Another 5-day visit to hospital!

Pam5
Pam5 Member Posts: 232
in Breast Cancer #1
Last weekend I woke up with a fever and my chest had turned red and purple around a burn
I received during the first surgery. Nobody knew how I got the burn in the middle of my

A week ago yesterday, I woke up with a fever and saw that my chest was becoming red and purple - particularly around a burn I had received during my first surgery right in the middle of my chest. I had asked all the residents and the nurses how they thought I got burned on my chest but no one knew or would cop to doing it and now it was infected - cellulitis. I called the on-call doc and he told me he thought I had to go on IV antibiotics. 9 hours in the ER and four more days in the hospital. Finally they decided to send me home with cepro (oral antibiotic). I took two doses of the cepro and broke out into a rash. I've never been allergic to an antibiotic but I guess my body had had enough. The doc just said stop taking them. The next morning I woke up with blood all over my shirt and sleeve. About 1 1/4 inches of my surgical site had opened
up and was leaking all over me. I called the doc and he gave me the option of putting a bandage on it and seeing him Monday morning (this was this past Saturday morning), or going
back to the ER. Really??? I decided on the first option. Fortunately we have a very good friend who is an OR nurse. She put me back together and sent me on my way. I saw the doc this morning at 9 and he thought it looked good. He told me that he thought the cellulitis caused the tissue to weaken - hence the split. Seriously??? I didn't cause the cellulitis in the first place - they did by burning me in the operating room. Sometimes I get so frustrated by the measures they go to for CYA. (sigh) The good news is that I'm home, feeling pretty ok, and looking forward to healing completely so I can play in the garden, spend Easter with Andie, my children and grandchildren and enjoy this beautiful spring. Actually I really am a lucky girl.

Hugs to all
Pam

Comments

  • Gabe N Abby Mom
    Gabe N Abby Mom Member Posts: 2,413
    #2
    Wow! Glad to hear you got
    Wow! Glad to hear you got through all that. I hope the healing continues, and time with family in the garden sounds like a good way to speed that along.

    Hugs,

    Linda
  • survivorbc09
    survivorbc09 Member Posts: 4,374 Member
    #3
    Gabe N Abby Mom said:

    Wow! Glad to hear you got
    Wow! Glad to hear you got through all that. I hope the healing continues, and time with family in the garden sounds like a good way to speed that along.

    Hugs,

    Linda

    So sorry Pam. Very glad
    So sorry Pam. Very glad you're home now and wishing you a Happy Easter with your family.


    Hugs, Jan
  • jessiesmom1
    jessiesmom1 Member Posts: 915 Member
    #4
    Lucky Girl
    I think it is amazing that after all you went through that you can say, "Actually I really am a lucky girl." What an awesome attitude. I applaud you. I hope that the rest of your recovery goes more smoothly. I am sure Andie was right there with you all the way.

    IRENE
  • laughs_a_lot
    laughs_a_lot Member Posts: 1,368 Member
    #5
    Wow
    What an ordeal
  • disneyfan2008
    disneyfan2008 Member Posts: 6,583 Member
    #6
    sorry going through all
    sorry going through all this...kills me what seems like emergency or panic state of mind for us...Drs say .."see you in few days" when we have no clue how serious.

    HAPPY you had a friend to help you...

    take care....

    Denise
  • DebbyM
    DebbyM Member Posts: 3,289 Member
    #7
    jessiesmom1 said:

    Lucky Girl
    I think it is amazing that after all you went through that you can say, "Actually I really am a lucky girl." What an awesome attitude. I applaud you. I hope that the rest of your recovery goes more smoothly. I am sure Andie was right there with you all the way.

    IRENE

    Not a good way to spend 5
    Not a good way to spend 5 days Pam. Praying that you will heal well now and that this will never happen again.


    Have a nice Easter,


    Debby
  • Double Whammy
    Double Whammy Member Posts: 2,832 Member
    #8
    disneyfan2008 said:

    sorry going through all
    sorry going through all this...kills me what seems like emergency or panic state of mind for us...Drs say .."see you in few days" when we have no clue how serious.

    HAPPY you had a friend to help you...

    take care....

    Denise

    OMG! That sounds horrible
    and frightening. So sorry all this happened.

    I'm beginning to wonder just what is it that oncologists and surgeons do? Seems like the don't do weekends, evenings, or consider glitches as part of their jobs! Just don't have a problem on a weekend, or anytime not during office hours! I can't tell you how many times I had SE (minor, especially compared to yours) that I felt totally dismissed. Then they'd be so caring and sweet when my routine visit would come around.

