Guest viewing is limited

Knee Infection* The girl with the two fake knees

Hugs for you today, Jen.
I'm glad you've contacted your ID doctor.

It may be that your regular surgeon needs a little help from a surgeon who is used to dealing with wound infections, and also that you could be better served by having your dressings done at a wound care centre.

You do not want the wound to close over while there are still pockets of infection below it.
 
Thinking about you at this difficult anniversary. You are one very strong woman! Prayers for healing and wellbeing coming your way.
 
Thanks for the clarification, sometimes when it's written I don't take it correctly, but this time I knew what you meant. I'll continue to keep you close in thoughts and prayers. Your rough road hasn't just been recently, but sounds like you've been weathering it for a while. I admirer you that everything that has touch you hasn't soured your outlook on life, that you've stayed positive.
 
I'm praying for you today. Also, so glad you contacted your ID. It sounds like to me that your nurse is sort of cavalier about your wound. You need a specialist's care. Hugs to you!! And what a handsome couple you two made.
 
Prayers for you Jen with your wound and this painful anniversary. Glad you're making sure the dr. stay on top of your issue.
 
My thoughts are with you today Jen. I hope you have a very peaceful day.
 
I'm very pleased by the news I got from my OS today! I got the dressing off on my own in less than a minute. It really doesn't hurt any longer and I don't need to soak it with saline to wet it first. I've been going there so often that several people stopped in to see me and check on my wound. I feel so popular there!!

According to my lab results from a few weeks ago, there was no indication of infection! My SED rate was 32 (25 is indicted for me age), which is great considering the fact that I've had 4 surgeries recently. He said my hematocrit was elevated (46, should be 35). He was surprised because women tend to be slightly anemic following surgery. He said he wasn't alarmed about this, but will keep an eye on it.

As for the wound itself, he is extremely pleased. Along with my labs, he feels the infection has been colonized and it's just a matter of the wound healing. I did have blood drawn late last week and they were working on getting the results to see how my numbers are trending. I was so pleased to hear this!

I showed him the open area and I have been instructed to use the wound vac for 3 days, the switch to packing it with gauze and Dakin's for 3 days, then the vac for 3 days, etc. He said that he wants to see how the small tunnel at the top responds to the solution. It does appear to be part of the tunnel that ran vertical up that side of the wound, as opposed to something new. It measures just shy of 3 centimeters and I'll check it every day to make sure it's not getting worse. So, I'll make sure to pack it with gauze and Dakin's.

I had him check for a Baker's cyst, but the pain I'm having is on the wrong side of the knee. He thinks it is my hamstring. I told him that I felt my mobility has only worsened during this process, but he said that I am able to bend and extend both legs really well! I told him about all the pain and lethargy I've been experiencing, and this was his main concern. He said that this is not usual for me and he thought that changing from Cipro to to Levaquin might make a difference. He was not concerned that I was taking it easy because I feel so crappy, and that I should make good progress again once I feel better. I'm really not lazy and I feel so frustrated at not being more active at,this point. He also told me to take my Celebrex 2 times a day rather than once. I hope that helps with the pain.

I think that's it. Everyone is so pleased with the healing of the "hole." I just hope the infection stays away!! I go back on the 28th, and will have my home health nurse draw blood a few days before this.

[Bonesmart.org] The girl with the two fake knees


Here is an xray of my right knee:

[Bonesmart.org] The girl with the two fake knees


The ever hopeful,
Jen
 
That is great news Jen! The wound is looking better..how big is the wound? Your pictures are always close up to show the progress and I am trying to size it on your knee.
 
Oh that's such excellent news! So glad to hear, and I'm amazed at how well your wound is healing! You have such an amazing attitude.... I just can't be happier for you!
 
Glad your OS checked out that tunneling and you are going to pack it.
 
I'm glad your bloods were good.

But I do wish your surgeon had taken a swab from the bottom of that tube while it was being measured. To get back a "no infection" result from the swab would have been very reassuring. If there is an infection still there, it would have been possible to check that you are taking an antibiotic to which the infection is sensitive.
 
Good to hear your labs came back with good numbers. I wonder your infection is sensitive to Levaquin. Have you spok n to the ID about the switch? Is the hole close to the size of a quarter or a fifty cent piece? Sorry for the questions!
 
