Surgery Update, Post-Transplant Blog, Pt. 2

Connie,
What a hectic schedule. Hope you can rest a bit now. Take care. Thinking of you.
Angie1953

Connie I hope that wound starts healing up. It isnt right that this should be happening to you.

Once again, there are problems. I went to my Wound Care appt. at Mayo yesterday afternoon. When the leg was unwrapped, the nurse noted that there seemed to be an infection. The skin around the wound had become quite red, though she said no warmth. She asked a vascular disease doc to take a look. They both dug around in there, measuring, and finding some odd material that was said to be fatty tissue. This doctor said it could be very serious if the infection traveled to the bone, possibly requiring amputation. He sent me directly to the ER for films of my lower rt. extremity and an MRI of same. It turns out that they don't do MRIs in the ER, but they did do the x-rays and took blood. I was there almost 5 hours, but the two specialists who were consulted about the film did not see any evidence of infection in the bone or muscle. Whew!

A P.A. from the transplant team came down to see me and said that they might admit me to treat the wound as an inpatient. However, they finally decided to discharge me to home on Keflex. They also changed my pain med to Dilaudid 2 mg. It's supposed to last 8 hours at a time, but that's certainly not happening. I'm getting about 6 hours out of it. At least I'm stocked for awhile and don't have to worry about getting a prescription this week or next
I noticed today that the redness had diminished some, so maybe we're on the right track.

An MRI was ordered, but I don't know when just yet. I do have an appt. next Tues. with a different doctor.

Hugs,
Connie

Hi Connie,

Glad they let you go home, if that is where you want to be. I hope the infection clears up soon. What a scare! I will be thinking of you,

Marie

I'm surprised they didn't keep you in the hospital on IV antibiotics. These problems with your leg have gone on far too long.

David, that was under serious consideration. However, when the x-ray showed no osteomyelitis, they felt I could be treated at home.

Carol, this infection was very recent...just a day or two old when I went to the ER. I think that was another consideration in having me treat it at home with Levaquin.

Of course, I'm happy to be home. I get a lot more rest here than in the hospital.

I pulled up some doctor notes online. The transplant doc noted that if the wound failed to improve or infection worsened or went to the bone, I would need to be admitted for aggressive treatment. I hate reading my records as I cringe when there are inaccuracies. For instance, I never had a "history of obesity," it was fluid retention. And I had a 4-year reprieve from HCC, not 2. I won't even mention the typos.

I only have one appt. next week, for labs. I'm looking forward to sleeping/resting and getting a few things done around here.

Hugs,
Connie

Good point, Georgia, about insurance relying on medical records to decide on payment. Also, if one is applying for disability, it is crucial that those records be accurate and complete. When I had applied for SSD and my appeal was denied, I called SS and found that they did not have the records regarding my rt. hip replacement, only the left. The rt. was done 9 months later. I had obtained the records and sent them to my lawyer to forward to SS. Turns out he didn't do it. After he was fired (for laziness and incompetence, I'm sure), the lawyer that I wanted in the first place (at the same firm) called to let me know this and he became my new lawyer. Within a couple of weeks, I was approved.

Hugs,
Connie

Georgia, I will only know about that after the HH nurse unwraps it. He is due here any minute. He actually measures the wound's depth, width, etc. It was 5 inches deep on Fri., so it's going to take a long time for it to heal. If pain is any indication...I'm not improving. Pain is very bad this morning and RN has not even gone into it yet--which really stirs things up.

The main hep doc overseeing my case sent me a thick packet of medical records, which I got yesterday. It includes labs and doctor notes from the last month. He had noted that hep C treatment couldn't be done until this wound issue is resolved, in 6-12 mos. I can see it taking 6 mos., but 12? Dear God, I hope not. I want my life back! I went down to get the mail late yesterday afternoon and decided to sit outside in the sun for a bit. Found out that wasn't a good idea, at least not for the wound. It started hurting badly. The only relief I have is lying down. But things have to be done. And now I can't reach my cleaning gal. I may need to find someone else, as she's not the most reliable.

Hugs,
Connie

Georgia, quite a few hospitals now allow patients to pull up their labs, upcoming appts., and medical records. I filled out a form and then had to go to the Registration desk at Mayo and show my photo ID and give them the completed form. It took a day or so to get the okay and set up my account online.

Unfortunately, there is no healing in the wound, but the nurse said that he will stop going in so deeply to clean it out and that would then allow it to start healing from the bottom. There are no more clots, so that is good news...now just blood, which will be the case until it heals. The swelling has gone down, though, and the redness is almost completely gone.

Hugs,
Connie

Thanks, Susan.

I had labs this morning. When I got home at 9 AM, there was a message from Mayo saying they wanted me in at 5:30 for an MRI of the leg. I almost hit the roof. I have transportation issues, since I don't drive. When I'm okay, I generally take the community van for the handicapped (I can't walk very far.) But if I'm only there for a blood draw, I don't like to take it then, either. And that has to be set up the previous day. Anyway, we settled on this Fri. So every single day this week, I'll be busy. I had forgotten that the ER had called Radiology about me needing an MRI of my leg (for bone infection. The x-ray showed none, so please say a prayer for me that the MRI shows the same.

Hugs,
Connie

Thanks, Marie.

Hugs,
Connie

Hi Connie,
I hate to hear you're hurting like this. My pcp isn't an over prescriber, but when I had kidney stones, he gave me 8mg. dilaudid, every 4 hours. Even then there was pain, but it was manageable. I did that dosage for 6 days and once the stones passed, I stopped the dilaudid. It worked, didn't constipate me and I could function around the house. Again, I hope the pain begins to subside soon, or the docs give you whatever it takes knock down the pain.

David, I've noticed that about the Dilaudid...no constipation and not needing mag. citrate. 8 mg--my God. Now that might work for me. ;) But now it's back to oxy. However, I was told that if I'm still requiring oxy in a couple of weeks, that they will refer me to Pain Clinic. I didn't even know they have one at Mayo, but apparently so. She said no one doctor wants the responsibility of continuing to prescribe such strong meds. I've received Rxs from 4 different doctors at this point. All but one have been with the Transplant Clinic. As she said, a transplant doc cannot be prescribing for pain in my leg for long.

Thanks, guys.

Hugs,
Connie