hospital stay - 3 weeks

[N3DRB The Derb]

well, I been gone. my left leg got a cell-you-itus infection and I came close to losing it below the knee. Glo snapped some really disgusting pix of it. my leg was black below the knee. massive doses of IV antibiotics saved it.

I'll post pix later. I am still getting IV bags but the home health nurse is going to be stopping by to give them to me. At least another week to go. 

[W1DAN]

Mr. Derb:

3 weeks is a long time, but the better news is that you saved your leg!!!!

I am glad you are doing better and can now use your leg to kick butt. We need people like you on this board and ON THE AIR!

Take care,

Dan
W1DAN

[AF9J]

Hi Tim,

That's no fun. Encellulitis is nasty stuff.  I know somebody who got it.  I'm glad to hear you're getting better.

73,
Ellen - AF9J

[The Slab Bacon]

Man, when it rains it pours!! I wuz kinda wonderin where you've been.

 get well and get strong!!  I'll give you a call on the yellafone later this week!

                                                                                   The Slab Bacon

                                                     

[N2udf]

 Derb,
The best to you.Have a speedy recovery...Lee,N2udf.

[flintstone mop]

Keep us informed Tim. There may be someone doing spiritual things that we are not supposed to talk about here. They may be talking to the Chief Engineer, so you can get well.
I was in two times two weeks each time. I was going to go crazy from TV's on all night and old people yelling from their rooms that they want to go home. I had bad dreams for months. The Chemo didn't help either.
Glad you're home.
Fred

[N3DRB The Derb]

thanks for the good wishes yall. wait until you see the pictures. 

they will freak you out.

[Herb K2VH]

I really wouldn't want to see the pictures, Tim, but I do want to wish you all the best, and for continued recovery.  Take care, Man; you're a brave one, and we could all follow your example.

73,
Herb

[Bacon, WA3WDR]

I'm sure glad you didn't lose the leg!

Darn, you've had too many problems, Tim.  It's time for things to start settling out.

[David, K3TUE]

Derb,
Best wishes for a swift recovery.
David

[W1RC]

Tim, the NEAR-Fest gang and I wish you the speediest recovery and if you're up to the trip please join us at Deerfield next month.

73,

MisterMike

[WU2D]

Derb,

Your immune system is still compromised I assume, from the chemo. There are some nasty bugs in and around hospitals!

When they hit me, I was lucky and I never got more than a severe case of jock itch - Hi. Even fungus can thrive when your immune system is not functioning!

The good news is that after they were finally finished with the three courses and my one year of maintenace, my immune system came back on line with a vengence.

I do not have cold and sore throats that last longer than a few days and my allergies are all wiped out. I simply have not been sick since the treatment. For example I went deep sea fishing last week with a sore throat coming on, and aggravated it by yelling and drinking beer all day. I thought that I had done it this time. A day later - gone like it never was there.

God bless and we are thinking of you.

Mike WU2D



 

[WA1GFZ]

Hang in there Derb.....you din't need to post the ugly part.

mike is riight , The Chemo leaves you weak. after my Dad's first round he caught a bad cold that almost did him in. His Kidneys shut down for over a week.

[N3DRB The Derb]

its like a war veteran showing off his war wounds I guess.

suffice it to say my leg and foot were black below the knee. I wont post the pix.

[ve6pg]

...HOPING ALL IS GONNA BE OK, TIM...
    TIM...sk...

[Carl WA1KPD]

Hey Derb,
Sorry to hear about the bump in the road.

Keep forging ahead and we are looking forward to hearing you STRAP again
Carl
KPD

[W3RSW]

Yes, Also the best to you Derb. May you soon be "speed walkin' "   I'll bet the home health nurse will have you going in no time.
Rick

[Ed - N3LHB]

Hey Derb, best wishes for a speedy recovery... Hope to hear you on the air someday soon...

[k4kyv]

This is to wish you a speedy recovery, Derb.

I was in two times two weeks each time. I was going to go crazy from TV's on all night and old people yelling from their rooms that they want to go home. I had bad dreams for months.

It seem that the very last thing considered in hospital design is patient comfort.  When my daughter had her accident, she spent 10 days at Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville, which is reputed to be a world-class medical facility.

In her room, there were two small speakers built into the frame on each side of her bed, about 10 inches from each ear.  The purported reason for the speakers was so that the TV sound could operate at a low volume allowing the patient to hear without disturbing other patients who share the room.

But for some incomprehensible reason, they had the intercom/PA system for the entire ward connected to those speakers.  So whenever an employee was paged, the announcement came right through and blasted every patient in each ear.  This was extremely annoying to her, and she couldn't sleep because just as she would doze off, both ears would be blasted with a shrill announcement like "Dr. Wormwood, Dr. Wormwood, please report to room 813".  I recall one night after 11 PM all was quiet, then some jackass came on the intercom with "testing test test test" and woke everyone up.

We complained about it, but the nurses said every bed in the ward was hooked up the same way and that it was part of the design, so nothing could be done about it.  We tried covering the speakers with towels and wrapping with duct tape, but even that was ineffective in muffling the sound.  The speaker wires were enclosed inside the bed frame and inaccessible.  Otherwise, I would have disconnected the speakers or cut the wires.

She received excellent medical treatment while at the facility, but those speakers unnecessarily made what was already a bad situation all the more miserable.

[KB2WIG]

  " The purported reason for the speakers was so that the TV sound could operate at a low volume allowing the patient to hear without disturbing other patients who share the room. "

I booked my OM into his local hospitol yesterday.  They have a gozmo about 1/2 the size of a paperback that has the TV
channel selector, close caption buttom, volume controll, speaker and Nurse call buttom on the same wand.. TV is $4.50 a day..

As far as the noise, I worked in a 'toy factory" so I don't notice anything from the patients..   klc

[kb1jcy]

That sucks, Derb. I've been away from this forum because I had an accident and spent three weeks in the hospital too for a fractured left hip socket. Three weeks is too long to be in a hospital.

[N3DRB The Derb]

thanks everyone. the leg appears to be healing. new skin is replacing the old black reptile skin.

I am slowly getting back up to speed. another few weeks I think.

[K6JEK]

In her room, there were two small speakers built into the frame on each side of her bed, about 10 inches from each ear. 

I'm surprised those speakers didn't mysteriously fail after one of your visits

[k4kyv]

Don't think I didn't try, but it was one of those high-tech beds with remote controlled head and foot lifts, built-in nurse call button, etc. The speaker wiring was enclosed inside the hollow frame of the bed, and all the exposed cabling was harnessed together into one armoured bundle.

We did file a formal complaint, but never heard anything from it.

[N3DRB The Derb]

probably a Hill-Rom bed. Yeah they joked around that they try to make sure everyone gets the least sleep possible at night.