I can thank the Good Lord I'm alive, seriously.
Monday, June 4th, I awoke with the worst pain I have ever felt in my life, in my right leg, one of the knee replacements I had over 1 1/2 year ago. I could not walk, they had to call an ambulance to get me to the ER.
Once there, I told them what was going on as I'm passing in and out from the pain, with periods of talking nonsense, shit out of nowhere. Through the evaluations, test, simple blood test, they sent me back home with inflammation and a possible knee infection. I need to follow up with my knee doctor on Thursday, of which I already have an appointment.
I go home, go to bed, over the next 2.5 days, I'min and out of reality, at times awaking not knowing who or where I was. After losing my wife 2 months ago, they all thought I was worn out it was all catching up to me,so they let me rest but was concerned about me talking out of my head. My dog never left my side except to go to relieve himself outside a few times.
Thurs, June 7th, late afternoon my daughter somehow awakes me, gets me to the car, Of course I know none of what's happening. So away we go to the doctors office that installed my knees, while there, I'm out of it, talking deliriously. They tell my daughter to get me to the ER, I was having a stroke. Seriously Doc,have my daughter take me instead of calling for an ambulance? While at the ER awaiting to get me some help, she left me standing up in the doorway of the van. Well, I passed out, falling inward and landing between the buckets seats. It took 3 EMT's to drag me out of the car pulling on both arms that have with rotar cuff injuries. After checking to see if I was having a stroke, the ER doc on call was different from Monday, heard all that has happened and ran a test for 6 different infections, turns out I had MRSA and he suspected I had Sepsis. He started a central IV in my neck and started giving me 2 types of powerful antibiotics and a high rate. I was already going into shock stage with my organs starting to shut down. They had to get BP and heart stable in order to transfer me to Owensboro.
Within 4 hrs I was loaded up and shipped off where they were better equipped to handle this type of infections. It was spreading at an alarming rate cause I was upgraded within 2 hrs, sepsis, to a higher grade of sepsis and then to sepsis shock where your organs begin shutting down. I went from a 30% chance of death, to 50% to 80% within a 2 hour period. For the next 3 days I'm unconscious, out of it and when I came to at times, didn't know who I was,where I was, I hurt like HELL, serious body pain, my left arm damaged from the fall and the EMT's dragging me out of the car. But I knew none of this, I awoke thinking I am in a prison camp, being tortured, I have no clue why.
My family was scared that I was dying, especially after losing Carrie 60 days prior. Doctors on Sunday June 10th, came in and told me & the family the source of the infection and that they had scheduled surgery for Tues, June 12th. Plan was to go in, cut the old knee out,install a spacer and clean up as well as they could. I awoke June 13th late, was told a little about what went on, but not really knowing anything until Thur. the 14th. Each day I have gotten a little bit better while taking that same powerful antibiotics.
I have since transferred to a Managed Rehab Center in Greenville, the town I live in. I will be here until the end of July, all the time taking antibiotics by IV daily. If all is good with the blood test, I can have the knee opened up and have a new one put in again. All of this is whether they can get my left arm and shoulder to respond enough so I can use a walker again.
The plan is a new knee at the first to middle of Aug.
Rehab right knee over next 6 to 8 months.
When healthy enough, Repair left shoulder and arm, another 1 year of rehab
After that, Right shoulder rotator rebuild, another 1 year of rehab.
Next 2 years and 10 months are tied up, but I am alive!
A doctor told me off the record the 1st hospital dropped the ball on me and that I was lucky to be alive, easily within hours of passing if the infection grew with out the antibiotics given when they were given.
Count your blessings CP members, I was find on Sunday the 3rd and my whole world changed in less than 24 hours.
BTW, it took me 2 hrs to type this with 1 arm that is working about 50%.
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OK, WHEN DOES THIS MADNESS COME TO AN END?
HERE WE FREAKING GO AGAIN, ANOTHER INFECTION!
The 6 months on antibiotics failed!
Hey gang, been in the hospital ( again ) for a week now, trying again to conquer this infection. So here we are, out goes the left knee now, I'm officially Captain Pegleg. Yep, I now have 2 stiff legs with no knees for separation.
Having to learn how to get up on my feet, walk ( if possible ) with balance, basically having to live the next 6 weeks in bed.
After that if all infection is gone, we can try to replace a knee.
So back to 1 day at a time, taking a daily IV.
:-)
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Thanks guys,
This should kill the infection this time, Both knees have a spacer in them. With no metal inside the body that it can attach itself to and build its own defense shield around it.
They are going to use a different antibiotic since we have been using some of the others that has been hard on the kidneys. That 6 months should have gotten the last germ, but somehow a germ cell attached itself to the metal pieces of the knee and covered itself with it's own defense shield.
It's been a pain in my ass, damn infection is hard to beat. One would have thought 2 different antibiotics taken over a 6 month period would have defeated it.
This time, no metal, it's going to increase the chances of defeating it.
Many thanks to you all for the prayers and thoughts.
I will probably be on here more over the next 6 weeks.
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