12 days in hospital and emergency surgery & Question

June 4, 2004

HI all,

Sorry I haven't been around. I ended up going to the ER a week ago Friday. I

had an abscess over the area of a broken pin in my failed fused ankle.

Anyway, I went to our local hospital because that was as far as I could drive.

When I got up I could see I had an abscess. I took the dog to the kennel and by

the time I got to the ER my whole foot and ankle looked like they were badly

sunburned but had red lines going up my leg. I sat at the ER from 11 AM till

7:30 PM when they decided to transfer me to a bigger hospital that had a

whole orthopedic unit. I went by ambulance and then sat around in tears until 9

when an ortho resident came to see me. He decided that the broken pin and the

big nail that went from the bottom of my heel up into my tibia had to come

out....right away. So at midnight I went into surgery. They took all the

hardware out and biopsied the bone. I now know the bone is infected with staph

areous (sp?) as they took bone off of the end of the hardware. I was on IV

antibiotics forten days and was told I need a minimum of 8 more weeks.

Unfortunately all I have is medicare and they won't pay for home care. Next

weekend I am

moving to my MOm's in PA. I am going to apply fopr medicaid. Does anyone

know if that will cover home IV antibiotic therapy?Is there anyway I get get it

pushed through quickly due to medical need. I am also trying to find out what

insurance company offers a medigap policy to someone who is disabled and on

medicare but under 65. I called the department of insurance but they didn't

know. I thought they would know as they did in NC. I will be living in BUcks

county Pa. Does anyone know how I can find out about a medigap policy or any

other resources I might have available to me inorder to get care. I will not

go to a nursing home! If anyone has any suggestions please let me know. I will

try anything. I am going to go see an ortho in PA and see if perhaps he will

debride the bone and put antibiotic beads in the area so I can at least be

getting some antibioics to the bones while I am waiting on finding a way to get

the IV antibiotics.

BTW. after a week in the hospital a friend of mine took my dog , a mini

aussie to her house which happens to be on a farm. Jake loved chasing the

chickens, swimming in the pond, playing with horses and other dogs as well as

kids

that he didn't want to come home. We finally got him home but he sulked for

two days. He is happy playing with us now but we told him we would let him go

play again one time before we move. This dog has a better social life them me!

Sue and jakie, Mr personality dog!

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