I was admitted to The Recovery Inn on October 27th. I was allowed to go home on December 6th. During that period I experienced the finest care one could hope for. The professional staff of nurses and assitents were outstanding. The food, from a varied menu, was excellent. The rehab treatments from both physical and occupational therapy were rigorous but helpful. In other words, if you need to go to rehab post operation, this is the place you want to end up.
It was pure luck I got admitted. On the day I was to be released from the hospital there happened to be an opening at The Recovery Inn. This facility services a group of orthopedic doctors who own the hospital and the rehab unit. Many of their patients are replacement knee and hip procedures. Normally patients are in rehab for about three days.
With only twelve rooms in the rehab unit, their census goes up and down at a rapid pace. At one point, for one night only, I was the only patient in the facility. I got to know almost everyone who worked there. I tried everything on the menu at least once.
The reason I stayed so long is we were fighting a form of staph infection that had expressed itself as extreme swelling in my lower left leg. How I got it will remain an unsolved mystery, but it requires pretty drastic treatment.
First, the knee replacement in my left knee had to be removed and "Spacer" had to be put in its place. My knee was sutured and a brace was strapped on to protect my knee.
Second, when I got to rehab they began twice-daily intervenes treatment of an antibiotic. My port for this treatment is called a PICC line, which went directly into my heart. After one week my white cell count dropped radically so they changed the antibioitc and administered the drug four-times a day six hours apart. (4 pm, 10 pm, 4 am, and 10 am). I was made aware that often slept through the 4 am dose.
These treatments require a trained nurse to administer. This main reason I couldn't rehab at home. On the 5th of December, they strategically stopped this treatment and I was okayed to go home. The staph was not showing up in my blood work, but that doesn't mean it's not hiding. By stopping the antibiotic treatments and allowing my body to normalize, we'll find out if it's really gone.
I will follow up with my surgeon on the twentieth of December 20th. If things work out, he can schedule surgery to take out the spacer and replace my knee. I'm hoping to be well on my way to recovery by mid-January. I feel very fortunate. The downside to not catching this was the loss of limb and possibly death.
Side benefit: I got my buddies in The Expansion Band to come to the facility and play. We were a hit and have an open invitation to play there anytime we wish
It was pure luck I got admitted. On the day I was to be released from the hospital there happened to be an opening at The Recovery Inn. This facility services a group of orthopedic doctors who own the hospital and the rehab unit. Many of their patients are replacement knee and hip procedures. Normally patients are in rehab for about three days.
With only twelve rooms in the rehab unit, their census goes up and down at a rapid pace. At one point, for one night only, I was the only patient in the facility. I got to know almost everyone who worked there. I tried everything on the menu at least once.
The reason I stayed so long is we were fighting a form of staph infection that had expressed itself as extreme swelling in my lower left leg. How I got it will remain an unsolved mystery, but it requires pretty drastic treatment.
First, the knee replacement in my left knee had to be removed and "Spacer" had to be put in its place. My knee was sutured and a brace was strapped on to protect my knee.
Second, when I got to rehab they began twice-daily intervenes treatment of an antibiotic. My port for this treatment is called a PICC line, which went directly into my heart. After one week my white cell count dropped radically so they changed the antibioitc and administered the drug four-times a day six hours apart. (4 pm, 10 pm, 4 am, and 10 am). I was made aware that often slept through the 4 am dose.
These treatments require a trained nurse to administer. This main reason I couldn't rehab at home. On the 5th of December, they strategically stopped this treatment and I was okayed to go home. The staph was not showing up in my blood work, but that doesn't mean it's not hiding. By stopping the antibiotic treatments and allowing my body to normalize, we'll find out if it's really gone.
I will follow up with my surgeon on the twentieth of December 20th. If things work out, he can schedule surgery to take out the spacer and replace my knee. I'm hoping to be well on my way to recovery by mid-January. I feel very fortunate. The downside to not catching this was the loss of limb and possibly death.
Side benefit: I got my buddies in The Expansion Band to come to the facility and play. We were a hit and have an open invitation to play there anytime we wish
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