Matt is in the Hospital

Hi everyone! I'm gonna throw a ton of info at you, so please bear with me....

Matt was admitted to the hospital with Cellulitis and Osteomyelitis yesterday...He's been on antibiotics (read previous post), but he worsened overnight on Friday after only limited improvement throughout the week. We went to urgent care yesterday (for my peace of mind) and they didn't even do anything, just wrote a direct admit for the hospital, which is nice b/c you bypass that sitting in the ER junk...

They started him initially on triple antibiotic therapy (ancef, gent and clinda for the nurses) and pain meds to help. He needs to have a bone scan to confirm the depth of the infection b/c the XRAY is only showing "severe inflammatory process around hardware and bones"...so they aren't 100% sure its invaded the bone but that is what they are treating it as. The bone scan will have a hard time distinguishing from "post op stuff" and "infection stuff". So they might not do it. we' aren't sure yet

Anyway, MD just came by and updated us and thankfully even though the foot is showing obvious signs of bone infection its also showing obvious signs of IMPROVEMENT today PRAISE GOD... Matt has a very long recovery coming, and will be admitted AT LEAST through Wednesday this week.

Here is the process. Matt has to go in for surgery tomorrow for an I&D (incision and drainage), they are going to open the wound, drain any abscess found, culture it again, irrigate real well then close up the wound. They also are going to put in a PICC line or central line (Long term ports for antibiotics) hopefully around the same time so that he doesn't have to feel them being put in...Sedated is a GOOD thing. He will come home on antibiotics and be on them for the next 3-6 weeks. We are hoping the bone is fusing in his foot (he is almost 7 weeks post op) b/c they need to take out the hardware. I guess once there is infection, it becomes a constant breeding ground, so it has to be removed, but not until the foot is fused. Make sense?

Then he will continue IV antibiotics for another 4-6 weeks at home after that to make sure the bone is completely free of bacteria. They are checking him for MRSA, but b/c of the rapid response we are getting from the current antibiotics, they think its some other form of bacteria. Another PRAISE GOD.

He has shown MARKED improvement today and foot is looking so much better but still w/pretty strong pain. WE also saw an infectious disease doc who changed his antibiotics to Rocephin and Vancomycin (Vanco is a POTENT drug, they have to draw daily levels to make sure his body isn't overdosing on it) WE're hoping he goes home on rocephin b/c it is a once or twice a day med, easier to maintain so he can at least work part time.

Phew.. A LOT OF INFO??? I need to get back to the hospital, here are some requests

Prayers:
1. surgery goes w/o an issue tomorrow, find the infection and remove it, no complications
2. they are able to put in the long term port while matt is still sedated
3. No complications with his peeing (he has a hard time going b/c of spasms and then his bladder gets all spastic. NOT good, usually needs catheter)
4. Finances, we are really really REALLY struggling and now matt is out of work indefinitly, I know God can provide, just getting antsy!
5. God will bring peace and calm over him. He is stressed, cranky and just plain upset.

OK off to hospital!!! Talk to you all soon! Feel free to give us a call or come by and visit. Matt is in need of the company and just struggling with all of this. I could use the company too! :) Bring a BALLOON!! Hee hee, it will make him smile!

Have a blessed day in the Lord...