MRSA

[smcd23]

So today Tony got his kidney (yay!) but we also found out that his father has a MRSA infection in his artificial hip that he had replaced nearly 4 years ago. We believe the infection has been there since day 1 since he had a fever for 2 weeks following the surgery, and has had elevated white blood cells since the operation, but the doctors have told him it was because he has Reiter's syndrome.

He found this out today. Should we be worried about this now that Tony is on the immunosupression drugs? The MRSA infection is in his bone around the artificial hip. They are going to have to remove it, and treat the infection and then months from now do another hip replacement. Obviously while he is laid up in the hospital with the open wound Tony and I need to steer clear (I assume) so he doesn't catch it or I carry it home to him. But in the meantime, is this something we need to worry about you think? I plan on asking the hospital when I see the doctors next, but I am not sure when that will be. I don't want him to come visit, though I think he is in too much pain to tolerate the 2 hour drive, because I won't want him to pass it on if it's even possible to pass it when it's contained in the body as his is. Hoping maybe someone out there knows something about this??

[MooseMom]

Nope, I can't claim to know the answer, but if it were me, I wouldn't let Dad near Tony until I had the doctors' OK.  I wouldn't go near dad, either.  I'm sure that dad wouldn't want to do anything that could possibly lead to harm to his own son.

[smcd23]

Dad is a moron. When we called to tell him the surgery went well, he literally cut off my SIL and went on for 20 minutes about his problems. But tomorrow when he calls me I am going to ask that he stay away until I talk to the doctors.

[Jean]

Like MM, I would not go near "Dad" until your Dr. says you can. MRSA is some seriously scary stuff.

[MooseMom]

Dad is a moron. When we called to tell him the surgery went well, he literally cut off my SIL and went on for 20 minutes about his problems. But tomorrow when he calls me I am going to ask that he stay away until I talk to the doctors.

You don't want Tony to catch either MRSA nor MORON.

[jeannea]

Talk to the docs and the nurses. Nobody wants MRSA at the hospital and if he does show up the nurses will keep him out.

[smcd23]

I talked to Tony this morning and told him to ask the next nurse or doctor he sees! I haven't heard from Dad yet so I'll check in with him and see if he plans on going up. If he does I'll ca the hospital myself and warn them lol

[KarenInWA]

I'm with everyone else on this. I have a friend of a friend who is a MRSA carrier. In the past, I have been invited to dinners and outings that included this individual. I haven't seen him in about 2 years. Now that I am on these drugs, I don't want to see him! He's not my friend, so no big loss there. I don't know what I would do if it were a close friend or family member.

After I had my transplant, my Dad was diagnosed with shingles. I stayed away from him while he was undergoing his treatment. He still had to heal after he was done with his drugs, but thankfully, it was on his chest, so it was always covered. My mom was very careful with how she took care of him, used a separate garbage bag for all the garbage for the care of it, bought him white undershirts to wear under his clothes (can't remember if she just threw them out after one use, or put them in a bag and washed them separate in hot water and bleach. It was one or the other. If it was the first, they were trashed as soon as he didn't need them anymore!). Yes, especially now, right after transplant, Tony will be vulnerable to things. I feel you can never be too careful!

KarenInWA

[smcd23]

I called the hospital and they said he could visit, okay fine. So he gets up there and we start talking to him about it - he said the doctor said he got it from brushing his teeth! I guess anytime he has dental work he has to take antibiotics before hand. The MRSA is in his mouth?!? He said that the doctor told him that it collected in the bone around the replacement hip because the bacteria like the metal. That's fantastic but why the eff did you never tell any of us this (the dental part) before!?? He's all over my 2 year old and now with Tony having the transplant, it makes me really uncomfortable! I need to do some research on this, but the only good news is for like 8 weeks of his treatment he is going to live with his mom, thank God, because I do not, will not and cannot take care of him too.