Re: Yet another skin infection/e

January 7, 2008

e

How is Joe's leg coming along??

and Rob 18 JAS

Yet another skin infection

>

> > In the past 3 months she has been to the doctor for 2

> thumb

> > infections with heavy dose antibiotics, a trip to the

> ER, a

> > splint; a lump full of gunk behind her ear that the doc

> cut out;

> > a finger infection; a huge cut on her finger and now

> this one.

> > She called yesterday said it was hot and red on her leg.

> I told

> > her to call the clinic and see if they would order

> something

> > over the phone. They called today and said they want to

> see her

> > because this doc hasn't see her with an infection (just

> changed

> > docs) so she had an appt for 5 tonight. I came home when

> she got

> > in from university and she showed it to me. This was not

> a

> > typical cellulitis for her but a huge circle with purple

> core,

> > elevated, red bullseye hot inflamed. So glad she had an

> appt or

> > I would have taken her to the ER. Her regular doc wasn't

> there

> > but this one was good, kind, funny. He looked at it and

> said we

> > need to cut that out. So they numbed her with spray and

> cut it

> > open. It was disgusting--tons of ooze came out

> > (I won't describe it further because it would make

> you

> > sick). He was shocked at how much came out. There was a

> ton of

> > it and he kept milking it out to make sure it all came

> out. He

> > cultured it and said he expected it to come back MRSA so

> he put

> > her on Clindamycin four times a day.

> >

> > She has a huge hole but he decided not to pack it to

> allow the

> > ooze to flow. She has to hot pack it and let it ooze

> several

> > times a day. Like I said, it was quite nasty! EWW!!! I

> am just

> > so frustrated on how to prevent these. She has a sore on

> her

> > finger that won't heal either. I am going to call her

> rheumy

> > tomorrow to let her know what happened and to check

> about taking

> > her MTX this week.

> >

> > She takes Prednisone, MTX and the big gun Remicaide. I

> just wish

> > we could find a way to stop this from happening. This

> one is

> > beyond gross. Any suggestions?

> >

> > e, mom to joe 20 poly/lupus (aka rheupus)

> >

> > ---------------------------------

> > Never miss a thing. Make your homepage.

> >

January 7, 2008

,

Thanks for asking. I wish I could say it was healed but it is still oozing green

gunk but she was tired of being home so she left last week to go back to school

although she was sick and the wound was getting redder and oozier (like that is

a wordÃœ ) What can you do? She is not the 14 year old who was diagnosed, she is

21 and living in an apartment at university. The good news was it was not MRSA

but 4+ staph and other ookie things (I know great medical term again). It will

take some time I guess. She was in so much pain that she was barely awake for

her birthday--she had an infusion the day before and had to hold the MTX for two

weeks previous. I mentioned to her that she could raise the prednisone but

instead she was up most of the night, getting up for Ultram, putting the kenalog

cream on, and stretching. But again, what can you do? I do get frustrated by it,

but know that if it gets too much she will call and complain. I just would have

rather dealt with it before she

was 3 hours away because it is such a hassle for me to drive 3 hours to pick

her up, 2.5 to the doctor and then back to school and home again. I just keep

praying for her recovery and hoping that she will make wise choices. I guess

that is all we can do.

How are you feeling? how is the new treatment going? She was so bad at her last

infusion the IV nurse said she was going to call the doctor to see if we could

raise her Remicade next time (she is at the max but I guess you can go higher).

I'm thinking it was because of the infections and the lack of MTX. I wish it

would have been blood draw day but they only draw every other infusion.

Thanks again for asking, and I hope things remain calmer at your home this year.

e, mom to 'joe' 21 poly/lupus

snooksmama@... wrote: e