    I learned to call my PCP. She would (and will) always see me (except for the weekend thing, of course) and at least make me feel like I mattered.

    It seems the oncologists know things will often get better or if they don't, they'll just fix them whenever . . .

    Happy Easter. So glad this is behind you. Or at least I hope it is.

    Suzanne
  • grams2jc
    grams2jc Member Posts: 756
    #9
    What an ordeal!
    Glad you are on the mend. Praying it continues, nobody should have to deal with extra set backs, we have enough of those on our own!

    Good luck,

    Jennifer
  • VickiSam
    VickiSam Member Posts: 9,079 Member
    #10
    grams2jc said:

    What an ordeal!
    Glad you are on the mend. Praying it continues, nobody should have to deal with extra set backs, we have enough of those on our own!

    Good luck,

    Jennifer

    Pam ... I am so very sorry --
    What a challenging time for you, dear Sister. Andie and your family must be
    besides themselves!

    I pray that our Lord keeps his hands on you and provides healing powers - 10 folds.

    Gentle hugs, dear Pam.

    Vicki Sam
  • Pam5
    Pam5 Member Posts: 232
    #11
    VickiSam said:

    Pam ... I am so very sorry --
    What a challenging time for you, dear Sister. Andie and your family must be
    besides themselves!

    I pray that our Lord keeps his hands on you and provides healing powers - 10 folds.

    Gentle hugs, dear Pam.

    Vicki Sam

    Lucky
    Like I said - I am so lucky to have all you wonderful, supportive sisters who understand when these things happen like nobody else does. Thank you all for listening and responding with so much love.

    I wish you all a Happy and Blessed Easter,
    and to our Jewish sisters, a Happy Passover.

    Love,
    Pam
  • Alexis F
    Alexis F Member Posts: 3,598
    #12
    Double Whammy said:

    OMG! That sounds horrible
    and frightening. So sorry all this happened.

    I'm beginning to wonder just what is it that oncologists and surgeons do? Seems like the don't do weekends, evenings, or consider glitches as part of their jobs! Just don't have a problem on a weekend, or anytime not during office hours! I can't tell you how many times I had SE (minor, especially compared to yours) that I felt totally dismissed. Then they'd be so caring and sweet when my routine visit would come around.

    I learned to call my PCP. She would (and will) always see me (except for the weekend thing, of course) and at least make me feel like I mattered.

    It seems the oncologists know things will often get better or if they don't, they'll just fix them whenever . . .

    Happy Easter. So glad this is behind you. Or at least I hope it is.

    Suzanne

    Hopefully you will be a lot
    Hopefully you will be a lot better soon Pam.


    Hugs and happy Easter,

    Lex
  • AngieD
    AngieD Member Posts: 493
    #13
    Pam5 said:

    Lucky
    Like I said - I am so lucky to have all you wonderful, supportive sisters who understand when these things happen like nobody else does. Thank you all for listening and responding with so much love.

    I wish you all a Happy and Blessed Easter,
    and to our Jewish sisters, a Happy Passover.

    Love,
    Pam

    Wow! Pam, you were much
    Wow! Pam, you were much braver than I would have been. I've only been at this since Jan, and I would have chosen the ER rather than waiting from Sat to Mon. Blood pouring would have done it for me!
    I'm glad it all turned out OK and you're feeling lucky. Enjoy Easter, your family, and hopefully lovely gardening weather!
    Angie
  • jnl
    jnl Member Posts: 3,869 Member
    #14
    Pam5 said:

    Lucky
    Like I said - I am so lucky to have all you wonderful, supportive sisters who understand when these things happen like nobody else does. Thank you all for listening and responding with so much love.

    I wish you all a Happy and Blessed Easter,
    and to our Jewish sisters, a Happy Passover.

    Love,
    Pam

    That sounds awful Pam!
    That sounds awful Pam! Sending you lots of Easter hugs!


    Love, Leeza
  • New Flower
    New Flower Member Posts: 4,294
    #15
    jnl said:

    That sounds awful Pam!
    That sounds awful Pam! Sending you lots of Easter hugs!


    Love, Leeza

    Pam I am very sorry
    Wishing you speedy recovery and easy healing.
    Sending positive thoughts
    New Flower
  • SIROD
    SIROD Member Posts: 2,194 Member
    #16
    Cellulitis
    Hi Pam,

    I hope you are now on the road to recovery. Cellulitis is not any fun. I had four bouts of cellulitis in my arm.

    It is an awful experience and you were lucky that you had a great friend who was a nurse and could help.
    There isn't anything worse than having some doctor not take you seriously when one has a very serious infection.

    To better days....

    Doris

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