Update 8/24/22

I slept almost all day yesterday, CoSo. Felt drained.

Got results from blood tests back from my primary care doctor. He says, "your hemoglobin and hematocrit are low, which mean's [sic] you're pretty anemic." I'm being referred to a hematologist for iron IV infusions.

Could explain why I'm sleeping so much.

#cosomedical

Medical Update 8/22/22:

Saw my orthopedic doc today about my right shoulder (rotator cuff) problem. Need to get an MRI done on it, but I can't lie down for more than a couple of minutes without the pain in it skyrocketing to 9 on a 0-to-10 scale. Asked him to try and get me an MRI with general anesthesia. He said he'd try. Now waiting for his results.

#cosomedical

Update 8/20/22

Saw the Dr. for lymphedema help - turns out I'm only 10% lymphedemic. He said the rest is plain edema. Got both legs wrapped and got home health orders for MWF rewrapping. Will revisit Dr. on this coming Friday.

#cosomedical

Update 8/19

I was discharged from the Rehab hospital on Monday after meeting my phys. therapy goals. Sure enough, though, as soon as I got home, my legs started swelling again. Go figure.

I've got an appointment with a doctor today who I hope is supposed to help me get some specialized lymphedema treatment to make the swelling go away. As always, please cross your fingers for me.

#cosomedical

Update 8/8 -

Finally some progress. I'm off the IV diuretics and *all* antibiotics. My diagnosis has changed - venous insufficiency/stasis w/lymphedema & dermatitis. I've been moved from the LTAC to the Mesquite Rehab Institute hospital. Here, I'm getting my non-IV meds, plus 3 hrs. of physical therapy a day. Feeling better now that I'm down to my regular meds + oral diuretic. Still a ways to go, but one step closer to going home.

#cosomedical

Quick hospital update:

Visible results from the diuretic IV drip, but also problems with my blood potassium levels. They're at 2.7, when they should be no lower than 3.5. I'm getting IV potassium chloride now. Dangerous stuff - too much or too fast, and I'm dead. Urk!

#cosomedical

Update:

Spoke with the infectious diseases doctor today. She agreed with the call to extend my antibiotics by a week or two, and to put me on a Bumex drip 24/7. The drip is already showing some results, but it's got a *long* way to go yet before we can call it off. Until then, I remain tethered to an IV pole. Bleh.

#cosomedical

Update:

I've gained 29 lbs. in water weight since entering the hospital. The doctor put me on a 24/7 Bumex diuretic drip today to combat that. I've been pissing like a race horse ever since. The doctor also extended my antibiotics by a week. I have a telemedicine appointment with the infectious diseases doctor tomorrow morning to discuss the whole situation. Will try to update tomorrow with more details.

#cosomedical

Sorry for not checking in once again. I'm back in the hospital fighting a severe relapse of cellulitis + edema in my legs. Swelling is up toward my groin. On Bumex 2x a day + 3 antibiotics several times daily. Not having fun. Supposed to be out by the 28th, but I don't see how, given my legs' current state. Running out of Medicare - not out yet, but soon. I don't know how this is going to play out. Cross your fingers for me, CoSoNauts.

#cosomedical

I AM HOME

After 1 week at a regular hospital and nearly 5 at an LTAC hospital, I'm home! Feels so good not to be poked and prodded every 4 hours.

I've just ordered my 1st pizza! Wanted to order it last night when I got home, but my wife had a chef's salad waiting for me last night. Bleh. Pizza on its way today.

Thanks for all of the kind words and well wishes while I've been hospitalized!

#cosomedical

Fellow CoSoNauts, I am finally going home from the hospital (yaay!!!).

I'm not on any IV drugs anymore - everything's been moved to pills except for Dilaudid, and I'm being weaned off of it. Don't know how I'll adapt to being home after being cooped up in a tiny hospital room for 4 1/2 weeks, but I'll manage.

Please wish me luck. I don't want to wind up in the hospital again. Not this time.

#cosomedical

Previous vital sign reading was 99.2. Now it's 99.4. No vancomycin for at least a day. Not looking forward to this.

#cosomedical

No sooner do I start posting again than do I come down with another damned fever. Damnit. Suspected reason: I've been off vancomycin for 2 days due to high "vanc trough" numbers. I've still got a way to come down until I'm back in the safety zone, so my fever is likely to continue to hang around until then.

Stoopid fever.

#cosomedical

Hello again. Been sick. Very sick. Laid up w/cellulitis & edema in this Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) hospital for 3+ weeks now with no release date in sight. Fought back a nasty fever & low BP last weekend with the help of 3 strong antibiotics. LTAC staff changed one of the 3 I was on - put me on vancomycin. It worked. Just now getting back online, albeit slowly. Don't expect much from me at first.

#cosomedical

Hospital Update 5/27:

I'm just now settling in to where I can coherently string letters together into a sentence and not just gobbledygook. More updates might follow as long as my sentience remains intact. Healing, hugs, and so on are very much appreciated right now. Thanks for the thoughts.

2/2

#cosomedical

Hospital Update 5/27:

I've been in Kindred since Monday, on a new antibiotic/diuretic cocktail. It's working on the swelling and the cellulitis (redness/infection), but I think it's making me twitchy and causing me to lose memory bits. Took 15 minutes to figure out what "Hearing Aids" were 2 days ago. It's taken me this long to settle in to where I'm able to focus on my computer and not just move random icons around on my desktop.

1/2

#cosomedical

Hospital trouble 2/2:

I don't have much in the way of recourse here. Even if I could force the tech or her RN to do the shower or CHG bath, they'd be so pissed they'd do a rotten job. I'm willing to wait until I get to the new hospital to get a CHG bath and be done with it.

#cosomedical

Hospital Quick Update 5/23/22:

I'm being transferred from the main hospital to a Long Term Acute Care (LTAC) Hospital in a few hours. I knew I'd be going, but the suddenness came as a big surprise. I'm mostly packed, thank the maker.

I'm now on 3 antibiotics for edema/cellulitis that have taken over my right foot now. Podiatrist ran an MRI to rule out an abscess on right foot (found none). Also have a rash across my stomach. Taking Atarax to stop the itching.

#cosomedical

Hospital Update 5/20/2022:

The Infectious Diseases doctor says I will most likely be on the 2 antibiotics she's prescribed for the next 2 weeks. As for time in the hospital, I'm definitely here until Monday, at which point we'll figure out if I stay in the hospital, go to a skilled nursing center, or go home and try to administer the IVs ourselves. Not fun either way you look at it.

#cosomedical

Hospital Update 5/19/2022 #2:

I now have a PICC line in my left arm. It has left me sore as hell in the region between my bicep and my elbow. However, it is working. They have 2 leads coming out of it, and both are feeding something into me. One is giving me a Bumex drip, while the other is giving me one of my antibiotics. They've gone ahead and removed the IV line from my right arm as a result.

#cosomedical