To begin at the beginning, I got sick on New Year’s Eve of last year (December 31, 2011) and went to the hospital for the first time the next day. I had a serious infection and was put on an IV drip for about a week, then discharged home.
About five days later, I took a turn for the worse and ended up in the hospital again (the BETTER hospital in town this time). My infection had returned (if it was ever actually gone), and I ended up in ICU again. I was told that if I’d come in a couple of hours later, I’d have probably come in DOA, judging from my blood chemistry. As it was, the wound on my foot that caused the infection in the first place required me to lose the foot and calf, so I was below-the-knee amputated on January 16.
Since I live in a house whose only bathroom is up a flight of 16 stairs, I’ve been living in a couple of rehab/convalescent homes for the last five months. I finally got to come home on Thursday, as my therapist determined that I was able to wear my prosthesis for at least 3 hours at a time.
So, I lost a year to an infection that could have been prevented if I’d been a) paying attention and b) not trying to ignore it, as is my family’s wont…we even have a name for it around here: “The Ciccarella Health Plan” (my mother’s family is named Ciccarella and they’re the ones that do it all the time).
I’m adjusting to this new reality (personal care homes and therapy programs don’t prepare you terribly well for real-world applications of walking around on top of a metal pipe), and hope to go back to work soon. I know some of you have been wondering how I’m doing so I wanted to update you all on this.
I was gonna berate you for being a shithead and buggering-off without so much of a sayonara or a fare-thee-well. But, under the circumstances, I think we might forgive your oversight. :eek:
Provided of course you have a note from your mum to verify all you say.
Nah, thank OG you’re ok jayjay. Welcome home, and keep well.
Are you eligible for a home care visit? (If you’re on Medicare, you are; private insurance may vary.) That thing you note about it being totally different at home is one of the things I love about home nursing and home PT/OT: we can actually see what you have to deal/work with and offer tips/therapy designed around your living space.
