Hyperbaric Oxygen Chamber Therapy

Too late, Dave, I've been paying attention too! oxoxoxoxo!!
You really do have an amazing grasp of Mike's situation considering that we're talking about 10yrs and 5 surgeries, with each having it's own set of complications. And Triple Bypass/Aortic Valve in between. This last surgery produced MRSA although thankfully it was just colonized on the surface of the wound and not deep within. No infection showed down in the wound itself.(Once it was drained and cleaned out to the bone). Of course that piece of shrapnel is still lodged inside his iliac bone and after antibiotic treatment,some tests were done by Infectious Disease, and I don't know how they surmised that the bone itself looked "clean"? The problem with ongoing antibiotics is that it was producing some cardiac problems with irregular heartbeat, blood pressure deviations ,and some abnormal blood tests, and exacerbation of his Polymyalgia Rheumatica which required going back on high doses of Prednisone again which in turn caused other problems and stopped the healing process. He's now back on his maintenance dose of 5mg Prednisone which is not helping the situation. He's had several blood cultures during this past 10 months and all have been negative. We also consulted with a new Ortho who thought he could be a hero and remove the shrapnel from the bone without destroying the bone itself but after going over all the xrays and reports and consulting with our own Drs, he gracefully bowed out. There's also concern about his hip replacement prosthetic which is close by the iliac bone and is 12 yrs old? The maximum life is about 15yrs if we're lucky. Mike is severely disabled and his right leg is almost useless. He uses a walker, can't walk without it, but really should be in a wheelchair but we don't do very much these days so he gets along as is. BTW, because of Mike's MRSA, the hospital really beefed up precautions about full sterile apparel when treating open wounds(masks, gowns)and Drs may not wear ties,etc. Hope you have a better picture now although there's much more I don't really know, but please don't ask me how much I weigh!! : Thanks so much.

Dori, that's amazing that you can keep track of all these details! I don't think I could. You're amazing person (and not just because you might be the only person on this board that could ever elicit xoxos from Dave)!

SU, I don't know if I can help you but I'll try! oxoxoxoxoxo! I'm feeling a little silly today because we have the weekend off from that hospital!! Thanks for the kind words but I think it was you who said "nobody cares more about your health than you do". There were so many slip ups and unqualified medical staff that I was depending on who let us down and who caused us so much grief, that I had to become an active advocate for Mike's problems. What helped me was my medical office manager background and knowing the procedures that need to take place to get things done. I'm usually able to smell a rat when observing the office staffs not doing their jobs. I'm sure I annoy them when I have to remind them to fax a report to another Dr or call in an RX,etc. I can tell they're not going to do it! The other day I let my guard down a bit and didn't go into the room when the Dr was trying to clean Mike's ears and the nurse "forgot" to relay the Dr's instructions to get the Debrox. That delayed important treatment for 4 days.

Dori,
I may not say much... but I read yours and Mike's story as one of the best love stories that I've read in a really really long time. It's good to read this.

UPDATE! I know it may be a bit premature until the Dr confirms this but just wanted to share the news. Our VN was here this morning and measured Mike's wound. After 2 weeks of HBOT the wound has gone from a depth of 3.0cms(where it's been for the last 6months) to 0.6cms.!! I think that's equivalent to 1 1/2" to less than 1/2". Our nurse knows this wound like no one else so I have to believe it! The bad news is that she will have to discharge him from her care on Thurs. and we'll miss her, she's become a member of the family after all this time, so I have mixed feelings about not seeing her.
ATTENTION: DAVE! I was told we wouldn't see any improvement until the 3rd week so can it happen sooner in your opinion?

I'm doing a HAPPY DANCE for Mike! And you, Dori. The sight should be good for a hearty laugh for both of you. And lots of (((hugs))) for both of you as well. Just for good happy measure.

A really happy dance on CPT this am with your good report!! Keep up the good work!!

Wow Dori...that has to be a significant improvment in Mikes wound. Keep the momentum going and soon the wound will be healed and Mike will be able to get on to bigger and better things. That progress has to get a couple of hoot hoots and a yippee!!!!!!
Love ya
Nan

That is SUCH good news, Dori!

Will you please give Mike a kiss on the cheek...and tell him that one's from the crazy lady down south?

I'm so happy for you both!! I hope his progress continues at this rate!!
I agree with cflame1...what a great love story!

Brenda

What amazing news!! So happy for you both!

bdp522 wrote:I'm so happy for you both!! I hope his progress continues at this rate!!
I agree with cflame1...what a great love story!

Brenda

Not such a great love story when he wakes me up at 4AM with mask leaks but he's sleeping peacefully through it all! Thanks for that thought and I guess it's true.

That's WONDERFUL news, Dori! I'm so pleased for you both.

DoriC wrote:Our VN was here this morning and measured Mike's wound. After 2 weeks of HBOT the wound has gone from a depth of 3.0cms(where it's been for the last 6months) to 0.6cms.!! I think that's equivalent to 1 1/2" to less than 1/2". Our nurse knows this wound like no one else so I have to believe it!

Well, that's a lot of healing to occur in a relatively short time. As previously noted, it's a pretty complex wound with a lot of stuff going on (from what you describe, you got foreign body, chronic osteomyelitis, tracts, non-healing open wound), and you also have multiple interventions occurring simultaneously.

And while HBO can only take so much credit, if the babe who's been staring at it for months says it's better, let's stay with "better" till proven otherwise.

BTW, is she a Wound Care Nurse or have WC training?

"Depth" in a wound could mean several things, and if it's a premature closure or inaccurate measurement of a tract, this may not necessarily be a completely positive development.

I think we have to be able to sustain this improvement for a bit longer and win at least 3 more battles before the war is over.

Dave, I totally agree, we've been burned before although not to this degree but in smaller increments, so I'm not doing a happy dance yet. Our VN is a wound care nurse, in fact she's a specialist who only goes out on difficult cases and gives 2nd opinions to the other nurses out in the field. We've been very lucky that we're only one of a few "steadies" that she solely manages. I've been feeding some of your comments to the staff and covering Drs in bits and pieces because as luck would have it, the Dr/Director won't be back until Thurs but I think there's agreement that it isn't too late for another course of antibiotics(maybe Levoquin) which should probably have been continued from early on but especially now since it's a good combination with HBOT(I think I heard that somewhere?). There's also talk of another Ortho consult (out of the area) to see about the possibility of removing that shrapnel from the bone although I was told it was not possible. They're not completely satisfied with the medical records they've reviewed. I've mentioned other things you've touched upon but can't remember right now, we're on our way to our 12th treatment (but who's counting). Thanks for posting, I was waiting! BTW, now that I told Mike what you said about the special mattress, he's not complaining anymore!