Followup: tissue infection

[chickwhorips]

holy cow! that is bad. so sad that they haven't done anything for you yet. someone needs their shins kicked into action!

interesting... its in the shape of a heart.

[Duck on Wheels]

You could try just showing up at the wound center and lifting your pant leg.

I agree. I remember a story about a lady whose baby had a condition where a few minutes after every feeding the kid would projectile vomit. The mom couldn't get a doctor to admit that the diagnosis was obvious and needed immediate treatment ... til her Mom told her to take the baby to the children's hospital emergency room. No appointment, just take a seat in the waiting room about 3 feet from a wall. At xx o'clock, about 20 minutes before the doctors parade through on their way from morning meetings to clinic appointments, feed the baby. Then just sit there with the baby facing the wall. Right on time, the baby vomits, vomit hits the wall a yard away, and the doctors come running over saying "Ma'am! Your baby has gastro-intestinal stenosis (or whatever the diagnosis was)! You shouldn't be sitting here waiting! That baby needs immediate surgery!" ... And then comes the big trick: Do NOT say "That's what I've been trying to tell you doctors for weeks already!" Just smile and accept treatment.

So yeah. Take your bod down to the wound clinic, find a front row seat, roll your pants up, and prop your leg up on a coffee table. Stage a sit-in. When they ask, say "Yeah, it's been like that since the car accident x months ago. The driver's insurance is supposed to cover it, but for some reason the hospital wouldn't refer me down here ..."

[bcipam]

I am so confused and maybe different states have different issues but I called over to one of our local trauma hospitals and asked what they would do. They told me by law they would have to treat you. Of course I'm in California where the health care system is crumbling to bits due to all the treatment of illegal immigrants and their families. Many trauma centers have had to close down because of this issue but that's another soap box item for another day.

Call home, speak with your mother or father, an aunt, uncle, grandparent, friend someone, anyonw and ask they to help you. You so risk losing your leg to gangrene or staph. Please, please keep the wound clean an watch for signs of infection (although that red angry skin tells me you are already there).

Cripes I hate to see this go one but there are medical options - it's not like people are left out in the cold when they need help.

[bcipam]

I'd like to rant..You're meaning to say your health care system doesn't allow for the treatment of such wounds????
So, it's safe to say your leg would eventually have to be amputated and noone would help? All because of your financial situation?

That's disgraceful!! Not you dear..
Would writing to your local congressperson help? What if i wrote a letter?

It just doesn't make sense. I still don't understand the US & am not even going to try...

End of rant, move along...

Hip-Take care of yourself ok!!! Good thoughts being sent to you from Perth..

It better be healed by the time I get up to the NOrthern Hemisphere.

c

Crazy - our health care system does provide medical care to the needy and indigant. It's the in between people that suffer. But uncertain why Hip is not getting treatment. If she has no money resources the state should take care of her med bills. Problem is too many people who have no resources (ie illegal immigrants) have damaged the system so too few resources around. There just aren't that many care centers, hospitals and doctors anymore.

[Blueberry]

I'm voting for parking yourself in a doctor's office with the leg on a table. Please, please get yourself treated. Do not wait for red tape. Do not let this go another day. Get thee to the wound clinic now (or 1st thing in the AM). Not a time to be polite.

Your poor leg!

Carrie Anne

[Bikingmomof3]

WOW! I just looked at the pics of your wound and leg. You need treatment right now, not tomorrow, but now.

[Kitsune06]

Are you soaking with *just* hot water or adding a tsp of sea salt per cup of water? Yes I'm splitting hairs, but upping the salinity of the soak may have at least a slight effect.

However, if tissue integrity is suffering that much, introducing water may actually be worse for you. Maybe someone can confirm or deny this for me, but I would be more apt to recommend a dry, hot compress like a heating pad or the like.

Yeah, the red irritation is a bad thing. Has the infection been cultured? Do they know what type of bacteria they're working with? Apparently the broad-spectrum antibiotics hadn't been working.

I'd be most concerned with the possibility of septicemia with such a long, ongoing infection in progress. How much vitamin C are you taking? If you're not on antibiotics at all right now (and even after you are...) I'd suggest at LEAST a 1,000 mg/day, up to 5 or 6,000mg. I will PM you on this.

