Home sweet hospital

Last week, after the Steelers game, I called my mother and realized I would need to get up there as she wasn't feeling well.  A week or so ago she had developed an ulcer on the bottom of her left foot.  It had been cultured and was negative.  She was told to stay off her foot.  She isn't good at listening to directions.  Over the weekend the foot got worse, she got a fever, and I called 911.

The foot was infected with Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).  The wound was nasty.  For over an hour Connie was out of it, but after a shot and some pain relievers she snapped to it and was asking to sit up and watch the Manning brothers duke it out on Sunday night football.

She was admitted into the hospital and put immediately on IV antibiotics.  She saw a podiatrist who took her in the next morning for surgery to clean out the wound.  He dug out all the gook and black stuff in the above picture, leaving a hole in the bottom of her foot large and deep enough for a Polly Pocket doll to move in and live comfortably, with furniture.  Lucky for Connie, she can't feel her foot because of her neuropathy.

The MRI showed the infection was not in the bone, and the cultures taken during surgery didn't grow out anything so the prognosis was two weeks in the "rehab" hospital on IV.  A wound pump was inserted into the hole in the foot and it pumps out all the blood and pus.  She is to stay off of the foot so therapy right now is at a minimal.

Her attitude is resigned, but she is keeping a stiff upper lip.  Last night word came that the wound wasn't healing as quickly as they would like so they are planning on keeping her longer, perhaps six weeks.  She is hoping not to lose her foot so she is behaving and waiting it all out.  The care is alright.  She has a wonderful nurse.  She is enjoying the food more, but boredom sets in quite often.  As long as she has her television to watch the Tampa Rays then she can handle it!


I'll add an update to Connie's health on the right side of the blog for those interested.