Senior Moment(s) or I'm Officially Stupid

[Charlie B53]

That was Wed night/Thurs morning.  It is now Fri morning, they still have not told me exactly what bug, only that they are sure it is graham positive and my white count is very high.

Bizarre, earlier Wed Afternoon I had labs at my Dr appt, all was fine.  I am shocked how quick and how bad this came about.

I really don't think this is anything to do with the kitten.  That was 8 days ago.  Somehow I contaminated myself.  I just wish I knew how so I can make sure to never make that mistake again.

Resident Dr here finally wrote an order for fentenyal, just not enough.  The Neph here said he would talk to the resident about increasing it as at my size and weight I do require more to have decent results.

I think I am turning into a wimp.  I cannot change position by myself.  From laying to sitting, or back.  I have managed to stand and sit again, but it takes some doing and boy does it HURT.   They don't want me to go outside so I have to make myself invisible in order to get past the Nurses to the elevator.  And pretty much have to stay invisible while out in the parking lot.  The Nurses tell me Security will escort me back up here if they see me.   It makes a bit of effort to remain invisible.  Makes me get tired again.   If this fentenyal works I'll find a way to lay down and hopefully sleep my way through this.

[PrimeTimer]

I think the incubation period for some infections is 8-10 days. Since symptoms don't always show up right away it can make it hard to determine the source of infection. Wouldn't worry so much about that now. Hope you get your strength back and feel better real soon. Helps to move around, keeps the system going and even a little movement is good for the muscles. Do it in small increments, like every 30 minutes. We're cheering you on!   

[KatieV]

Bizarre, earlier Wed Afternoon I had labs at my Dr appt, all was fine.  I am shocked how quick and how bad this came about.

Infections can develop very quickly and turn deadly very fast. 

My sister recently went into premature labor; later that day, at the first sign of raised WBC and fetal distress, she was whisked in for a C-section.  She ended up on a ventilator in multi-organ failure, with Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation, because of a massive infection.  Six surgeries and 81 units of blood later, it is a miracle that she is alive!  There are four specific instances where the doctors thought she wouldn't make it.  She even kept all four limbs (often lose them with DIC).  She is now home recovering.  Her tiny daughter, my new niece, is doing remarkably well for a 31 week preemie.  She should be going home in 2 weeks!

[DayaraLee]

Just catching up on this thread and wishing you a speedy fix-up and recovery! It is astonishing how quickly infections can blossom into awfulness. Hang in there.   

[cassandra]

Speedy recovery wishes from across the pond Charlie

                   


Love, luck and strength, Cas

[Charlie B53]

Nephs finally came in to see me.  They agreed the proper treatment was to dose my bags instead of IV.  So will only do two long dwells 16 and 18 hours.  Don't know yet how many days this will be.  But with the morphine I can sit, stand and walk to go outside for a cigarette.  Still unable to get from laying to sitting without help but I dont doubt I will be able to by tomorrow.

Fortunately my system is usually quite hardy, I heal well rapidly.  I hope that stays true for this.

I can guarantee that I am going to be far more careful making connections from now on.

[Charlie B53]

It's now Sunday morning.  I haven't had any morphine since noon Saturday and I am doing well.  My pain is my usual achy joints and sore back.  Pretty much normal again.   Started anti-biotics in my bags last night but Dr added extra bags and exchanges, all dosed, so I will remain connected most of today.

Dr told me the name of the bug but I will have to get it in writting as it is long and IIRC starts with a Z.  He tells me this is a particularly bad bug but commonly found within the intestines and bowels, sometimes managing to get loose inside and create havoc.   I think I must not have sterilized my hands well enough an accidentaly touched a connection.  This should have been preventable.   Pretty sure it is my fault.

Usual treatment is dosed bags for up to 21 days.  So pretty sure since Monday is a Holiday that I will be released with supplies to go home and dose my bags for the duration.

I consider myself very fortunate again but will have a lasting impression how close this was so I will be far more careful in the future.  I sure do not want to have to go through this again.

