I just can't win
 

I posted on this site for the first time a couple of weeks back after I made my "final recovery's" from my most recent knee surgery. Well as the title may hint at, I just cannot win. On the 13th, after having awesome progress with my PT and recovery, my knee became infected. On the 13th, I luckily made an appointment with a doctor for another side effect I was feeling from the surgery. The doctor noticed my knee and insisted that the knee was infected and that the side effect was due to the knee being infected. I called my doctor who met me at the hospital and prepped me for surgery immediately. I've been in the hospital ever since, and I will be here until at least Friday from what I've been told. My doctor still isn't sure what the infection was caused by, or what it is exactly. My one good piece of news that I've received is that the biopsy of cartilage they took from my knee, is not growing any sort or bacteria. Obviously this was a huge let down, as this recovery seemed to be doing so well, and now I'm back to square one. The first day in the hospital was the worst due to the fact I was so depressed. Today was semi tough as well just because I was told instead of Thursday, I'll be lucky if I am out by Friday. Of course having found the internet sky rocketed my moral and made me a little less depressed, although it would have been nice to be at home.
As I said before, I just can't win, I am dying to get home, and finally get out of this place. At 20 years old, I've now had 6 surgeries and I've been in the hospital twice for complications. I'm really starting to appreciate the simplest things in life, such as being in my own home, and being able to sit in my own bed. Although this time around, I'm going to have at home IV drips, which is not going to be fun. Well anyways, I just wanted to vent a little bit. I'm lucky enough to have cable TV so I can watch the debate tonight, and I have internet access so I can bitch and moan to you guys/gals. Another good bit of news, is I decided not to get a tattoo until way after my recovery, I was going to get a small little 5 to commemorate my 5 knee surgeries, well I'm glad I didn't, seeing as how I'd have to change it to a 6 now.

Oh, I've also learned to really respect morphine and its power... wow is all I can say. What an amazingly powerful little shot.

I've told myself this time, I'm going to win, so far the knee/infection has 1 point.



Regards,
Chris

Sorry to hear about all your troubles, try to keep positive and look ahead to a healthy future.

thanks, I am trying to, and I am going to beat this stupid knee and infection finally. And when I do, the first thing I am doing is I am going to go play a non contact game of hockey so that I can show myself I can still skate.

maybe I will be banned

thanks redflag, I saw you posted in my other thread and forgot to respond, so I'll thank you for the kind words here. I'm just happy I have the internet and I have the ability to watch semi entertaining TV.

You must get channels I don't! :D

discovery channel, and thats about it. I love "how its made" other then that the internet has saved me.

I'm a big hockey fan, I've never heard of such a thing. :D

Sorry to hear about your setback. As far as not being able to "win", you might want to talk to this guy.

That is an amazing story and I just keep thinking about stories like that to help me stay motivated. There are many people in much worse off situations then I am in currently. Realizing this, I am thankful to be around and able to do half the things I can do. Nevertheless its still frustrating being in the hospital, and it was almost unbelievable when I was opened up for the 6th time after I thought it was all over. Its just amazing at how frustrating it is being in the situation I am in, and I can only imagine what it must be like for soldiers returning from war with missing appendages, or in this case, the loss of ones sight.

Thanks for the replies everyone,
Chris

Oh and I admit I should change the title of the thread, I just can't figure out how, haha. I didn't mean I couldn't win in the sence that I was giving up, I meant it more along the lines that I can't buy a break. That even after 5 knee surgeries and thinking I was finally done, I magically spring an infection.

Its called old man hockey, its not that bad.

Well just to keep everyone up to date, I was looking at a release date of tomorrow, but I think it will be more along the lines of Saturday, maybe Sunday. They are going to probably insert a pick and require that daily I go to an infusion center or have someone come to my home that can monitor me as I recieve treatment. The pick is something that is going to be inserted in my arm and will travel down into my heart... I'm a little confused but the specialist should be in soon so I can figure out what the hell is going on.

PICC

Peripherally inserted central catheter. It is safer from a medical and logistical point of view to inject the antibiotics into a larger vein rather than a smaller one over the long term. The line will run from the vein in your arm to the large vein right before (or at) your heart (Vena Cava).

Good luck with the rest of your treatment. How long do they expect you to be receiving antibiotics?

A PICC line (Peripherally Inserted Central Catheter) is slightly larger than your average IV. It is inserted in the upper arm or crook of the elbow under ultrasound guidance and a little bit of local anesthetic. The tip simply floats in your venous system to the heart (though you don't feel that part). It can stay in for several weeks and be used for lab draws as well as administration of IV meds as in your case. The procedure is fairly quick (15-30 min) and there is no need for any sedation. Think of it as a complicated IV start.

'zilla

thanks for the replies, yeah I asked my nurse to elaborate on the PICC line and she told me all about it. I'm going to have it in for about 6 weeks and so thats a little frustrating. My only fear is the antibiotics and how often I have to actually receive them. The nurse said it well, and I am probably just overwhelmed at this point.

Thanks for the information and support