I Hate Dialysis Message Board

Dialysis Discussion => Dialysis: General Discussion => Topic started by: frankenarm on September 22, 2008, 06:17:12 PM

Title: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: frankenarm on September 22, 2008, 06:17:12 PM
About two and a half weeks ago I started feeling yucky. Since I have a very long history of UTI's I'm very well acquainted with them and it felt like one (though I haven't peed since march... I was slightly confused.) Anyway, I dialized early one saturaday so I could go to a coworkers birthday party, long story made slightly shorter, I developed a huge fever, hurled a couple of times. Went to the ER, took forever to get labs outta me due to really crappy veins, my white count was normal! A fever of 103.8 and throwing up, but my white count was normal. So they sent me home with a "follow up with your regular doc and come back in if it gets worse". Next day (monday) I get a call from the UWMC ER telling me I nee to come in right away and be admitted because my blood cultures grew out a really nasty staph infection! Now, I woke up Monday morning unable to walk, (I have two fake hips due to AVN from the really high doses of steroids after transplant.) and my right hip just wasnt having it. I couldnt put any pressure on it.
Turns out, the staph infection is in my right hip joint and they had to go in surgically to clean it out. 10 inch incision, and staples. I hate staples!  Now, almost two weeks after the emergency surgery I still cant walk, I cant work, and I had to drop this quarter at school. I am a sad duck. The kicker is, none of the docs can figure out where in the world I picked this crappy thing up! Cant figure out how I got it. Now I have to be listed as inactive due to the meds and the risk for reinfection. thats another probably....5 months with no chance of transplant. September kicks my butt for some reason.

Just thought I would share, and explain a little why I cant get to the computer one room away!
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: kitkatz on September 22, 2008, 06:18:52 PM
That sounds bad!  Good luck and a swift recovery!
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: okarol on September 22, 2008, 06:30:33 PM

I am glad you posted, I was wondering if you were off doing something fun.  I am so sorry frankenarm - I hope you feel better every day.

This reminds me that patients who have had hip (or any other joint) replaced MUST take antibiotics prior to ANY teeth cleaning, fistulagram, or any other surgery, to prevent infection.

Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: monrein on September 22, 2008, 08:17:18 PM
I'm sorry you're going through all this.   :cuddle;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Sluff on September 22, 2008, 09:32:08 PM
Damn frankenarm I'm sorry to hear about this staph infection. Sometimes it just feels like one thing after another keeps happening doesn't it. Well I really do hope that the future starts to look brighter for you soon.  :grouphug;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Ang on September 22, 2008, 09:57:19 PM
here's  hoping  for  a  speedy  recovery(septembers  nearly  over)
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Mimi on September 22, 2008, 10:08:30 PM
Sorry to hear this.  You will be in my prayers.

Love, Mimi
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: KarenInWA on September 22, 2008, 10:26:18 PM
Frankenarm, that sounds awful!  My thoughts and prayers are with you at this time.  You have gone through way too much lately.  May the last days of September and beyond bring you much peace, harmony and well-deserved happiness!  :flower;

Karen
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Joe Paul on September 23, 2008, 01:16:23 AM
Hope you get well soon  :thumbup;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: willieandwinnie on September 23, 2008, 05:44:25 AM
:grouphug; frankenarm, I hope you are starting on the road to recovery.  :cuddle;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: peleroja on September 23, 2008, 08:44:57 AM
I am so sorry to hear about your problems.  I'm sending you lots of warm fuzzies and showering you with white light to make you feel better.  Oh, yeah, and lots and lots of hugs.   :cuddle;  :cuddle;  :cuddle;  :cuddle;  :cuddle;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Sunny on September 23, 2008, 01:52:38 PM
I hope your doing better now. Hopefully the antibiotics are helping so you can get back to your usual self.
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Wayne on September 23, 2008, 05:26:44 PM
Hope you get well soon Frankenarm!!!
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: paris on September 23, 2008, 05:52:20 PM
Wow, I am so sorry.  That is an incredible amount of pain and illness to deal with at one time.   I hope you start feeling somewhat better soon and at least can get to the computer!   Sending healing wishes   :cuddle;   :flower;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: devon on September 25, 2008, 06:31:10 AM
Best wishes Frankenarm!  I hope things are getting better and you can return to us soon!