Jen, I just read your post about your husband---and I am so sorry to hear about his death and suicide. what a heavy burden for you to bear. I lost a little dog in 2015, she was run over right in front of me by one of my neighbors driving too fast on our little road. I was devastated and have noticed that the "anniversaries" are the worst. The first Christmas, the first anniversary of her death. My husband asked me last night if I could remember what year she died and i replied November 16, 2015. He was surprised that I remembered the exact date and i was surprised that he could forget!!

I grieved more for that little dog than I did for my parents---mostly from the guilt of not taking better care of her, I suppose. But grief is unpredictable. Sometimes I think I am really over it and find a little toy of hers and break down for a day. I no longer dream every night, but she is often in my thoughts.

Suicide brings so much grief to the survivor---I can imagine that the thoughts of "if i had done . . . haunt most of us---I know that they haunt me. After the worst of the tears are gone, there is the pain of living without the presence of our loved one. I imagine that it is difficult to go through such a long and tedious recovery without your husband to help and to support you. I am glad to see that you have a Bonesmart family to care for you and to support you.

It is not easy to "carry on" even in the best of circumstances. I wish I lived closer and could spend a day with you, but you will have to just have my thoughts and prayers right now. I am sorry that you are going through so much.

I do hope that you are talking to your ID---that is a doctor who specializes in infections and fighting them. I know that you trust your OS, but he does not have the right information for this infection---that is the area of the ID. It sounds like she is also nice and competent. Be sure to keep her apprised of the changes---especially that your OS changed your med. You have to be careful that the correct antibiotic is directed at the infection. Really, she is the one who should decided whether the infection is there or not.

Take care of yourself---we are all concerned about your struggle and do support you as you go through this.
 
Jen, I'm very concerned for you and I'm going to speak frankly.

I know that you trust your surgeon and have built a good relationship with him over the years.
But, he is out of his depth in treating your leg. I know he believes that he is, but he isn't acting in your best interests.

Your wound care and infection control need to be supervised by a specialist in treating orthopaedic wound infections, someone who has great experience in controlling these infections. And your wound should be dressed at a wound care centre, not by you, and not by your surgeon or his stand-ins.

I believe that your ID should be consulted far more frequently, particularly when antibiotics are changed, and that swabs and cultures of your wound need to be taken, to establish if your infection is sensitive to the antibiotic you are taking. You should also probably be on IV antibiotics.

I know that your blood work results are good, and that is encouraging, but your wound should be healing faster and it shouldn't be developing new tunnels. That this new tunnel has formed shows that there is still some nasty agent at work in there.

I hope you won't be offended at my speaking out, but this wound infection has gone on for far too long. If it's not treated adequately, the consequences could be really serious.
 
There's a lot to this infection stuff that I still don't understand even tho not that long ago I went thru it myself but not to the extent of Jen's.
One thing I was told with the wound vac, I expected miracles with having the vac, but even with having it, the wound care specialist said it's still time consuming for the wound to heal. Mine wasn't as near as deep or wide as her's looked and I wore the Vac for about 5 wks, till my good skin got irritated like it had road rash. And even after that it was a couple extra weeks of using special medication to help it continue to heal.
So I don't think that her's is healing extra slowly, it's a slow process and they want the healing from the bottom up and for the tunnels to fill in prior to closing shut.
I also had all the testing in the beginning to find out what infection was present, but I never had any additional blood work done while using the vac or during recovery.
Think my wound specialist went by the sight of the wound, measurement of the wound, how I felt during treatment.
So I am hoping that her treatment is everything it should be to promote healing, and clear up the infection. But I know that many of you probably have more knowledge and a better understanding of her current situation.
 
Thank you for your feedback and concern. I'm keeping my ID updated as we go along. It is approximately 3x3.5 inches and 5 cm at the deepest.

Also, here are 2 pictures to help with perspective.

[Bonesmart.org] The girl with the two fake knees
[Bonesmart.org] The girl with the two fake knees

Jen
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Active Antimicrobial Hydrogel
Corganics CBD

Members online

Total: 5,405 (members: 3, guests: 5,402)

Latest posts

Back
Top Bottom