the details...
Posted: Tue Dec 19, 2006 9:43 am
and no more from me for a while, Ill stop stealing the spotlight... 
My mom and I left November 20 for Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. I was scheduled for surgery on the 22, the day before Thanksgiving. Surgery lasted about 8 hours and I was sewn up, the doctors being completely satisfied. The surgery consisted of taking my left inner thigh muscle and attaching it to my elbow and stretching to my collarbone (along with arteries, veins, nerves and tendons). I was in ICU for 4 days and 3 days on an orthopedic floor. I was discharged on Wednesday, with my festive holiday cast and big splint to fly home on Thursday.
Friday, I bought a new car!! 2001 Sebring Convertible, silver, very nice! On the way home, my mom noticed my white shirt was covered in blood! After going inside and taking it off, it seemed to be that the incision in my arm had opened up and was draining a nasty, smelly fluid! I called the doctors right away and as I did not have any classic symptom signs of an infection, the doctors were not worried yet. 30 hours later, after my arm had drained about 3 or 4 cups of fluid I called Minnesota again and they suggested I come back.
Monday, December 4th Jeff and I flew back to Minnesota. We took a backpack with one pair of socks, underwear, one clean shirt and a toothbrush. Our return flight was for Tuesday morning. 10 minutes after seeing the doctors, they said to get my cast off and call the OR. While I checked in at St. Mary’s Hospital, Jeff checked in across the street at Staybridge Suites.
Monday evening, I went for surgery to see exactly what was going on. I woke up Monday night to find my arm packed and bandaged and my incision wide open. It was discovered that I had a massive Staph Infection. They did a “clean out” and left it open. I went back to the OR on Tuesday to “clean out” the infection again. Due to swelling and infection, the incision was left open, again. Wednesday they gave me a day off. Thursday was back to OR for another “cleanup” procedure. This was the day they discovered the infection had “eaten” the artery, which fed blood to the transferred muscle. After cutting into the muscle and not seeing it bleed, it had to be removed, it was dead!! Upon learning this news, I had a big WTF for the doctors. Friday night my dad flew out so that Saturday morning, Jeff could fly home, someone has to work. Saturday morning Jeff left, by himself, with my clothes, leaving me shoes and a coat. Saturday and Monday again brought the same “cleanup” procedures except when I woke up Monday I had a wound vac in my arm and an IV line in my foot. This was like a vacuum sucking the infection out of my arm. My good arm was so tired from IV’s; they tried 13 times, hence the IV in my foot. Tuesday, I got a picc line put in my good arm. After successful x-rays, the IV’s were taken out of my foot and hand. Wednesday, I was back to surgery, waking up with about 50 stitches and a drainage tube. Thursday was a day of rest. Friday morning, the doctors removed the tube, changed the dressings and sent my on my way with scrubs to wear as I had no clothes. Friday night, a nurse came to the hotel and showed my dad and me how to administer my IV antibiotics at home, this will continue for 2 weeks! Saturday we flew home.
So I am home and on the mend. It is disappointing to have such a successful surgery and to get an infection that needed 6 additional surgeries and that killed the muscle, which made the initial surgery USELESS. 7 Surgeries, more scars, and still at square 1!!
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. God has a plan for my arm, just not sure what it is yet . I am back to work on Friday!
Courtney
My mom and I left November 20 for Mayo Clinic in Minnesota. I was scheduled for surgery on the 22, the day before Thanksgiving. Surgery lasted about 8 hours and I was sewn up, the doctors being completely satisfied. The surgery consisted of taking my left inner thigh muscle and attaching it to my elbow and stretching to my collarbone (along with arteries, veins, nerves and tendons). I was in ICU for 4 days and 3 days on an orthopedic floor. I was discharged on Wednesday, with my festive holiday cast and big splint to fly home on Thursday.
Friday, I bought a new car!! 2001 Sebring Convertible, silver, very nice! On the way home, my mom noticed my white shirt was covered in blood! After going inside and taking it off, it seemed to be that the incision in my arm had opened up and was draining a nasty, smelly fluid! I called the doctors right away and as I did not have any classic symptom signs of an infection, the doctors were not worried yet. 30 hours later, after my arm had drained about 3 or 4 cups of fluid I called Minnesota again and they suggested I come back.
Monday, December 4th Jeff and I flew back to Minnesota. We took a backpack with one pair of socks, underwear, one clean shirt and a toothbrush. Our return flight was for Tuesday morning. 10 minutes after seeing the doctors, they said to get my cast off and call the OR. While I checked in at St. Mary’s Hospital, Jeff checked in across the street at Staybridge Suites.
Monday evening, I went for surgery to see exactly what was going on. I woke up Monday night to find my arm packed and bandaged and my incision wide open. It was discovered that I had a massive Staph Infection. They did a “clean out” and left it open. I went back to the OR on Tuesday to “clean out” the infection again. Due to swelling and infection, the incision was left open, again. Wednesday they gave me a day off. Thursday was back to OR for another “cleanup” procedure. This was the day they discovered the infection had “eaten” the artery, which fed blood to the transferred muscle. After cutting into the muscle and not seeing it bleed, it had to be removed, it was dead!! Upon learning this news, I had a big WTF for the doctors. Friday night my dad flew out so that Saturday morning, Jeff could fly home, someone has to work. Saturday morning Jeff left, by himself, with my clothes, leaving me shoes and a coat. Saturday and Monday again brought the same “cleanup” procedures except when I woke up Monday I had a wound vac in my arm and an IV line in my foot. This was like a vacuum sucking the infection out of my arm. My good arm was so tired from IV’s; they tried 13 times, hence the IV in my foot. Tuesday, I got a picc line put in my good arm. After successful x-rays, the IV’s were taken out of my foot and hand. Wednesday, I was back to surgery, waking up with about 50 stitches and a drainage tube. Thursday was a day of rest. Friday morning, the doctors removed the tube, changed the dressings and sent my on my way with scrubs to wear as I had no clothes. Friday night, a nurse came to the hotel and showed my dad and me how to administer my IV antibiotics at home, this will continue for 2 weeks! Saturday we flew home.
So I am home and on the mend. It is disappointing to have such a successful surgery and to get an infection that needed 6 additional surgeries and that killed the muscle, which made the initial surgery USELESS. 7 Surgeries, more scars, and still at square 1!!
I am a firm believer that everything happens for a reason and what doesn’t kill you only makes you stronger. God has a plan for my arm, just not sure what it is yet . I am back to work on Friday!
Courtney
![[IMG]http://img244.imageshack.us/img244/7260/armjw8.th.jpg[/IMG]](http://img244.imageshack.us/my.php?image=armjw8.jpg){kind=link}
![[IMG]http://img154.imageshack.us/img154/5703/leghq4.th.jpg[/IMG]](http://img154.imageshack.us/my.php?image=leghq4.jpg){kind=link}