INSOMNIACS place to talk in the wee hours
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Oh, trust me, Sassie, I do so appreciate your OCD! It's helped me several times before. I think my whatever it was will have to remain a/an FUO, as I'm now safely home with my kitties. The hospital (system) is hardworking and workmanlike, but hardly sophisticated I never knew what caused the erysipelas two years ago, and I'll never know what caused this, only that I should probably brace myself for bouts of "whatever it is" itis and periodic FUOs.
And that I should probably bring extravagant gifts for the nurses, as I tend to chew scenery when I feel particularly crap. Anyone who gets in the way gets shredded. Any hints there? (All I can think of, that can be enjoyed by most everyone, is a fruit basket. But there must be something else.)
They did do the bloodwork you mention, doing a blood draw every day I was there, but those were inconclusive. Searching for the culprit skin break would be hopeless, as I'm accident-prone, depending on how distant the causative skin break can be from the first weals and sodden inflamed patches (sorry, not sure of the technical term for that.) For this episode, I had an abraded point on my achilles tendon from a rubbing shoe, a cut on my foot (bad) of some standing, rose scratch on my ankle, and razor cut on my thigh....and that's just on the right leg.
All I'm sure of is that the staff was quite aware of the blister: it was about half the size of my mouse this morning. You couldn't miss it. Well, until I clopped it with my (other) ankle and the thing burst
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Ewwwwwwww Queenie! You KNOW a certain sass talking nurse is gonna want you to post photos and detailed descriptions! 😨
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The right leg injuries are enough.
I have large toe nails that embed on the inner and outer edges. The key is to lift them w a qtip or something firm yet clean. This worked for the last year. Spring 2016 I had a terrible infection in the right large toe for over a month and of course, like you Queenie, every thing I did would BOP THAT TOE. I was in the garden one day barefoot, sitting on a cooler to prune tomatoes and the hand pruner slipped, fell on the end of my toe and I yelled so loud it echoed down the ridge an across the farm fields. I thought someone would come to see if a tree fell on me. Hubby was not home and no one did. So that tells me something about what I can expect if I am screaming for help up here. Nearest neighbors are 1/4 mi away as the crows fly.
Anyway, one year doing all right w the tor nail cutting. And yesterday morning I cut my toe nails, straight across was the goal. But that one when I snipped cracked so the edge of the nail down into the skin and cuticle was now divided from the rest of the nail. Had to pry it out owwwww and twist it off owwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww like a kid's loose tooth. And now I await an infection though doing what I can to avoid one.
I remember Parker Stevenson.
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Oh Queenie " All I'm sure of is that the staff was quite aware of the blister: it was about half the size of my mouse this morning. You couldn't miss it. Well, until I clopped it with my (other) ankle and the thing burst"
Being aware and thinking it has consequence, are two independent thoughts. The two thoughts can have GREAT relationship. That's where critical thinking comes in. The way to have ruled it out is lancing and culturing. BUT oh well.
Fever always indicates the central response to "something". The fever mechanism is in the medulla. We have this amazing 'thing' in our brain that can analyze by signals/chemicals from so many different areas of the body that are protective of the organism. The organism is US.
Chills and feelings of unwellness with alternating fever is of a concern. Value for dx has to be based on other lab values
You described yours bodies response was fever, racing heart, and higher BP(not exact). That actually was a good response. But all things are relative. It's a continuum. The bodies response is so superlative. If you had described the other signs and racing heart and a low BP, I would have said OH F**K. that would have meant near septic shock. That's at the far end of the continuum. You obviously weren't near that. Just making a point that the picture of what's happening has to be built by all the info that is attainable at the time.
Boils & blisters harbor bugs. Isolating exudate(crud) coming from a draining wound is important. Gloves and wipes in a grocery bag that is tied up and thrown in trash. Hand washing after. Clorox clothes wash for anything that comes into contact with crud(exudate).
Some of our commensal bacteria(bugs that live on us) are Staphlococcus epidermis(Staph Epi)--all exposed areas of the skin. Staphylococcus Aureous(Staph Aureous)---all crooks of surfaces>>>ears, groin, armpits, under folds, anus, nose. Streptococcus is a variable. But we have many resident bugs and many visiting bugs. The key is to have a healthy microbiome.
Microbiome is the bugs that live in and on us and we are all happy to live together. When in harmony we live well, When in disharmony, we have illness. That's a simplistic statement, but it's the truth.
We have managed in the blink of an eye i.e since 1937 first Penicillen(sic) to take commensal bacteria and make superbugs by the mismanagement of antibiotics. Can't be undone. But management strategies are being developed to counter our mismanagement. It's the biggest break through science since Lister washed his hands in the 1870's
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Queenie so many "goodies in your post". Dear husband was in a hospital down south. It was a day before I could get there. I took a box of chocolates for each shift. He couldn't believe attitude change for requests. Shouldn't be, but appreciation works. Yes, it was a bribe...but living 40 years where nurses are yelled at from above(administration) and below (patient, family, friends). It's a token----------chocolate heals all wounds of yelling(facetious, but almost true) Wait what am I saying ---It's true
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Queenie, This thread isn't mine, but I did a lot of work on it. It fell into disuse. I started storing things on it.
