illness
My husband went to the hospital to get his second hip replaced. The surgery went well and he was sent home. Two weeks after the surgery he developed signs of a wound infection. It cultured positive to MRSA-Methicillin Resistant Staphlocaucus Aureus. There are a couple of infections that are worse than MRSA, but only a couple. Fortunately he had the hospital acquired form. The bacteria occurs in hospitals because people get resistant forms of bacteria due to antibiotic use and health care staff are not diligent about sanitary procedures and isolation techniques. His physicians removed his titanium hip and replaced it with a plastic spacer. He underwent three additional surgeries to clean out the infection. The body undergoes several changes as a result of infection. All inflammatory markers elevate. Blood glucose elevates and the risk for heart attack and stroke increase with inflammation, elevation in blood pressure and blood sugar. My husband’s markers showed him to be near death at the time of his admission. Fortunately he survived and did well on IV antibiotics. He lost about a 55 pounds while he was in the hospital.
We had gone to the hospital as an emergency. Leaving the house quickly. Unfortunately we left some soiled bandages on the couch and our two Dalmations shreaded them all over the house. Only a few bacteria are able to transfer from humans to dogs. MRSA is one of those infections. Both dogs ended up contracting the infection. It took weeks of antibiotics, treatment with iodized silver, and eventually antibiotics administered intranasally before the dogs tested negative. My thanks to the Bella Moss Foundation in England for their information and support during that difficult time.
My husband contracted an additional infection from being on IV antibiotics. Clostridium Difficile is a bacteria that invades the GI tract after normal bacterial flora is destroyed or it can occur as a result of ineffective sanitization procedures. The bacteria produce spores that can live on surfaces for up to 70 days. Washing surfaces with alcohol gel is not effective, but soap and hot water is effective in killing the bacteria as is bleach.
Eventually my husband was released home the Friday after Thanksgiving. The VA hospital said he was no longer contagious. I didn’t think he looked well when he arrived home. Fortunately we followed universal precautions. He tested positive for Clostridium difficile on Monday. He has not yet had surgery to eplace the titanium rod in his hip. He still has a spacer. With ongoing infection, he remains at heightened risk for heart attack and stroke.
I’m not writing this to document my personal family difficulties. I’m writing to let other people know what to expect from hospitals and physicians. When you go to a hospital, wash your hands with soap and hot water. Expect the physician and hospital staff to wear gloves or wash their hands prior to examination and following examination. If you do not observe your doctor or medical staff washing their hands request they wear gloves.
Initial signs of infection include elevated or subnormal temperatures (99.1 or higher or 98.1 or lower), elevated blood glucose with readings over 200, and elevated blood pressure with readings over 140/80. It’s possible to have abnormal vital signs and not have an infection. But the changes in vital signs are the earliest signs of infection that can be documented. As infection progresses there will be changes in lab chemistries. Leucocytes will elevate above normal, an inflammatory marker called C-reative protein will elevate (normally it’s less than 1), the sedimentation rate will elevate. Eventually there will be an actual fever with a temperature over 101. As the immune system becomes compromised organs shut down with resulting kidney problems and respiratory difficulties. Death results from cardiac failure, pneumonia, renal failure, or wasting.
There are a couple of infections which require urgent treatment. MRSA, VRSA (Vancomycin resistant Staph Aureus), NF- necrotizing fasciitis, also known as “the flesh eating bug,” are all infections that require urgent treatment. Any of these infections can cause life threatening complications starting in a matter of hours or days. Almost all infections can be prevented by good health care provider hygiene, regular hand washing, and normal cleaning of surfaces that come into contact with potentially contaminated material.
Hopefully in the case of my husband everything will eventually turn out well, he will get a new hip and his recovery from that surgery will go smoothly. My you all have a good 2008.
