Back in hospital

[theperfessor]

Well, I was getting better and making progress until my foot got reinfected this last weekend. Oral antibiotics weren't cutting it so I was admitted back to the hospital yesterday afternoon. Back on IV antibiotics, etc. Scheduled for surgery tomorrow am to remove some dead tissue around foot ulcerations but Doc says tissue in wound is healthy and beefy looking and looks good. Thinks we got on top of this soon enough to knock out infection pretty quickly.

Hopefully surgery will be very minor, doc says every day in hospital should cut more time off total healing time.

Oddly enough I'm back in same room I was in in October, with same nurse that took care of me then. Like old home week!

They won't commit until after tomorrow but they said I'd probably maybe oughta be home over Christmas. Keeping fingers crossed.

Hope everyone here has a great Christmas, I'll be fine. Getting home will be best gift I can ever get.

[btroj]

Good luck Keith. Those dang foot infections are bad news for diabetics.

We are all pulling for you

[nicholst55]

Wishing you the best, and hope you make it home for Christmas!

I'm a fellow diabetic with (much less serious) foot problems.

[tward]

Hang in there Keith, hope you are at home and recovering by Christmas. Tim

[bangerjim]

God bless and get better!

bangerjim

[sparky45]

You're in my Prayers Keith, get home real soon.
Sparky45

[462]

Wishing you all the best, sir, and get well soon.

May you and your family have a Merry Christmas.

[TCLouis]

Get yerself outa that horspital.

Thems fer sick folks!

[Sweetpea]

Praying for you Keith...

And a Merry Christmas, wherever you will be...

[Artful]

:holysheep
You have a thing for this nurse or something?:kidding:
- Get well soon and have a Merry Christmas
:wink:

[MaryB]

Best of luck, I got to spend a Christmas in the hospital with a deep vein thrombosis. 5 days of total boredom and bad food.

[bhn22]

Merry Christmas Keith!

[MT Gianni]

Prayers sent.

[Bzcraig]

Prayin for a successful surgery, quick recovery, and home for Christmas Keith!

[MtGun44]

Best Wishes and a short prayer, sir.

I hope that the improved circulation is what is making that tissue look
healthy.

Bill

[smokeywolf]

Doggone-it Keith, I thought we had you well on your way down the road to recovery.

Sounds like this is just a bump in the your road to recovery. You be good and we will all pray that you get your Christmas wish.

smokeywolf

[2thepoint]

Keith,
Get well soon & enjoy your Christmas @ home!!

[2thepoint]

Keith,
Get well soon & enjoy your Christmas @ home!!

[Dean D.]

Best wishes for a successful surgery and a rapid recovery Keith!

[Pinsnscrews]

Thoughts and prayers !

[Teddy (punchie)]

God Bless!!! Hope you are feeling OK , praying you foot heals and you are trouble free.

[Ramar]

Prayers are acoming!
Ramar

[Ajax]

Prayers sent Keith.

Andy

[Char-Gar]

My best wishes and prayers for a quick recovery so you can get home.

[MrWolf]

Prayers and positive thinking - you will be home and having a Merry Christmas!

[gray wolf]

Prayers sent up for you Keith, Praying that all goes well for you and your home soon.

Sam

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Prayin for ya.
Hope you get home for Christmas

[parson48]

Prayers for speedy, complete recovery, from a Purdue guy.

[blackthorn]

Prayers and best wishes for a quick recovery. Merry Christmas from Gail and I.

[Echo]

Best wishes, Keith...

[GLL]

Best wishes for a speedy recovery !
Send us a Christmas update !

Jerry

[TheCelt]

Prayer for a swift recovery Sir, and a Merry Christmas to you as well!!!

[felix]

Believe it or not, Keith, I spent the entire Christmas vacation in a baby's delivery ward back in 1958. Colitis operation. The nurses back then did marches singing carols multiple times before Christmas throughout the hallways. Looking back upon that time, it probably was the most "relaxing" Christmas I ever had. Prayers and all to you and yours. ... felix

[km101]

Good luck with surgery and God Bless you! Hope you are at home for Christmas, but have a Merry Christmas wherever you are!

[ph4570]

Wish you well and home for Christmas.

[shooter2]

Prayers sent.

[theperfessor]

Didn't have to go to surgery. Doc did assessment of CAT scan and came up to room and did wound debriding about 8 am. No anesthesia (can't feel anything anyway), all he did is cut away dead tissue around outside of wounds, nothing inside wounds, so it was fairly quick. Back to having wound vac on outside foot wound, dry gauze pack on bottom foot wound. All is healthy and beefy looking otherwise. Two more days of IV antibiotics. Doc will check outside wound Monday am, re-do wound vac connection, if all OK I will be home by afternoon. Will restart oral antibiotics at home.