In the initial phase on page one, SHE stated that my descriptions on wound care were better than the WHO manual. That was fun. But retrospectively, I didn't have to do it by committee let alone world committee.,
https://community.breastcancer.org/forum/44/topics/754935?page=1
Continuing thought next post
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Whooheee, I was working on Queenie's post and several came in between. No wonder I miss posts, apparently I never look back far enough.
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It has happened to me a few times too. And I am glad you didn't ask Queenie for photos. But I guess it's nothing I haven't seen. Microbiology and Infectious Disease were my favorites. Love the spiky glass jar, but can you imagine dusting it?
Queenie, darn! Stress is no friend to the immune system. Should I send you some anti-septic solutions to bathe in? Can't believe you were trying to do your homework while hooked up to IVs. Glad to hear you are home with the kitties.
Eeyore, how are you doing? Back home? Don't blame you for not being able to resist the tropical fruits. It's the season.
BlueB, wonder if half an onion in bowl of water next to the night stand would help with the Lupus cough. Mixed emotions....so confusing. Hope now that there is great distance between you and DD you both will be closer than before. Is she your only child?
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Shep, what did I do to deserve that merman?
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Just a'cuz I love ya 😇
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Forgiven.
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I went on a 9 mile hike yesterday with approximately 1300 ft elevation gain to Round Top and Winnemucca Lake. I should have taken the aspirin a few days prior. Boy oh boy I was huffing and puffing at several uphill spots. Told the folks who were hiking near me to stop hogging all the oxygen. Also, I asked them to remind me why the self inflicted pain...this is why
It snowed the night before. Lucky us. First time hiking in fresh snow. Good thing I checked the weather and dressed accordingly, but managed to forget my mittens. My bony fingers were frozen.
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The guy in shorts is from Colorado. The weather is probably early summer for him.
This is Anna originally from Austria. She is only 73 years young! Love chatting with her. She has the cutest accent.
Saw a few backpackers and skiers/snowboarders. No ski lifts in the area. If you look closely at the big patch of snow, you will see the freshies zig zag made by the backcountry skiers/snowboarders.
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Loverly ~ Is Anna the same dear lady that was able to out hike y'all last time? Walking with good company and enjoying nature is an enjoyable thing to do.......in a place without SNOW! Or ICE!
I much prefer the beach, sea?
See what I did there? 😅🤣😛
I am so clever!
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You know I luv you too so youcan have him back!
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So funny.................Hehaw
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Mari, thought I posted a response to you regarding your almost accident. Nearly T-boned......that is enough tension to cause spasm all over. I got T-bone about 18 years ago. Thank God the young man's speed wasn't greater than what it was. He realized he ran the red lights, but didn't stop in time. DH was driving. I was sitting behind him in the second row of our van next to DD who was in the car seat in the middle. My first reaction as soon as I saw the pick up truck coming towards us was to turn around and cover my DD ( as if I have enough cushion to shield her)
.That action probably did something by hips and lower back. Not the first time I got hit on the side. Hmmm wonder why I get paranoid at intersections or when people drive close to me.
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Loverly we can share our Merman!
Eck....jerks who run red lights. Vans are not particularly solid. Loverly you and your young family were very lucky. I used to have a bitchin' Camaro - special order 305HP with the Iroc package minus the silly "ground effects". Having that special order performance package with the factory T-Top saved my life way back when.... Guy blew the light and almost went through the car. Guess where I was sitting? Hint - I wasn't driving. Also would have been cut in half had I been wearing the safety belt.
Every part of me was sprained, strained....lots of soft tissue damage and a concussion. No broken bones, but alas, nothing was ever the same again. I had to give up my career as the trick shooter in the Ol' Wild West Show..............
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Good grief!!! I am glad you didn't wear the safety belt then. How long did it take for you to recover? Life in the fast lane. Yikes! You wild thing. I had to give up my career as a body double too.
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(must wash brain after seeing merman) Though I'm glad he's doing it.
Bluebird: I'd have yelled pretty loud under the circumstances myself, but yeah.....the lack of response might give me pause too.
Loverly: I understand the flinching at intersections.....how traumatic! As for doing homework while hooked up to an IV line, the homework served as a good distraction from the fact that I WAS hooked up to that [redacted] thing for eighteen hours out of the twenty-four.
