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| This is a picture of me diligently completing PT. |
Everything was fine!
Then the wound started to drain. And drain and drain and drain and drain. It was annoying and gross. But it wasn't infected, so I just skipped the antibiotic my doctor prescribed (DO NOT TRY THIS AT HOME). I thought the wound had finally closed up, but at PT last Tuesday, it opened up again and the draining started all over again. I was at work later that day when my doctor totally busted me. I was hopping on one leg to help a customer with a bulky bag - I needed both hands, so I put my crutches down - and in walked my doc. The look on his face was terrifying.
He just stared me down for a few minutes, while I sheepishly made up excuses about why I was hoppin gon one leg and why my crutches were 7 feet away, then he asked about the drainage. "But you're taking your Bactrim, right?" he asked. I had to admit that no, I wasn't, as it was clear discharge, no puss. "That's smart," he snapped. "You have an open channel communicating with your joint. How does osteomyelitis sound?"
I was rather filled with shame. I mean, I'm a pharmacist! I filled the prescription. And then I got sick. I swear, the minute my doctor left I realized I was flushed and warm - embarrassed by my doctor? Or...fever?
When I realized I had a slight fever, I rushed to check the wound. Luckily, they still look clean and there is no infection of the site. But my throat ached. The light hurt my eyes. I felt sore all over.
And now I feel like crap. I'm fighting some kind of infection (it feels like a mild late flu), trying not to topple over with exhaustion at work, and on top of it all one of my techs resigned. And it's poured rain every single evening for a week, and I can't exactly manage and umbrella and crutches. It's not fun anymore! I'm ready for the crutch and brace phase to be over!
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Ugh. I, too, have decided sometimes that I know better than my doctor, & totally paid the price. Hope you're feeling better!
ReplyDeleteI would chastise you, but I think you've learned your lesson. ;) Hope you feel better VERY soon. (I haven't been commenting, but I've been keeping up with you!)
ReplyDeleteOh no! Hope you're doing okay...take that Bactrim! (Although I feel weird saying that since we get patients with TENS that is generally caused by Bactrim and I swear I'll never take it nor let anyone I know take it. Then again, it's super rare...) Anyway. Stay away osteo, that can only mean trouble. Hope you feel better soon and can get back on both feet!
ReplyDeleteWhat a choice - TENS or osteo!
DeleteOh that just sucks. Hang in there and feel better asap.
ReplyDeleteThings smart people ask each other ... "How does osteomyelitis sound?" It actually sounds kinda fun to me, but from his tone, I'm assuming it's not. You should probably follow the doctor's orders.
ReplyDeletePS, if you'd stop describing "drainage", it would be okay
You know, your whole body is basically just "drainage". FYI.
DeleteHahaah! I had to laugh at Jim's comment. TRUTH! I'm so sorry your recovery isn't going as swimmingly as it was. Getting busted by doctor is totally something that would happen to me. Hope you can rest this weekend and feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteKind of sucks when your doctor works in the same building as you do (at least a few days a week). I can't get away with anything.
DeleteMm, drainage. That's when you're reminded that we are all just living bags of fluid that need to be kept pressurised. ;) Feel better soon!
ReplyDeleteOh that sucks... I hope that the antibiotics kicks in quickly. I gotta say, as a pharmacist I am really surprised you didn't follow your doctor's orders and take it in the first place! But hopefully this infection is behind you soon!!
ReplyDeleteI'm painfully aware of the overuse of antibiotics, and also how our medical system encourages their use because of fear of malpractice. Combine that with my belief in the powers of a healthy micorbiome, and you get a girl who rarely takes antibiotics, for better or for worse!
DeleteThat's a lesson to us all. I tend to avoid antibiotics as much as possible but I guess there's a time and a place.
ReplyDeleteOh geez. Get better, Gracie. Infection is something you could do without.
ReplyDeleteHoping the rain disappears.. we have plenty here too right now. 24 hours of pills and sunshine, and I bet you'll feel a ton better.
Tee hee. "Twenty-four hours of pills and sunshine" sounds a lot like a dream come true to a lot of my crackhead patients!
DeleteYeah, it was the hopping that was the really obnoxious part. ;)
ReplyDelete