My suggestions are modest at best, but at this point, every little bit that you can do will help.
A therapy used increasingly in California and with relative regularity in other countries may be an option... I'm linking to it here but it may cause distress in those with weak stomachs... But it's proven effective even in wounds infected with MRSA group A and B streptococci, gram-positive aerobic and anaerobic strains.
Best of luck to you.... I hope it all turns out okay.

[HipGnosis6]

OK, so today despite it being a holiday I called the Wound Center and convinced them to accept the necessary documentation faxed from me and not from the clinic (before they had only wanted to accept it from the doctor's fax number). I'm glad that I requested a copy of all the paperwork! The appointment is first thing Friday morning.

Here's some facts about public health care in Washington state. Most institutions require that you earn no more than twice the federal poverty line for your household. For a single adult, the poverty line's about $9k a year, or doubled is $18,000/year. I make a little more than that - last year I brought in $21K. I do not have full time permanent employment (I am working as a temp contractor) and don't have medical insurance, but don't qualify for any sort of state benefits. I could rant on about how I would be raking in the bennies if I was a single mom or an illegal alien, but I'll leave that for some other time. yes, the emergeny rooms would have to offer me treatment, but I would be billed and becaue I'm over that magic 200% of federal poverty guidelines, I would have to pay for it in full - and that's more expensive than seeing a specialist. The $2100 tab for the ER visit after the accident proves that.

I do go to school, but there's no relief becuse I'm going to a very small and brand new branch of a private art school that does not offer things like a wellness center or insurance.

It was difficult to find anyone who'd even see me without medical insurance. The treatment I've had is the best I could expect from a low-cost clinic and a general practitioner, except that I think the doctor could have been a little more aggressive in treating the infection, which the lab results defined as "staph, but not a resistant form, and some other bacteria as well." The area surrounding the wound responds to the antibiotics but was never 100% cleared of infection, so it would return quickly once the run ended.

Richard is fairly stable; he was two thirds the size he is now within a week of it opening and has grown very slowly and shows minimal erosion into the underlying tissue. This was, by the way, the point of contact where the bumper of the car hit my calf in my accident at the end of August; the ulcer opened nearly a month later.

By quirk of Washington State law, if you are a cyclist or a pedestrian involved in an accident with an automobile, the insurance company must extend personal injury protection coverage to you regardless of fault. I don't want to get into the fault and liability issues of the accident (suffice it to say that it's murky enough that I may yet decide to get a lawyer) but it doesn't matter - the driver has $10k PIP coverage and I get to use it. But rest assured, ladies, even without it I would have been seeking medical care regardless of cost after the new year. Richard isn't exactly a great roommate, you know?

[crazycanuck]

Thanks for getting help Hip. Take care k.

c

[Bikingmomof3]

Hip,
I am so glad you will be seen on Friday! Keep us posted.

[Duck on Wheels]

You're calling him "Richard"? Oh dear. UK Elephants bf's name is Richard, and I'm sure UK would declare him a very sweet roommate indeed. Would you consider changing Sir Ulcer's name? How about Ulrik?

[HipGnosis6]

You're calling him "Richard"? Oh dear. UK Elephants bf's name is Richard, and I'm sure UK would declare him a very sweet roommate indeed. Would you consider changing Sir Ulcer's name? How about Ulrik?

The name is a horrible, horrible joke. The Earl of Ulster is a secondary title for the Duke of Gloucester. So Richard, Earl of Ulcer is a terrible parody of the official title of Richard III before he ascended to the throne of England.

[ribbit_zap]

WOW!!! That is horrible. Seriously, go show the lady at the clinic your leg and she will probably faint. I am so sorry! I hope everything turns out okay. Good luck

[ribbit_zap]

One more thing...like a pesky roomate that you can't stand, tell Richard to go away! I love the fact that it has a name. You seem to have such a positive attitude which can go a long ways toward healing. Good for you!

[Kitsune06]

Maybe you could get an Rx written for you and fax it to Monarch yourself? Only if this drags out any longer, that is...