Sas: I'll keep "chocolates for each shift" in mind (and remember that there may be a different set of people over the weekend than during the week.) Thank you for all your information and hard work for all of us (My blood pressure was 172/98, BTW)
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Loverly, yes I finally escaped the Hawaiian hospital after 2 1/2 days; with final tortures of drinking a cup of gastrografin then x-rayed every 10-15 minutes for 4 hours to ensure there is no obstruction in my intestines. Radiologist cleared me, sent me back to room, the hospitalist came by and agreed that I could be discharged, and turned off my D5 dextrose drip. One and one half hours later when an IV specialist came to check my IV port, it was clogged! Even when all discharge papers were done, I had to wait for the special med (I did get the name of the drug ) to be ordered from pharmacy to inject and wait for it to unclog the port before flushing with heparin.
Except one night each for birth and mastectomy, I have never stayed in hospital, this is some experience. Oh, I also learned so many new medical terms this time and I should receive a semester credit! The one I hate the most is NG tube, yuck 🤢! I am home now and working in the office has never been that sweet!
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Get well soon Queenmomcat
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Queenie, Chit, talkin stressed. 172/98 you were shooting adrenaline like crazy.
(This post is for everyone too and Bluebird.)
For you skin:If you go to the wound care or Pain and other things thread, look for the links related to dilute chlorine baths. There is a description. I found the 'recipe' when I had many months of problems in 2009. Or just google "dermatology and dilute bleach baths" (simpler)
The original research(2006) was in the Journal of Pediatrics in April 2009. It's a landmark study. The recipe can now be found on most dermatology web pages. The concentration of the bath is equivalent to a commercial pool. The kiddo's in the study had total body psoriasis. They had many secondary infections b/c of scratching. MRSA and worse. The baths were so successful they stopped the study early b/c the control kids needed help. It cleared my problem.
If you happen to read any articles soon after the studies publication, there was an out roar about putting kids in bleach baths. The authors in the study didn't state "bath concentration equivalent to a commercial pool". Since that was clarified the usage spread like wildfire to many web pages. Soaking length per recipe is 10 minutes, I do/did 20-30.
I do it before each surgery versus the Hibeclens
Another soaking that helps is Vinegar 2 cups in a bath. Good for what the above doesn't help. Plus, very nice for itching.
Another thing someone told me that is wonderful with itching. I itched for months after the chemo. Take some towels, wet them down with water, roll up, and put them in the freezer. Place the opened towel on the body part itching until the are unfrozen. Devine. No clue why it works. Totally forgot about this until it woke me up a couple of days ago.
Thanks for your thought about doing stuff, that was very sweet.
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Yes, thank you for all you do for the people here! I sent the tips for itchy skin to my SIL just now. Her daughter (16 yo) had the HPV along with the meningococcal vaccine 11 days ago and developed fever/achy joints/rash. Fever/aches are gone but not the rash. Poor child couldn't sleep last night. The doctors are really pushing for HPV vaccine in kids. Neither of my girls have the vaccine. I am glad it is not mandatory for them to go to school in our state. Not easing my foot off the ground.
Feline, has your daughter's pediatrician bugged you about it?
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Oh....hi Cling. Hope we....I meant Shepk didn't offend you with the silliness.
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Oh sure...... blame the cool chick riding a pony waving a gun around.......
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FeeingFeline: thanks for the well wishes. I am doing better; managed to make it to class yesterday and stayed for a few hours to study, then crumpled today.
Sas: huh, I'd forgotten about the (very very dilute!) bleach baths. I'll have to try that....once that [redacted] blister site's healed. Given how accident prone I am, it'll be useful to know. Adrenaline rush? no kidding! That's probably how I managed to get myself to the doctor's office, and then to the ER with a modicum of possessions (computer, book, soda)
Now off to catch up on my homework; not surprisingly the last week was pretty much a loss, academically. The one teacher I spoke to was fine with "Sorry I'm behind on my homework, I was in the hospital for four days, on an IV drip." (The other knew I was in hospital, because I'd emailed him to tell him I was going to the ER.
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Sas - the vinegar / water towels really helped me when I had poison ivy.
Comment on HPV - I used to write a blog Women's Fiction: Myths, Dense Observations and The Lies We've Been Told.
I wrote this in 2013, http://www.womens-fiction.com/lies/hpv-vaccine-ris...
Queen - After we were in a head on collision I have been very flinchy. And I stare at cars coming toward ours to be sure they stay in their lane. She was going so fast that our Yukon was split from underneath, what was in our center console was dropped out onto the road. She was in a small car, ran right under us and out to stop across the highway.
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Bluebird: I've been in a couple of accidents (slideoffs don't count in Michigan, or not much anyway) Nothing so dramatic as what you and others have posted here--a rollover, a t-boneing, a rear-end collision, and the first two wholly my fault--but even those comparatively mild accidents leave me twitchy about driving and other cars. Not enough to prevent me from driving, thank deity, but enough to have only respect and understanding for the reactions of those who've been in more desctructive accidents.
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