DIL came up yesterday to visit, son came up today. She's a sweet girl. Very cheering, don't get to see either one of them very often. Looks like I will be home over Christmas, they said they will drop in then for a couple of hours but no big dinner planned. Cold cuts and cold salads, fine with me. It's the company, not the consumables.

Merry Christmas to all!!!

[smokeywolf]

Great new Keith. Thanks for keeping us abreast.

smokeywolf

[btroj]

You are blessed Keith. If I was closer I would stop in and see you but the commute is killer.....

[Recluse]

I was admitted back to the hospital yesterday afternoon. Back on IV antibiotics, etc. Scheduled for surgery tomorrow am

What is this--a competition or something? I feel like you and me and a few others here are stuck in a bad reality show called "Boolit Caster Bedpan Wars."

Hopefully we're not on the A&E channel.

Get better, Keith!

:coffee:

[TXGunNut]

Get home soon, Keith! Those hospitals are dangerous places for wounds like yours.

[DRNurse1]

:holysheep
You have a thing for this nurse or something?:kidding:
- Get well soon and have a Merry Christmas
:wink:

Hmm, not sure if Artful or the Nurse is better at needling you....regardless, get and stay well, have a joyous Christmas and get back to doing the fun things next year.

There is a TON of good information about diabetes out there but find a knowledgeable source with whom you can talk over things and then YOU can take the initiative to manage your blood sugar levels. You will be able to manage this.

Prayers you you and yours.

[theperfessor]

Well, good news/bad news. Things are OK for now. Surgeon was in this am to assess things. He said CAT scan showed femoral artery bypass was fine but that capillaries, veins and arteries in foot itself are screwed up. He raised possibility of amputation of foot at ankle. Everything above that is in pretty good shape.

He said that after amputation it would be a three month recovery and chance to walk fairly normally with prosthesis. I've been fighting this longer than that and I'm still not right. He also said that even if I heal as I am this could keep re-occurring.

Not what I want to have happen but I am realist and have to consider possibility. The chance to be healed, up and functional (and able to work) in three or four months is an attractive alternative.

He and I are going to talk more about this tomorrow and some folks from rehab/patient support are going to see me later on today.

Lot to think about. I might give myself an amputation as a 60th birthday/retirement gift.

[btroj]

No matter what you decide we are here to help you thru it.

Sometimes a guaranteed fix is worth the loss.

[Sweetpea]

Hard decision, either way.

Keep us updated.

Brandon

[jmort]

Will be praying for the best outcome. That is a lot to consider.

[timbuck]

Sending Prayers tonight.

[Artful]

Prayer's on their way for best possible resolution for you.

[theperfessor]

Don't really want to loose any body parts but my history is that I do heal very well from clean incisions where I have good circulation. Groin hernia repair, gallbladder removal, neck surgery, and my femoral artery bypass all healed in record time. But my heel wound isn't any better now than it was last March. If I would have had an amputation then I would be healed, through rehab, and getting ready to go back to work in January. As it is I'm still incapacitated.

I appreciate everybody's support and prayers. You guys are the best.

Wife and I have a lot to talk about when she comes down to hospital later today.

[TXGunNut]

Wow, tough call to make. I know you'll make the right call but it seems there's no easy way to recovery for you. I'll keep you in my thoughts and prayers, you'll need lots of strength to make this decision and see it thru to a good recovery.

[smokeywolf]

Keith, maybe we get stubborn, crotchety and just plain tougher than boiled owl when we hit our senior years, just to see us through the tribulations we face.
Although I know that no matter what decision shows itself to be the most logical and beneficial, you will end up healthier and happier. I hope your research and contemplation results in a decision that gives you not just what you need, but also what you want.

Thanks for keeping us informed and we will keep the prayers and support coming.

smokeywolf

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Still prayin' for ya.

you didn't ask for our opinions...but here is mine, free of charge.
To me, it sounds like a 'no brainer" to amputate. As the Doc mentioned, just too much of a chance to reoccur. Prosthetics have really advanced.
I hope you don't mind my 2¢. We'll all love you Keith.
Jon

[snuffy]

Darn it Kieth, that's a hard one to decide. I found out that my nephew has had an artificial lower leg for 5 years. he walks like he always did. He's a type one diabetic, in fact it was discovered while he was in the Navy.

Hang in there, talk with the wife and the surgeon, then let God decide. Listen for his still small voice to give you the assurance for a decision. I will continue to pray for you and others on this forum fighting medical issues.