[Xplantdad]

Maybe the doc was talking about C-Diff? http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/c-difficile/home/ovc-20202264


Hope you feel better Charlie!

[kickingandscreaming]

Good that things are improving.  Keep it up.

[Fabkiwi06]

idk Charile, if it's this C-Diff, it might not have been your fault. According to the site XPlantDad posted, this particular strain is common after antibiotic use... and haven't your docs been dosing you with antibiotics lately? It's always good to be extra careful with your setups, but I wouldn't beat yourself up too much about this being your fault. I think it's just as likely it was plain bad luck due to the right combination of circumstances.

Glad to hear your on the mend, though. You should be back to poking around in your garden in no time.

[Xplantdad]

C-diff is what happens when the antibiotics kill all of the "good bacteria". My daughter had it when she was small. Once you've been around someone who has it, you will never forget that smell.

 If you do have this, they will most likely give you probiotics to try and reestablish the good bacteria....

[kickingandscreaming]

It doesn't sound at like C. diff which is characterized by horrible diarhea, not the symptoms you describe.

[Simon Dog]

If you have ever had C-Diff, be sure to mention it when you are admitted.   In some hospitals, any history of C-Diff gets you a private room.

[Charlie B53]

NOT C-Diff.   I would have remembered part of that name.    This was a new word to me, totally.  Dr clearly said that it is a bug normally found somewhere within the digestive lower half.   I don't doubt that I failed to sterilize my hands well enough and inadvertently touched one of the connectors.     NO diarrhea.   I have had to use probiotics months ago when the water flavoring with sucralose killed everything in my digestive system.  It took almost 3 months WITH probiotics to regrow adequate colonies to stop squirting.

 Now having a problem draining fully.  Thinking the morphine has clogged up my works.  2 cups of prune juice this morning.  Nothing..2 more with dinner, still no go.  Nurse has called Dr to get orders for softener with a light laxative.   Already tried one cup of coffee.  I know where they have their pot so I may go get another in a couple minutes.

Pretty sure they will send me home with antibiotics and load my bags for at least the next two weeks.  I already feel my normal achy self.

[Charlie B53]

Forgot to say, both hospitals policy, dialysis patients go in single rooms.  Don't want any possibility of contamination from another patient.

Still, I try to stay out of here if at all possible.

[Simon Dog]

Forgot to say, both hospitals policy, dialysis patients go in single rooms.  Don't want any possibility of contamination from another patient.

That was not the policy at the big name Boston hospital I use.   When I had my hip job, I was put on the renal floor in a double room.  The other bed was unoccupied for most, but not all, of my stay.   They also did PD on the patient in the other bed during another stay (they pulled the curtain as far as it would go, but did not ask me to mask).

[KatieV]

Forgot to say, both hospitals policy, dialysis patients go in single rooms.  Don't want any possibility of contamination from another patient.

Still, I try to stay out of here if at all possible.

Our hospital used to give transplant patients single rooms - including way after transplant for other health issues.  The new transplant surgeon changed that policy and now everyone is on the regular floor sharing rooms even directly after transplant! 

About a month ago, I had a tunnel infection in my chest catheter; spent a week in the hospital.  Half of that time, my roommate was a recovering (?) drug addict that started making outgoing long-distance phone calls at 5:30 am! 

[Charlie B53]

Came home today.  Will be loading my PD Bags with antibiotics until further notice.  Have to return Friday morning for labs to check AB levels.  The one was getting too high so they stopped it and switched to gentomiacin the last 4 days.  They tell me they do not want to continue that too many days as it can cause hearing, and or kidney damage so today I got switched to tobra?.  The print on the bottle is too small to read without my magnifying glass.   Vancomiacin is the name I forgot.  When it gets low enough I suspect they will start it again here at home.  It can get too high pretty fast in an IV.

Otherwise I think I'm very fortunate that all is so well so quickly.  I sure do not ever want to repeat this!

[Whamo]

   I just read yesterday that the number one killer in hospitals are super bugs as the bugs adapt to antibiotics into a raging menace that can't be stopped.  This nutritional approach doctor says antibiotics should be avoided when possible.