-Devon
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: drinkboy on September 25, 2008, 11:49:30 AM
I hope you get better soon!!
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Mariposa on September 25, 2008, 12:11:25 PM
Keeping you in Thoughts and Prayers :)
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: annabanana on September 25, 2008, 12:22:02 PM
 :grouphug;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: okarol on September 25, 2008, 03:44:51 PM

How are you feeling frankenarm?  :waving;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: kellyt on September 25, 2008, 04:07:59 PM
 :cuddle;   I hope you're feeling better soon!   It does sound like September has been kicking the _______ out of you!  For me, it's been 2007 and 2008!  I'm ready for a change!!!!   :flower;    Feel better soon!
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: frankenarm on October 03, 2008, 07:48:16 PM
Hello all! Sorry for the long time between posts. This hip thing has been keeping me down, literally. I had my post-op appt today and they took out the staples and said the incision was healing well so yay! She also said that the pain I am still experiencing is totally normal and not some freaky nerve damage (which I feared! Sharp pain in the ... well hip/butt area sucks!) and that I should look into physical therapy.
So, all in all I am feeling better. Im going to try some very light shopping tomorrow for my sisters upcoming 17th birthday. And continue taking it one day at a time.

 :thx; :thx; :thx; Thank you all for your wonderful well wishes!!!  :thx; :thx; :thx;

(and now, back to laying down so my hip doesnt yell at me!)
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: okarol on October 03, 2008, 07:50:05 PM
 :waving; Good to hear from you! Take care!
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: monrein on October 04, 2008, 03:43:08 AM
So sorry you're hurting.  Hope it gets better soon and thanks for letting us know how things are going. :cuddle;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: David13 on October 04, 2008, 04:56:04 AM
Sorry to hear about this turn of events.  I hope they determine the cause of the infection so that it can be avoided in the future if possible.  Hope you are feeling much better soon!   :cuddle;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: pelagia on October 04, 2008, 06:57:52 AM
good to hear the update and that healing is proceeding  :2thumbsup;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: paris on October 04, 2008, 10:03:33 AM
Thanks for the update.  Hope your healing process continues to go well.  Hip pain is bad.  Hard to find a good position to sit or lie.   Keep resting and healing!  :grouphug;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Sunny on October 04, 2008, 04:22:29 PM
Relax and give yourself plenty of time to recover. Glad you are doing better.
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: kitkatz on October 07, 2008, 04:07:23 PM
I hope you recover quickly!  :grouphug;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: frankenarm on October 13, 2008, 09:26:23 PM
Hey all!
I am doing really well. The last couple of days I have been up and moving so much more! I can finally put a little bit of weight on my right leg and am now speeding around on my crutches at times. Making tentative plans for Halloween, and hopefully I will only need the cane by then! I am doing... moderately well on just one crutch, which helps the process, but its slow.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU ALL FOR THE WELL WISHES AND THE GET BETTER SOONS!

Now if only I could stop loosing weight so they can find my dry weight again. dry weight before getting sick 78 kilos. weight as of leaving the center today after my extra run 71.9 kilos. Thats a big difference.crazy crazy times.

 :yahoo; (I really just like this lil guy!) 
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: monrein on October 14, 2008, 04:26:32 AM
I'm so glad to hear that things are getting a bit easier.   :cuddle;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: Sluff on October 14, 2008, 05:25:16 AM
Pretty soon you'll be crutchless. Glad there is continuing improvement.  :grouphug;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: pelagia on October 14, 2008, 05:51:22 AM
 :yahoo; so happy to hear that you are feeling even better.
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: willieandwinnie on October 14, 2008, 08:59:09 AM
:grouphug; frankenarm. So glad to hear that you are doing better.  :cuddle;
Title: Re: Depressing new turn of events...
Post by: boxman55 on October 14, 2008, 09:02:21 AM
 :yahoo;  :yahoo; Just for fun...Boxman