[theperfessor]

Jon_B, I appreciate everyone's opinion. I have to consider a lot of things, and I plan to get a second and third opinion from several other doctors before I make up my mind. I'm doing OK on money right now, but if I could get back to work in my own shop, even if it's only a few hours a day, I could make enough extra over the summer to get ahead of the game a little. If I retire next year I would get full pay from the University for a year of two half- time semesters, and could continue working in my own shop half-time.

(The University retirement policy for qualified employees is to pay full pay for one full time semester and one sabbatical semester off with full pay, or two half time semesters for full pay.)

An amputation in January and I could potentially be healed and mobile enough to enjoy the end of Spring semester pot luck dinner with my colleagues in May. Maybe go to graduation ceremonies to see another class of my "kids" walk.

Also, I could get back to casting and shooting again, can't do either from a hospital bed!

Like I said, lots to consider, but to be healed and mobile in 4-5 months is a darned attractive option.

Just 'cause I was born with it doesn't mean I need to die with it, and it beats hell out of dying from it.

[Artful]

You may want to ask about options to help the circulation - Hydrotherapy, etc.

[MaryB]

Prayers sent for you, this is a hard decision but to get back to a normal life would tip the scales for me

[waksupi]

Sounds like you need to just go ahead and do it. The anticipation is worse than the deed. Get 'er done, and get out of there, no matter how much you like sponge baths.

[Recluse]

Keith,

I went through those decisions just about two weeks ago when it looked like the surgeon was going to be removing a cancerous tumor on an adrenal gland rather than a gall bladder gone rogue that had everyone fooled otherwise.

The decision I had to make was if things didn't look good, would I give consent to have the entire adrenal gland removed, and if that became problematic, have the kidney removed as well? (Tumor sits on the adrenal gland which sits on the kidney)

My gut reaction was, "Hell no! Don't go taking away the adrenal gland, and sure as hell leave my kidney alone."

I talked with the wife and girls about it, but I was on my own because it was MY perspective on how I would be and what I might face if the remaining gland and/or kidney failed on me that I had to come to terms with.

It was a hug from my oldest adopted daughter and her two boys that made the decision for me.

I want quality of life versus quantity of life, to be sure. But I realized I could have both. If some organs had to start coming out in order for me to have a few more years to see the grandsons grow up and for me to have more time with my wife and the two girls we took in those years ago at different times, then so be it.

You have a lot going for you, Keith. A helluva lot. It's no easy thing saying, "Yeah, let's whack off my foot at 'x' point and move on." But would you do it, say, if there was some very strange genetic quirk that if you DIDN'T rid yourself of the problem limb, it would seriously and adversely affect your wife or grandkids?

Well, if it continues to go rogue on you and spreads or gets gangrenous before you can catch it, your demise will damn sure adversely affect those you love the most and who love you back.

Not trying to lecture you, my friend, not at all. But I know from very recent firsthand experience that a hospital bed is an inordinately difficult place to make a rational decision. You're one of the people here whose friendship and respect I cherish the most, and in return, I owe you my honest assessment and thoughts.

In the meantime, do know that I continue to pray for you.

:coffee:

[MtGun44]

Keith,

Best wishes and a prayer for you. Very difficult decision to make. +1 on the 2nd and 3rd opinions when
it is this big of a deal. I have a friend that lost his leg about 6" above the ankle as a 8 yr old (train) and
he has a very slight limp, that nobody that doesn't already know is aware of . I have fixed his prosthesis
a few times when it broke and he couldn't get to the shop, so know the deal a bit.

Good luck, think clearly and do what is best for you.

Bill

[theperfessor]

Recluse, thanks for the honest words my friend. Tough decision you had to make, and your perspective is appreciated. Got a couple other docs I need to do a consult with, and I'm still at the data-gathering phase. Other than bad left foot I am fundamentally sound i.e. no heart, lung, or other issues. My diabetes is fairly well controlled even under current conditions.

Unless circumstances force a faster resolution, I will be 60 in late January and so I plan to see how much I've healed in a month. If I'm not making significant progress in a month the decision will be a lot easier to make.

I can face loosing foot at ankle w/o a lot of angst if that is best thing to do. Will be a lot harder telling parents. Lost my (older) sis to ALS in '98 so I am now only child. Mom (93) and pop (90) are still alive and quite lucid. (note: they met in WWII and are both Marine vets, possibly the last two married Marines from that conflict.) As an "only" they are both quite protective of me and it will take a lot of 'splaining to calm them down but they are survivors and will eventually deal with it.

