Home, At Last - Five Impatient, Inpatient Days!! - June 14, 2011

I did not realize, when I arrived at Seton Medical Center last Thurday afternoon, I
would not be discharged until a full five days later.  I had akready received IV
antbiotics Sunday night in the emergency room and began Bactrim and  Keflex,
oral antibiotics, the following day.  When I saw my doctor Thursday and had
showed only minimal improvement in the redness and swelling in my left lower
ankle and foot, she felt that I had to be hospitalized to receive "big gun" antibiotic
therapy. 

I pretty much opted not to tell folks that I was in the hospital since I really didn't
feel very well or social.  My last night, Phil Zaragoza, my dear social worker friend
and fellow traveling companion of yore, stopped by and that cheered me up a great
deal.  After sharing a cruise cabin and hotel rooms with him, in the past, I felt no
need to put on makeup and could just enjoy the support of having him there.  I
had not been in touch with how really lonely I was feeling.  My thoughts had often
gone to the disease process I had - cellulitis - which Mayo Clinic defines as:
" a common, potentially serious bacterial skin infection. Cellulitis appears as a
swollen, red area of skin that feels hot and tender, and it may spread rapidly.
Skin on lower legs is most commonly affected, though cellulitis can occur any
where on your body or face. Cellulitis may affect only your skin's surface —
or, cellulitis may also affect tissues underlying your skin and can spread to your
lymph nodes and bloodstream.  Left untreated, the spreading infection may rapidly
turn  life-threatening. That's why it's important to seek immediate medical attention
if cellulitis symptoms occur."

In addition to the redness and swelling of my left ankle and foot, I could barely
weight bear on my left foot or bend  my ankle.  I related it to the excess swelling. 
An MRI in the hospital showed marked denerative changes in that ankle and, since I
had an elevated uric acid, I might also be developing gout!  I do know the resident
kidney stones I have are uric acid stones so they may be the culprit for the
elevated uric acid in my blood..  My physicians will have to follow up with me for
that!!  With my usual bad karma, medications for gout are not good at all with my
gastric ulcer!!!  Nor are the ones that would help with the arthritis in my
shoulders and knees.  Why does a sweet old lady like me have such bad luck!!!

So, now I am home, both arms full of bruises ( I've counted 17 ) - one day the lab
came and drew blood three times.  As if that weren't enough, on two occasions,
my IV infiltrated and had to be restarted.  It took three needle sticks to get it
going the last time - kudos to Tess C., the evening charge nurse who seems to
have an incredible skill at finding an elusive vein.  She got my antibiotics
going again when the other two sweet nurses could not.  They were unwilling
to make another try!

I never felt well enough to get online to do my blog or respond to comments.  One
night, about 11P, as I was reaching for my little Acer notebook, I somehow,
managed to knock over the whole bedside table, sending it crashing to the floor.  I
think it woke every patient in the entire wing and, boy, did it send the nurses
running!  My computer is now out of commission and my desk top went to
computer heaven over three months ago.

My doctor, Alice Yan, is wonderful.  I've been seeing her over ten years and she really
does take the best care of me.  Also, as she did exactly one year ago, she had Dr.
Shefali Talwar consult, the most beautiful young Indian woman who is the area's
specialist in infectious diseases.  While cellulitis is not a communicable disease,
her knowledge of antibiotic treatment was important in my case.

It's amazing how exhausting being a patient is!  Once I got home, I took my
evening medications, set the clock for 10PM and took my nighttime meds and
one sleeping pill.  For the first time in months, I actually slept straight through
for EIGHT hours.  I do believe I'm on the road to recovery!  I must confess that,
as you lie there in a hospital for hours on end, listening to the bleeps of
biomedical equipment, realizing you are sixty-six-years of age, you are definitely
confronted with your mortality. 

Thanks, dear friends and family, for all the good wishes and support.  Hopefully,
by the end of the week, I'll be back to my normal abnormal!!!