Saturday, November 15, 2014

Progress on Howie's Leg

Dear Lord, after three and a half years, 15 surgeries, and trying numerous treatments, I think Howie's leg is almost healed!!!!

Back in March (2014) he had a surgery (his 14th) and they tried a new cell growth treatment, A-cell. He had some deep tunneling in his wound that simply would not heal. We were ready to find something new that would work. First they put a porcine sheet in the tunnel and they loaded it up with the A-cell powder. The tunneling was about 7 inches deep and the A-cell managed to grow new cells in about half of the tunneling. But after a few months it just wasn't working anymore.

Flash forward to Oct 2014, we all decided he needs another surgery, the tunneling is just not gonna close. So they went in, cut him back open, debrided it, then put down another porcine sheet, sewed the sheet to his leg and then covered it with the A-cell powder. They put in a drain and then stitched his leg closed. Here are some pics, one wth the drain in and one with the drain out.



I am amazed at how good it looks! Next Monday they will take out half of the stitches and

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Where was I in 2011?

WOW, 2011 was a BAD year....


2011 was the worst years of our lives. Howard contracted MRSA which led to necrotising faciitis (the "flesh-eating" disease). He was in the hospital for 6 weeks, 4 surgeries (died once), 6 weeks in nursing home, 6 weeks of home health care, lost his job and our insurance, and I had to nurse him back to health. And let me say upfront, I am not a nurse and will never be a nurse. It was agonizing for me to have to take care of his open wounds while he tried to heal up! I don't know how Dr's and nurses do it, Bless them all!

This is what we originally started with. He was cut from about 4 inches above his knee to the top of his thigh and then around on his hip. Approximately 24 inches long in total and it was open a good 10 to 12 inches across. Very overwhelming to have to look at every day for a person who can't stand to see blood!




They had to go in four times and debride the infection off of it and remove a good bit of tissue and muscle. During the 4th operation his blood pressure bottomed out and he passed a clot to his lung and he died on them. Thank GOD, and I did alot of thanking GOD, they got him back and he spent 4 days in ICU. When I went in the ICU to see him, they had 5 of those IV hangers, each with 4 IV's on them all around his bed. I didn't know one person could have so many IV's at one time. They had him on blood thinner for the clot, and a wound vac on his leg, and the wound vac started pumping out his blood, so he ended up getting 16 bags of blood. He was on a respirator and had a feeding tube. It was all vey intense. I went home every night and cryed myself to sleep. The surgery was on a Monday, and then on Thursday I went in and he was sitting up, all his tubes were out and they were ready to take him out to a regular room. He was feeling all better, of course he was on a dilaudin drip for 6 weeks, so he was felling no pain and doesn't remember a thing about any of his hospital stay. Aww, the wonders of modern medicine!

Here are some more pics on the progression of healing. Well, only one pic. I have more on my camera disc, but they don't seem to want to download to my computer right now.


On Monday, March 5, Howie had some more surgey to close up his leg finally. I am so glad not to have to clean out that wound anymore. Right now it has a couple of drains in it that I have to empty every day, but it is so much easier to take care of. He has some awful scars and will have another awful scar when the top is done healing. Good news is he lost 100 or so pounds! Originally, they removed a big chunk of this thigh and butt muscles, so he has some mobitily problems. He is not very good with steps, and is a little unstable at times. He has to use a cane to keep his balance and is not good with carrying things, or maybe that is just an excuse to keep from carrying in the groceries! lol

Anyway, that is what I have been doing the past year. High stress and not good for my Fibro, depression or diabetes. I am just worthless for doing anything but the necessities. I am just exhausted. Howie is finally on disability retirement with OPERS. We were four months with NO income between his job ending and his disability starting. It was horrible!! By the time we pay his medical insurance out of his monthly $1219 we receive $735 to live on for the month. And I have no income. Social Security denied me for the second time while Howie was in the hospital and I just didn't have the strength to find a lawyer at that time. I need to get back on it though. I just don't see how they can find me not disabled. Really, I can not work a real job! I can not stand for more than a couple minutes and can not walk for any distance without having to sit and rest. Oh well, more on that later.

Just wanted to let everyone know what I have been up to and why I have neglected my blog for so long. Later...

Patti

Sunday, May 1, 2011

Happy Birthday Shelby!!!

Today was Shelby's 5th Birthday Party. It was at a local church that has a big play area like at McDonalds. She had kids from her preschool there and they all had a ball in the play room. We had cupcakes and ice cream. I had yummy chocolate, of course! Shelby got lots of cute presents. I took lots of pictures, but my camera is out in the glove compartment of the car. I will try to show some of them tomorrow.

Gotta run for now.
Love Ya
Patti

Monday, April 25, 2011

long time coming...

My goodness, it has been almost a year since I have blogged anything. I have not worked now for almost 4 years. Can't stand on my own for more than 2 to 5 minutes. Fibromyalgia has been killing me! Had to miss Easter because I did too much walking buying groceries and running errands Saturday. And I am still hurting very bad today from it!! It's like when you go drinking and take a couple days to recover after a big binge. At least you can quit drinking, I can't just quit living! Groceries and the DR's are the only places I get to go now.

I have been so depressed lately just thinking about all the things I have had to give up, esp now that it is spring. I can't garden or work in the yard, no planting flowers, no going to yardsales or flea markets, no festivals or fairs, no amusement parks or zoos, no Red's games or Bengals football, no fireworks (esp Labor Day in Cincy), no vacations, no more casino or boat, no more concerts, no more scrapping in Cincy with my peeps, no more shopping for clothes or just going to the Mall. How depressing is that??? I only get to go get groceries once every 2 weeks, and to Dr's appointments! Whoo Hoo, I say sarcastically!

Anyway, I am trying to find a way to make a little money, so I have my own money. I tried to sell on e-Bay, but shipping prices had went sky high and I hadn't realized it, so most of the things I sold at the beginning of the year I didn't make any money on. It all went to shipping! DUH!!! And having to haul things to the PO just about killed me, and there is always a line in there! Not Fibro friendly!

I am hoping to have a craft booth at the downtown farmers market this summer. I just need to find someone to help me set-up and tear down every Saturday. That would kill me doing it by myserlf.  I bought a nice canopy that says one person could put up, but it didn't say one "disabled" person! Maybe I can bribe Cortney with money to come and help me, but she would have to give up Friday night with her friends!

Well, I'm tired and hurting, so I think I am going to take my meds and hit the bed. I need to make some things this week for the farmers market. Hopefully when I wake up tomorrow I won't be in so much pain.

Love you all,
Patti

Monday, July 5, 2010

Pretty Pink Posh Giveaway!!!

Paulina over at Pretty Pink Posh is having a give away for 5 EK Success border punches.
Hurry on over as her giveaway is over  July 13th!!!



Here is what is included in this giveaway:

Jewel Edger Punch

Deco Scallop Edger Punch

Diamond Lace Edger Punch

Bracket Edger Punch

Argyle Edger Punch

Great Summer Giveaway!!!

Scrapping Mommy is having  a great summer giveaway to two lucky people! She has two Cricut Home Decor cartridges she is giving away. To find out the details just mosy on over to her blog and find out what to do to get qualified! Giveaway ends July 19th!

http://www.scrappingmommy.com/2010/06/it-is-that-time-again-summer-giveaway.html