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W9WLS
05-25-2012, 07:28 AM
XYL is going in the Hospital Tuesday for surgery to remove a replacement Knee (6th surgery in 5 years on the same knee).
Sometime during or just after the first surgery she contracted a "STAFF" infection , went straight to the new appliance and made camp, they reopened the site flushed out the "STAFF" closed and put her on some strong antibiotic's .
3 week's later opened again, removed the appliance, put in a "SPACER" and a "PIC-LINE" (straight to the heart) and sent us home with 24/7 infusions of antibiotic's for another 6 weeks, then another surgery, another appliance, more infusion.
To make a long story a bit shorter, from what research I've done, once you have a internal "STAFF" infection it never really is cured, just sort of go'es and hides somewhere till you get another infection of some sort then starts all over again .
I'm telling YA'll this so that anyone out there that is considering ANY sort of replacement surgery will be aware of the possibility's that Doctor's don't always tell you about up front.

W5DOK
05-25-2012, 08:33 AM
John, sorry to hear about the DW's complications. Hoping her a speedy recovery. Got to have my knees fixed very soon. Really dreading it, but tired of the constant pain.
Doc

One Country Boy
05-25-2012, 10:22 AM
My GOSH John... I hate to hear that. Staff infections as I recall used to be rare. It's not at all unusual these days to hear of a friend or family member that has had some type surgery having to return to the hospital due to these type complications.

An old high school friend here had continuous problems after a surgery. She was mis-diagnosed a few times. They would treat her for something and then later decide, no, that's not the problem and try other things. She spent several weeks at Mayo Clinic in Jacksonville, came out of there and was doing really well and improving. She returned home and a few weeks later went downhill in a hurry, passing away within only a few days. I spoke with some of the family members later and found that several of them suspected her death was caused from a lingering and re-occuring infection from her original surgery, although Mayo Clinic and other physicians strongly denied this as the cause. So many of these infections today are fast growing and as you say manifest themselves in other areas of the body where they are not discovered. I know I don't have to say this either, but many of these bacterias and infections have become highly resistant to our traditional antibiotics.

The very best of luck to you and your wife. You will be in our thoughts.

W9WLS
05-25-2012, 11:18 AM
DOC :
Best advise I can offer is check out the success rate of both the Surgeon and the Hospital and inquire about "STAFF" precautions, also related to "POST-OP" recovery and Therapy and any home care.
Be especially cautious of any therapy and home health care people ( I can't stress this enough) .
Wade:
Know of several other incident's such as you described, Guess that's why they call it "Practicing Medicine" , If they could get it right every time there would be a lot of people out of work.

Needless to say summer is shot as well as the fall trip to Ga. , Ortho Dr. is 120 miles from here (3+ hours on Indiana roads) , one of the draw backs of living in "The Swamp".

Be Careful ALL !

W9WLS
05-30-2012, 07:13 PM
UPDATE:
Definite "STAFF" infection, Knee was removed Tuesday evening, spacer put in, Xyl is recovering and awaiting placement of "PIC-LINE" may get to come home Friday or Saturday and then we start pushing really heavy duty antibiotics round the clock for 6 weeks and then maybe a new knee in 3 months.

Andy N1ORK
05-31-2012, 04:46 AM
John,
Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your wife. Hope she recovers soon.
73

Radio
05-31-2012, 06:48 PM
Hey John this is a pretty caring bunch. Be sure to keep us updated.

:pray:

W9WLS
06-02-2012, 06:48 AM
UPDATE:
Xyl home with "PIC-LINE" , home health care in place , doing infusions of Saline, Antibiotic, Saline, Heparin, Saline, on an 8 hour cycle ( better than the last go-around , was every 6 hours) takes about an hour to do .
The "appliance" is out and a concrete "spacer" is in, infusions will continue for next 6 weeks then will have to wait another 6 weeks to see if everything work's good and then maybe another surgery to put another "appliance" back in.
Re programed a couple of UHF ht's on an FRS freq. for "HOT-LINE" intercom's , should work for about a mile or so around here, ( beats a "Baby Monitor").
She is not allowed ANY weight bearing on the leg which complicates thing's around here a bit more, got things going to get her a "power chair" but will have to see how that will turn out.
The "BAD NEWS" is, Insurance changed as first of the year but they did not bother to tell us, deductible DOUBLED ( check your plan ! ) .
Other-wise, things are pretty much "FUBAR" as usual around here.
Thats the news that is news, YA'LL take care !
73, John

One Country Boy
06-03-2012, 09:20 AM
Par for the course on insurance John... That's the ONLY reason many people are still working. Our Prez ain't helping much. Before I break the rules and say anymore I'll get away from that subject.

I'm glad things are going OK for ya currently. I hope it will remain that way. Notice I said OK and not well. I know it has to be a challenge for you both. We will continue to keep the two of you in our thoughts and prayers John. Like Wade said, keep of posted on this thread if you will.

Thanks Bubba and take care.

KF5BET
06-04-2012, 10:39 PM
Been gone for a while....Hope you are doing OK. Praying for you and your wife.