I have the time to make the best decision, and once made I have the psychological strength to live with that decision. My wife and son will support my decision.

Recluse, glad to hear from you and glad to know you are doing well. Keep getting better, your friendship and respect is highly regarded.

ETA: Bill, your opinions are also highly regarded as they are based on intelligent analysis and darned good common sense.

[smokeywolf]

Keith, thanks for the story about your folks. I would pay money to spend an afternoon on a porch with a gallon of cold lemonade listening to them speak of what they saw and what they experienced during the 30s, 40s and 50s.

My dad's folks met during WW I. He an Army doctor and she an Army nurse. My dad and mom met during WW II at a church sponsored dance. When my mom saw my dad, she leaned over to her sister, pointed toward my father and whispered, "I'm going to marry him". Three weeks later, as they strolled up the walkway to my mother's front porch, my father said to my mother, "So, when are we getting married?". They were married 51 years when my father passed away.

I'm very glad to hear that you have days or even weeks to make this decision, rather than just hours.
Not having first hand knowledge of your medical history, test results, examination findings and other factors, I won't opine on your choices. I will just reiterate what I said in post #51, "I hope your research and contemplation results in a decision that gives you not just what you need [medically], but also what you want."

smokeywolf

[RED333]

My prays and Gods speed to you Bro.

[Windyvista]

An extremely hard position to be in and my prayers go out to you and your family that it will work out for the best in the end. Have a great Christmas and New Years.

[Beau Cassidy]

Being 60 with diabetes, compromised circulation, and a recurrent ulcer- take the leg off and live your life normally. The chances of healing the current ulcer are very low and forming another ulcer even higher. You will smoke your kidneys from all of the antibiotics you will be getting if treated nonoperatively. Remember- you have to get blood to an area to get it to heal. You are looking at multiple surgeries to debried the ulcers. The time off from work for surgeries, recovery, and wound treatment will be substantial. Do yourself a favor and have a below the knee amputation. It just may add a few years to your life. And yes- I do this for a living.

I wish you the best and know you will make an educated decision.

[scarry scarney]

Keith

I wish you all the strength to make the right decision. I admit, I am not in the same circumstances as you. I am a two time Cancer Survivor, three DVT blood clots (twice in the leg, once in the neck), and one heart "incident" (three blockages). As far as the cancer, first time was 14 years ago, second time was March 2012, stage IV lymphoma. I ended up doing clinical trials, still have complication, but I am still around and not going to let it win.

A couple of years ago, I met Sammy L. Davis, SFC, US Army (Ret), MOH. He told me that you only loose when you quit trying. For me, life is more than a foot, or a leg. With the two blood clots, I had already decided that I would happily have my leg removed, to go on with life.

As a cancer patient at Stanford Clinical trials, they give you this poem....

One Day At a Time
by Vinh Kha

Hour by hour, day by day
For some of us, life passes by too quickly
Not stopping to appreciate the small joys that each day can bring
For others, the next morning may seem like and eternity before its final arrival
As I sit and ponder about the value and meaning of my life
Each minute approaches slowly but surely
Then passes with the blink of an eye
I wait and wait each day as patience is no longer a virtue
But has become a part of my daily routine
Time allows for thought, thoughts that had never before occurred
It allows for the mind to open up all that is bottled down deep within
It has made me recognize the strength and character in me that I never realized was there
I begin to reassure myself that better days are yet to come I keep telling myself to continue believing in my dreams
And I know that they will someday come true
To trust that my goals can somehow be achieved
And that I should never doubt the obstacles that life puts me through
It’s possible that everyone has a destiny pre-determined at the moment of conception
That life’s path may already be laid out for us by One far more Superior than we
And it may be that the toughest challenges in life are given to those who are strong enough to handle them
Perhaps this path of doubt and uncertainties that I’ve been chosen for is my challenge in life
That will help me to become the person of strength and courage that I someday hope to be
Tears that once fell from my eyes, which saw the future filled with only hopelessness and despair
No longer fall, for now my eyes are dry and wide open
They will see nothing but happiness and joy that the future will bring
Positive are my thoughts no longer filled with doubt
Weak and battered is my body but strong and determined is my mind
Precious and valued are those daily moments that used to seem overly abundant and unimportant
The closeness of family and friends is now treasured far more that ever before
So with the slow passing of each and every day
I wait for my body to become strong again as it once was
But more importantly, I hope that my body will someday be as powerful as my mind has already become
And so I wait, patiently, taking on all obstacles and challenges that may cross my path
As I take each moment of my life one day at a time
Living it-hour by hour, day by day

May you be as strong as your mind.
SCarney, out

[Blacksmith]

Kieth,

You are approaching this the sensible way, you have the time so gather the information get the best opinions you can and then weigh the outcomes against your personal scale. No one can make a decision like this for you.

