Super Bug

[rabbitearbandicoot]

My wife had an operation a few weeks ago - Brisbane Hospital. Just a fairly simple one - she had a skin cancer in her ear-lobe, so they cut it off and did a skin graft using skin from inside her leg. All seemed to be going reasonably well with that but she had a lot of pain in her back which got steadily worse.

About 3 weeks ago, I called the ambulance and they took her away to hospital. She had the usual set of tests and it was discovered that she had a kidney infection. They put her on antibiotic drip and more tests - no good  - so they changed antibiotic and tried again .... and again ... and again.  She was in hospital for 10 days and eventually they sent her home.

Two days later (last Monday) she was in so much pain that I took her to hospital again.

It seems she has contracted a super bug that none of the antibiotics will kill.

Thank you Brisbane Hospital - she obviously caught it there. So, what we do from here???? It seems it's got the specialists baffled.

[azureline**]

only if someone reports those posts?

[rabbitearbandicoot]

I just rang the hospital. Nurse said she is written up for long-term intravenous antibiotic. I asked her "what does 'long term' mean - several hours or several days". She said usually several days or even weeks.

Then I spoke to Sue. She said they cannot do any more cannula (sp?) in her arms because the veins keep collapsing - they are talking about a tube that goes up through her wrist, over her shoulder and past the heart - to deliver the antibiotic that way. I have never heard of that but some of you may have. She said nothing further about the stent, but she did say that she was booked in for a liver scan tomorrow ?:|.

[cherry*135]

Are you near the hospital?  As in can you get in to visit her or is it too far away?

[j*oono]

Rabbit, my brother-in-law had intravenous antibiotics done that way for weeks and then oral antibiotics up until 6 months when he had an infection after a hip replacement.

He had it done at home and a nurse used to come to their home each day.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

Are you near the hospital?  As in can you get in to visit her or is it too far away?

about 40 minutes - she is in Nambour Hospital. Other days, someone else usually goes. My eldest son is going on Sunday but he is over 2 hours away. As you probably know, I look after our younger son too and he is sick some days so we can't go anywhere. 

As someone said once - life isn't meant to be easy.

[cherry*135]

No, not something you both needed to happen right now.

[yatpea]

rabbit, I believe you are talking about a PIC line. My mother had one when she was on heavy doses of antibiotics and her other veins were no good. It was put in through a large vein in her arm in the intensive care unit of the hospital she was at. She was not a patient in the intensive care but was taken there from her ward bed in a wheelchair and had it done on a spare bed. It was in for 2 weeks. She had no problems with it.

[catsnknots]

Yep yatpea it will be a PICC line and they are fantastic... it will be so much easier for her Rabbitt. 

here is a link that I found that will explain it all. 

http://brochures.mater.org.au/Home/Brochures/Mater-Private-Hospital-Brisbane/Vascular-access-device-...

I know you are probably a bit freaked out by this Rabbitt and I am really sorry that this is happening... but try not to stress... 

[rabbitearbandicoot]

the thing is, I and some others have quoted it, so we may all get a smack too???

I must be psychic - anyone got any ointment? 

[rabbitearbandicoot]

Thanks for that link Cats_back.