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.

[catsnknots]

No.. it is not the hospitals fault... people carry these bugs on them without knowing... 

the problem is that people in hospitals are sick and are susceptible to them.. You can have these bugs on your body and never get sick from them. 

And every hospital has someone with MRSA, VRE or other types of bugs... long term patients will get tested monthly, when a person leaves a ward to go to another ward they will get tested. When a person arrives or leaves for another hospital they will get tested. 

They will do a rectal and nasal swab... 😉   and they do have isolation wards for people that have these bugs that have shown up in swabs... they do their best... 

[catsnknots]

I read a study where they did random swabs from all over the place... 

MRSA was found on a persons home keyboard.. they had never been in hospital or even been on antibiotics.. 

MRSA was also found on shopping trolley handles along with VRE. 

It might have started in a hospital but it is far and wide these days... 

[azureline**]

I think that sending a pm after posting an offensive despicable post like that is back tracking. Apologise, it's not hard.

[polksaladallie]

Have you been told is is "Golden staph"?  It is a tricky one, and I hope she ditches it soon.

A couple of threads have referred to nurses.  I hope you were also meaning to include doctors.  I could tell you a story about a doctor in a neonatal nursery which would shock you, so it is really everybody who should take more care.

[the_hawk*]

Have you been told is is "Golden staph"?  It is a tricky one, and I hope she ditches it soon.

A couple of threads have referred to nurses.  I hope you were also meaning to include doctors.  I could tell you a story about a doctor in a neonatal nursery which would shock you, so it is really everybody who should take more care.

In my case the doctors were from plastics and didn't really have any hands on contact, only once did I need to remind them that a sterile sheet needed to be laided out before they removed bandages, normally the removal was done by the nurses before the doctors got there.

and yes I told doctors as well how to do their job as well.

I didn't want to be there a day longer than I had to be.

[rabbitearbandicoot]

Have you been told is is "Golden staph"?  It is a tricky one, and I hope she ditches it soon.

No, they didn't tell me what it was. I don't think they knew?? Otherwise they would have known which antibiotic to give her in the first place wouldn't they?

They are now saying that the stent they put in could be hiding the infection???? They are talking about removing it?? The stent or the kidney ??? I presume they meant the stent.

I know the Doctors and Nurses do wonderful work but, I just have to tell you this - if nothing else it gave me a bit of a giggle.

I rang. Can I talk to Mrs B's nurse. The nurse said: We are getting things ready to send her home later today. Me:"Oh, good, she's all fixed up then". Nurse: "Yes, all fixed. I'll let you talk to her". Me:"Yes, that would be good". Nurse:"The pharmacist is with her now - he wants to talk to you". Pharm:"Is this Mrs Bigg's son?"; Me:"No, I'm Mrs B's... son .... no, wait I'm Mrs B's husband. Pharm:"Mrs B's husband???" then I heard him say to the nurse ... this is Mrs B's husband, not Mrs Biggs's son ...... mumble ... mumble".

So, I almost got to take the wrong wife home !!]:)

The nurse came back on ... all apologies ..."I'll let you talk to Mrs B now". I spoke to her: "They just told me you are coming home later today". Mrs B:" No, I am still on the drip and another specialist is coming to see me on Friday". Me:"Not the only drip in that hospital it seems".

So, anyway, I'm glad that's all clarified. At this point, I know for sure that she's either coming home later today or she's staying in ... ]:)

I rang back 15 minutes later for clarification and the nurse was busy with a dressing ... "can you ring back later".

[the_hawk*]

Rabbit I dont know what they are doing to find out whats going on for your wife , but they were doing daily swabs of the site and then daily blood tests for two weeks on me.  They were running out of places to stick things into me towards the end. Mine turned out to be a common staff that is normal on our bodies and is easily treated so they told me.

I would be asking to speak to the doctor and ask what has been done to identify what the bacteria is. get them to call him from his tower so you know first hand whats going on. Doctors are not the best communicators and the nurses are not able to tell you much.

[i-need-a-martini]

Rabbit - hope all is well with your wife. They sound a bit overworked at the hospital don't they? ?:|

[karliandjacko]

apples are good for everything. Can she manage some small peeled wedges of apple to chew or suck on? 

Apparently there was a reason for the old apple a day saying. Some research was done a couple of years ago which shows apples help immunity and recovery.

[kengillard]

o dear Moorna....what are we to do with  you?

or better still ....without you?