Safety warning: how a seemingly innocent piece of metal can seriously disrupt your life.

[Ohmess]

Thank you guys for asking.
Unfortunately I don’t have very positive news. After my stay in the hospital, things looked much better. The infection looked like it had been beaten. I was put on low dose antibiotics while the wound was trying to close up. Unfortunately over the last three or four days the infection came back with a vengeance. It is very difficult for a large wound in the lower legs to close up very fast. Therefore even though it is well protected and medicated, it is still an open wound which is highly susceptible to bacteria.
So my ID doctor put me back on some very powerful antibiotics yesterday. Fingers crossed that these ones beat this thing once and for all. But I have been told it could be another two months before the wound is completely healed.
As you can probably imagine I cannot tell you how frustrating this thing is. You are trying to fight an insidious enemy that you cannot see or predict. To make matters worse you are supposed to keep the leg elevated for easier circulation. This essentially keeps you from doing almost anything physical. I normally swim 1500 m every day at lunch and I have not been able to get in the water for over two months now. All of that because of a stupid little fall while working on the car.
But i keep telling myself that many people have to deal with far worse than this. So I really don’t have any right to complain.
Be safe everybody. It’s reaaaaally worth it.

On the antibiotics, I had a similar experience with a sinus infection earlier this year. First round of antibiotics was too wimpy, infection quickly came back, and on to the stronger stuff. I think this is a trend in the medical profession to try to cut down on the use of antibiotics and avoid creating resistance bugs. On a large scale maybe that makes sense, but if I have to take stuff, give me something that works.

 

[Nicad]

I hope this is the home stretch and you get back in the pool and swim back to fitness.

 

[Dan Mooney]

S

Thank you guys for asking.
Unfortunately I don’t have very positive news. After my stay in the hospital, things looked much better. The infection looked like it had been beaten. I was put on low dose antibiotics while the wound was trying to close up. Unfortunately over the last three or four days the infection came back with a vengeance. It is very difficult for a large wound in the lower legs to close up very fast. Therefore even though it is well protected and medicated, it is still an open wound which is highly susceptible to bacteria.
So my ID doctor put me back on some very powerful antibiotics yesterday. Fingers crossed that these ones beat this thing once and for all. But I have been told it could be another two months before the wound is completely healed.
As you can probably imagine I cannot tell you how frustrating this thing is. You are trying to fight an insidious enemy that you cannot see or predict. To make matters worse you are supposed to keep the leg elevated for easier circulation. This essentially keeps you from doing almost anything physical. I normally swim 1500 m every day at lunch and I have not been able to get in the water for over two months now. All of that because of a stupid little fall while working on the car.
But i keep telling myself that many people have to deal with far worse than this. So I really don’t have any right to complain.
Be safe everybody. It’s reaaaaally worth it.

Only just seeing this thread now. So sorry to hear of your bad luck. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, at least from this point forward.
Cheers!
Dan

 

[Stan]

Bo, my thoughts are with you. Did the ID doc order a culture an sensitivity? I find it amazing that they thought good antibiotic stewardship means withholding antibiotics after preparing an open wound caused by unclean sharp object. If you feel or see heat, redness, swelling or increase in pain get in touch with the doctor ASAP.
Unless they wanted to inspect the wound daily, there really is no reason to go to the hospital daily for the IV antibiotic. The technology to facilitate IV administration in the home has been around for 30 years.
Be well.

 

[Bmachine]

On the antibiotics, I had a similar experience with a sinus infection earlier this year. First round of antibiotics was too wimpy, infection quickly came back, and on to the stronger stuff. I think this is a trend in the medical profession to try to cut down on the use of antibiotics and avoid creating resistance bugs. On a large scale maybe that makes sense, but if I have to take stuff, give me something that works.

I hope this is the home stretch and you get back in the pool and swim back to fitness.

S

Only just seeing this thread now. So sorry to hear of your bad luck. Best wishes for a speedy recovery, at least from this point forward.
Cheers!
Dan

Bo, my thoughts are with you. Did the ID doc order a culture an sensitivity? I find it amazing that they thought good antibiotic stewardship means withholding antibiotics after preparing an open wound caused by unclean sharp object. If you feel or see heat, redness, swelling or increase in pain get in touch with the doctor ASAP.
Unless they wanted to inspect the wound daily, there really is no reason to go to the hospital daily for the IV antibiotic. The technology to facilitate IV administration in the home has been around for 30 years.
Be well.

Thank you very much for all the good wishes!

 

[CSteve]

Thank you very much for all the good wishes!

Bo, I only saw your thread/plight 10 minutes ago. Been reading ever since. I am, like many on this board, older, 76, and for the last 10 years I have handed over more and more(make that about everything) to my mechanic.

When you are fully recovered you could do all of us and many others a great service by composing, in a succinct nutshell, what happened and all that you have learned from this experience.

Two of the many things I have learned from you and others on this thread are: be your own advocate AND have a c0-advocate/watcher/third party present at crucial times. Second, tetanus shots. Years ago on this board I read that anyone going to look at a certain used car should be up to date on their tetanus shot.

From what I have read we are on the edge of an antibiotic crisis.

Thanks for doing this,

Steve