Followup: tissue infection

[chickwhorips]

since we haven't heard from her, hopefully this means she's getting good treatment!

[Brandi]

since we haven't heard from her, hopefully this means she's getting good treatment!

I was thinking the same thing. We just have to be patient and hope for the best. Does she have any family around there? I can't remember if she has mentioned any?

[KnottedYet]

Her family is here in the Seattle area.

Honestly, whoever suggested going to Canada had a good idea. Even if you pay cash (non-resident price for healthcare or medicines) it's often cheaper than what you would pay out-of-pocket here. The drive from Seattle would get expensive for the long-term care an infected wound would require, though.

I grew up right on the US/Canada border, and we'd often go to Canada for things that were just too expensive here. Sometimes I feel more Canadian than US. (and I'm told I sound Canadian, too.)

[kelownagirl]

Her family is here in the Seattle area.

Honestly, whoever suggested going to Canada had a good idea. Even if you pay cash (non-resident price for healthcare or medicines) it's often cheaper than what you would pay out-of-pocket here. The drive from Seattle would get expensive for the long-term care an infected wound would require, though.

I grew up right on the US/Canada border, and we'd often go to Canada for things that were just too expensive here. Sometimes I feel more Canadian than US. (and I'm told I sound Canadian, too.)

That's funny Knott - we used to go to the states to buy gas and dairy products among other things. Of course, that was back before the exchange was so bad...

[chickwhorips]

great news! smother him good!!!!!

[Duck on Wheels]

Great news HipG! Sounds like they did a thorough assessment and came up with a sensible plan. Let's hope this drives the Earl off your leg fast and for good-and-ever.

[pll]

Hello to all,

These are great news. Best wishes Hip. May Earl disappear promptly!

Best,

Patricia

[spindizzy]

I grew up right on the US/Canada border, and we'd often go to Canada for things that were just too expensive here. Sometimes I feel more Canadian than US. (and I'm told I sound Canadian, too.)

Ehhh?

[HipGnosis6]

OK, kids, I've found the downside to this treatment plan. The dressings get changed weekly, but in the meantime it's a lot like wearing the same socks for a week straight.

[LBTC]

Awwwwwwwwww {{{{{{{{{{{{{{Hip}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Try to look at the bright side. Hard to do at times, but that darned nasty thing is going to be cured, dirty socks and all.

hang in there!

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~

[doc]

Yea Hip!!!

Pictures, we want pictures. That Earl is going down!!

[HipGnosis6]

LOL... all of you who are like, check in! check in! are so cute. :-) It's only just now 6, and I stayed at work until 5 like a normal person today.

Anyhow, the nice people at the wound clinic did the following things:

1. They took a new wound culture and will have the results when I go back early next week. They don't think there's serious infection left, but the damage was done by a MRSA infection so they want to be sure which antibiotics will be effective. They feel that this is primarily stasis ulcer caused by swelling and then excaberated by the MRSA infection, so they're going to treat with compression therapy.

2. They listened with a little microphone tool to the circulation in my leg and foot below the wound to check for problems. That was fine, which was kind of up in the air - the wound had its genesis in a car accident so there very well could have been blood flow problems.

3. They dressed the wound. And they were for serious about it, too. It's a compression dressing to force the fluids out of the limb. They started with an ointment on the cracked, irritated skin around the mouth of the ulcer and then topped the ulcer with a sponge covered with some sort of iodine paste (they told me the name but I forgot). They topped that with some sort of non-stick mesh, then wrapped me up in an absorbent cotton dressing from the ball of my foot to the knee. That was topped with an elastic wrap, and on top of that is a layer of self-adhesive stretch gauze. I go in for a dressing change on Tuesday afternoon, and then once a week thereafter.

4. They asked me to do my best to elevate my foot 10 inches or more above my heart for 1-3 hours a day, with more being better than less. And drink plenty of water, and walking is beneficial - it creates a kind of pumping action that helps move blood and fluids through.


And that, my friends, is all the treatment they think I'll need to clear up this miserable wound! No surgery, no grafts. It's a cost-effective solution, and we can all sleep better knowing that I'm not going to lose all or part of my leg. YAY!!!!!

I will keep you all informed if there's any changes, and plan on taking photos at each of my dressing change sessions. I know, a little morbid, but I want to watch Richard smother. Ha.

[colby]

Finally! Great news, Hip. People who know what they are doing are actually doing something for you for a change.

[KnottedYet]

Hip, you've earned the right to watch the Earl of Ulcer "smother"! Go for it!

So glad you're getting treatment!

[Kitsune06]

OOh! OOh! Pictures! Call me a ghoul, but I love case studies etc.
These are going on your lj?
Glad the solution looks like it's going to be cost-effective. I woulda put my money on it being MRSA related, but what do I know?

Glad things are working out! *HUGS*! Take care, heal well. Lots of water, and then while you're upping your water intake, up the amt of water soluble vitamins you're taking (particularly c) to make sure they're not getting flushed outta ya.