Husband has cellulitis

[kevinswife]

My husband woke up this morning with a red leg that is hot to the touch.  His right calf has been hurting for a couple of days.  He just called me from the dialysis center.  They are giving him an antibiotic.  His neph called in a perscription pain med to our local pharmacy.  I will pick that up before getting my husband from the dialysis center.  They will look at his leg again when he goes for dialysis on Saturday.  I am pleasently surprised that he doesn't have to go to the ER and be admitted to the hospital for IV antibiotics.  I hope the infection clears up soon.  He is scheduled for surgery on Wednesday, November 30 to put an access in his arm for dialysis.  He just started back on dialysis after living 12 years with a transplanted kidney.  Every day he tells me that he wants to go back to work as soon as he is able.  I am thankful for his positive attitude.   If it wasn't for the pain of the cellulitis, I think he would be feeling pretty good right now.  He told me he actually feels better being back on dialysis than he did the last few weeks when his transplanted kidney was failing.  He was in the hospital for 18 days.  This is his second week at the dialysis center.  Thanks for listening.  Happy Thanksgiving!

[MooseMom]

Oh, I had cellulitis once a long time ago, and it was not pleasant.  However, it was easily managed by antibiotics, so your husband should be OK.

I hope his fistula surgery goes well.  Is he going to try to be relisted for a new kidney?

[kevinswife]

Yes.  He is going to try to be relisted.  He had a heart cath a few weeks ago.  There was too much fluid on his heart for him to get cardiac clearence.  They are trying to take the extra fluid off with dialysis.

[MooseMom]

In trying to get back to work asap, will he be able to work around his clinic schedule, or is he going to do dialysis at home?

[Cordelia]

My husband had the same problem. Two summers in a row. Both times they had to drain it. The one time they drained 20 CC's out of his boil. So much crap came out, it was horrible, but he felt better. The antiobiotics made him so drowsy.  He didn't get a reoccurance of the cellulitis this past summer. I wondered if it was related to him being overweight, once he lost 70 pounds this past year, it never reflared up!

Happy thanksgiving to you both!

[kevinswife]

My husband will do hemo at a dialysis center that is only about 2 miles from our house.  He has a rotating work schedule; working 4 days on, then 4 days off.  His work shift is 12 hours!  He loves having 4 days off every 4 days.  When my husband goes back to work, he will be working nights.  He used to work nights years ago.  He would like to try home dialysis.  It sounds like CAPD is out due to scar tissue from the kidney/pancreas transplant.  He tried CAPD when he was first on dialysis 15 year ago.  He kept getting infections every 28 days, so he had to switch to hemo.  He did dialysis for 3 years prior to receiving his kidney/pancreas transplant in August 1999.

Cordelia - WOW!  70 lb weight loss is awesome!  That's what I need to do.  I am a stress eater, so I have not had much luck in the weight loss department lately.  My husband, on the other hand, has lost about 50 lbs over the past year by changing his diet.  He hardly ever eats beef anymore.  I'm glad your husband has not had anymore problems with cellulitis.  It can be quite serious. 

[Cordelia]

I agree, he did great, really great, he is still trying to lose more to help give me a kidney           A large part of the weight loss stemmed from him eating the renal diet with me LOL

I lost 60 pounds after starting dialysis that I've lost in a year myself          It's amazing how much better you can feel losing a lot of weight.

Your husband has done extremely well too!!!! Congrats to him!       

[Poppylicious]

I remember when Blokey had cellulitis.  Yikes! (Yep, that's all I have to say!)

I'm so glad your hubby is so positive.