If it comes down as a close call one thing to factor in. Often a major operation goes better when it can be prepared for in advance. Things can be scheduled, the best doctors arranged for to be in attendance, and you can tie up loose ends in your life to make sure the bills will be paid and cats fed. Knowing everything will be taken care of causes a lot less worrying which speeds recovery. I believe sometimes when things have to be done on a emergency basis or even just hurried along the added stress of worrying about the little things adds a greater burden which interferes with healing.

Prayers your way.

John "Blacksmith"

[theperfessor]

Home now. Talked to vascular surgeon again yesterday morning as he dressed wound. He said amputation would be about 6-8" above ankle, need enough skin to make wrap around bone. Operation typically takes about two hours, four-five days in hospital, then some time in rehab facility. Three months later I would be fitted with prosthesis and I could begin living a mostly normal life. Damned attractive option!

I'm already thinking of fun things I could do with an artificial foot.

Beau, I really, really appreciate your input. Right now the antibiotics I'm taking are tearing up my guts. Taking probiotics pills and eating lots of active culture yogurt. To get away from that would be almost worth it.

Scarry, thanks for sharing.

Blacksmith, your point is well taken. I've got enough friends here to help me make it through and if planned for it could go quite smoothly.

I do not fear a foot amputation. Fear is the little death, fear is the mind killer, fear is what keeps us from achieving and succeeding. Fear is what makes us grovel in the dirt instead of reaching for the stars. I will not fear, I will not run, I will not hide.

I WILL ENDURE.

[nicholst55]

Prayers sent. Do your due diligence research, make your decision, and move forward.

[462]

Keith,
With that attitude, sir, you WILL endure.

Merry Christmas!

[RED333]

I WILL ENDURE.

For this I am sure

[DLCTEX]

Prayers have been sent for you Keith. May God bless you!

[DIRT Farmer]

Kieth, I live 30+ miles from you and get to the E-ville on occasion. Send a PM if you need something and I will get my phone # to you. I was an EMT and medic in the E-ville sestem for more than 30 years so I still may remember my way around.

[Lance Boyle]

Well I hope you get better and are feeling well for the holiday.

[theperfessor]

Thanks for all the good wishes here at the holidays. I'm doing quite well right now no pain etc. Son and daughter-in-law are here, we just had breakfast and now will open presents. Thanks for all the offers of assistance, help and so forth - it is much appreciated. Happy holidays to all my friends at castboolits.

[smokeywolf]

Good to hear that you're having a good day and a merry Christmas.

We've done our present opening and have settled down to a little brunch while boys play the video games. Our most conservative or understated Christmas to date. Mom is munching tri-tip that I smoked the other night and baking a strawberry shortcake cake. She'll make candied yams later while I dress up and heat the ham that we procured from Costco.

A little windy and about 80 degrees here, roughly along the L.A. - Ventura County line.

smokeywolf

[gbrown]

I watched my best friend go through the same back in 1999-2000. Kept putting it off. Infections kept re-occuring and got worse, until he had gangrene--then, a longer stay in the hospital and amputation. All I can say is to follow your own beliefs and what the doctors tell you. Take the best option and go with it. My friend never followed the doctors' orders, died in 2009 of complications of diabetes because he never lived the right lifestyle. He was a really smart person and knew tons about shooting/reloading/casting--thought he could outsmart diabetes and his body. He couldn't.

[Goatwhiskers]

Still praying for ya, Keith. The best is yet to come. And Recluse, I don't want to even THINK about a reality show of "bedpan wars" starring you and the perfessor. Worse than Duck Dynasty. GW

[kenyerian]

Get well soon!!

[tward]

Keith, hope your Christmas was merry and that whatever your decision you come out ok. God bless, you are in my. Prayers. Tim

[nicholst55]

Keith, FWIW, my son, a rehab doc, says that your vascular surgeon is spot-on in his recommendation. Still praying for you, and hope things turn out for the best.

[LeftyDon]

Good luck with the infection. Hope they get your infection under control. I just got out of the hospital just before Christmas myself. Went in on 12-4 for a knee replacement and ended up with a cellulitus infection in that leg. So I'm home, but with a picc line and daily infusions of antibiotics. Got 3 more weeks of that, but better than remaining in the hospital over Christmas. So do take care and whatever you decide to do with the foot, I pray for your speedy recovery.