Hubby's knee

Today we went to the outpatient's center and were told that Hubby is infection free!

 His blood tests were all normal and they removed the PICC catheter that was used for antibiotics. We are both so relieved and appreciate all your prayers.

Update on Kevin

 It has been a while since my last post on Kevin's knee replacement infection. 

He was back in the hospital  for minor surgery on the 15th of November to remove the weepy bit on his leg but when we had his GP's nurse take out the stitches, it didn't look great. 

The GP gave him some antibiotics but we knew that wasn't going to do any good, so we went back to the ER again. He ended up staying for 12 days and had a major surgery cleaning up/replacing small bits of his new knee (on the 22nd).

Three days later, he came home with a permanent port for antibiotics that the district nurse showed me how to change every day.

We went for blood tests and checkup Wednesday the 7th and it looks really good but are waiting for test results. If all goes well, we have one more week of the IV antibiotics then oral antibiotics and we should be done.

We are working on paperwork for compensation (it's called  surgical misadventure) and, hopefully some payback for mileage.

It seems we are getting to the end of this whole thing. Kevin can drive again (YAY!) which I know makes him feel more independent.

FYI: The surgeon said that about one in 100 knee replacements get an infection but they have no idea what causes it.

hospital update

It wasn't crazy enough to have one hospital stay...we had another one on the next Wednesday after the hospital weekend. 

Hubby was admitted again and there were more antibiotics and the threat of opening up his leg again if it didn't stop completely the second day at the hospital.

As it turns out, it was decided that the weeping wasn't critical and was probably just the last stitch inside his leg that was the problem.

So, with more antibiotics to take at home, we are feeling quite relieve and are on schedule for our getaway later this week!

hospital weekend

 Last week, we noticed a couple of places on Hubby's knee-replacement leg that were weepy so I insisted he call the doctor, even though they didn't seem connected to the surgery. He finally got a response from his GP on Friday.

His GP wrote a prescription for antibiotics which was CC'd to his surgeon. A few minutes later around 5pm, the surgeon called and told us to get to the A&E (ER) right now so we don't get caught up in the weekend crowd and have to wait forever to be seen.

So, we got up and went (over an hour's drive) without dinner.

There weren't a lot of people there so Hubby was seen without much waiting. He was tested into the wee hours and kept overnight and I left him on a bed in the corridor after a while (at his insistence) thinking I would be back the next day to get him. I blindly followed the GPS to get home since it's amazing how dark our part of the world is, even in the city limits.

As I waited for him to be discharged, he texted the next day, Saturday, to say he needed another round of strong antibiotics so he would be kept another day and would I bring him some clothes and things.

So, for the second day in a row, I drove up there. Of course, I didn't mind because it was Hubby.  I was a bit apprehensive, since he usually does the driving when we are together but I got past that bit of fear and got to the hospital with his stuff. With the construction going on (and a huge lack of signage), I ended up following voices to ask for help (it was Saturday so not a lot of people around) and eventually found his room THAT  YOU ACTUALLY CAN'T GET TO WITHOUT KNOWING HOW TO GET THERE!!  *SIGH*

So, on Sunday, I waited for his text to let me know that he was released and, for the third day in a row, drove to the hospital to pick him up insisting that he meet me at the door, as I am sure I couldn't find his room again without help!

We got home and relaxed and poor Hubby was looking forward to a good night's sleep.

He did sleep pretty well, but I  didn't (as happens with Thyroid problems). So, it wasn't the best possible scenario when Hubby woke me about 8:00 to tell me we had to go back to the hospital because some paperwork for an ultrasound of his leg got misplaced and we had an appointment at 11:15!

And, away we went for the fourth day in a row. We had some other appointments and plans in town already, so we worked it all out, one thing at a time, and got them all done--including picking up chicken so we didn't have to cook.

We both were exhausted when we got home and, of course, took a nap.

I'm just so tired of riding in the car for now, so I hope I can stay home for the next few days.

We are both looking forward to a little get-away that Hubby has planned for next week. I think we both will feel better after being home together for six weeks.

An update on life in the country

It has been less than two weeks since Hubby had his knee replacement surgery and he is doing very well, even walking without crutches in the house. I will be taking him to his first physical therapy session later today.

Before he went in, he made sure the freezer was full, the pantry was full, the fire wood was brought to the back porch so I won't have to go far for it. He even organized someone to come in and mow the lawn and do garden work while he is recovering. And, I certainly appreciate all that planning.

That old adage, 'You don't know what you've got 'til it's gone' surely rings true. He happily did all the driving. He voluntarily topped up the shopping on his way home from work. He picked up prescriptions and other needs on his lunch hour.

It seems a bit out of kilter with me doing those things, but we both look forward to getting back to our 'normal' routine as soon as he's cleared to drive.