone, I'll have the revision. She said there was about a 50-50 chance for both outcomes.

She did look at the reports that my OS sent over, and he was aware of the 3 o'clock tunnel, thankfully, and it's not super deep. The wound is still pink and "beefy!" I thought I detected a bit of an odor today, but not sure.

So, more being at home and recovering for 2 more months. I feel I worn down and lethargic. Hopefully, this will abate at some time. I'm going to try to do some quilting and jewelry making. Just need the energy to get started.

So, that's all for me. Hope all my fellow bonesmarties are doing well!

Jen

 

[sistersinhim]

I pray the Cipro works completely for you and you don't have to have a revision.

 

[KarriB]

Jen, I'm so glad you saw her and like her! I do hope the cipro does the trick and another 2 surgeries aren't necessary. I also felt worn down, exhausted, and just blah for quite a few weeks. I hope you feel a bit better knowing that the ID will be able to tell if the infection is present instead after 2 months.

 

[RMasano]

I admire you strength!!!

 

[Bikesouth]

Well poo, I have my fingers crossed for you being in 50% non prosthesis infection. I go tomorrow for aspiration & culture.