Posts
Reader and old friend SoftwareJanitor is currently laid up with cellulitus.
He sent a pic of his swollen and red legs with the sharpie line showing how the IV antibiotics had been succeeding.
This is the same sort of pics I'd seen with Grog (MY Grog not reader Grog) when he'd been to the hospital with sepsis!
Dear readers, if you've got swelling in your lower extremities you have to do something about it before your skin starts weeping and one of the numerous bacteria make a home down there.
Losing weight seems to be the sure winner for this, and diet and exercise are the keys.
It's astonishing how a short walk every morning will take off the mass if you couple it with a reduction in calories.
I should take this advice myself.
If you'd told me I'd be lugging around a full ruck all the time I'd have said you're insane: but effectively that's what my gut is compared to my youthful weight.
The crippling injury makes it really hard to walk or run it off, so I need to get my ass on my bike.
My condolences for your friend. I have the same condition, but I think I am nearly done, given long term life changing diet, exercise and such. Damn - sux to get old !
ReplyDeleteI caught mine with a bite from a kitten. I apparently already had some issues with lower leg (PAD) and it progressed quickly. I tried to knock down with good old Triple Antibiotic - it laughed at that. Wounds and blisters that began weeping - ugh ! Sleeping was extremely difficult as skin contact would cause pain. I was probably getting about 3 - 4 hours of steady sleep a night, with frequent naps after work.
Took leg wound care and with HBO (hyperbaric chamber) treatments, was finally reined in. Still have some remnants so yeah, there is that. Topical Medicines (some crazy expensive - looking at you Santyl !), gauze wrapping covered with ACE type wraps to keep swelling down. Took several months of that before insurance finally gave go-ahead and covered HBO treatments. Two hours a day, 5 days a week. Lucky I had an understanding boss that allowed me to come in extra early to make up for lost work day.
I hope your friend recovers soon.
jrg
jrg
I'm still in the hospital (been here since Tuesday) but hoping to go home tomorrow. I've been getting multiple rounds of high powered IV antibiotics each day and I'll still have significant days of oral antibiotics when I get home. If you think McThag was overdramatic above, he isn't. This is serious stuff.
ReplyDeleteStay strong man. It will get better but will take some time.
ReplyDeleteHey, if they do prescribe HBO, one good side effect. For me, it really boosted my metabolism. Even eating a good lunch, two hours in the oxygen chamber and I came out REALLY hungry, like fasting for blood work hungry. I lost 15 pounds in two months, even with decreased exercise opportunities. No dieting - just was pure air chamber effect.
Feel better soon - jrg
I'm back home now after 5 days of IV antibiotics in the hospital. I have 7 days of two heavy duty (Penicillin and Sulfa based) oral antibiotics now. Hopefully that will finish the job.
ReplyDelete