Sorry, been rather out of it lately

[janewilliams20]

And while I've managed the odd Facebook status update, I haven't been up to writing anything longer, so LJ gets missed. OK. Today, for now, I seem to be awake enough to Google Big Medical Words (by my standards: I have a blockage on the subject) and find out more details of what's been (and still is) wrong.

"Cellulitis".
Otherwise known as "why is my leg going red?" "why is the red spreading from ankle to knee?" "should it really be going grey?" and "why aren't the tablets doing anything?"

Google led me straight to Wikipedia, and the article there tells me everything I wanted to know, and confirms what I think I've already been told by assorted doctors, nurses, and the hospital.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cellulitis
The picture, incidentally, is of a MUCH milder case than mine.


A few relevant quotes....
" Lymphedema, which causes swelling on the arms and/or legs, can also put an individual at risk." Yes. Got that.

"This reddened skin or rash may signal a deeper, more serious infection of the inner layers of skin. Once below the skin, the bacteria can spread rapidly, entering the lymph nodes and the bloodstream and spreading throughout the body. In rare cases, the infection can spread to the deep layer of tissue called the fascial lining. Necrotizing fasciitis, also called by the media "flesh-eating bacteria," is an example of a deep-layer infection. It represents an extreme medical emergency." Oh, lovely...

"...can result in severe debility or even death if untreated." Or, presumably, if the treatment doesn't work, which it didn't, for quite a while.

Well, from the look of the length of time I'd had it, the state it was in (grey/purple area covering half the lower leg, and going numb), they were quite right to send me off to hospital for IV antibiotics. Wikipedia says that's done in "severe cases". No pain, which would definitely say "necrotising fasciitis", and since the treatment for that is emergency surgery, it sounds as if I was about half a day away from getting large chunks of leg removed.

Ah well, on the mend now. Been very doped out from several days of IV antibiotics, and high dosage tablets after that, but this morning, I seem to be a bit more awake. I'd quite like to get back to work for next Monday, but we'll see. I'd probably better take this seriously, since apparently if it isn't fully cured, it comes back.

Comments

[callylevy.livejournal.com]

Thank goodness all sorted now!

[eoforyth.livejournal.com]

I'm horrified that you had to go through it, but so very glad to hear you are on the mend.

Should I send out some well oiled, muscular young men to carry you round on a litter for a few days?

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

Well, if you've got them to spare... I think we can find some litter around the place for them to carry :)

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

Seriously, "go through it" wasn't the right phrase, and that's half the problem. No pain, just a red patch, so the mental escalation from "this is a bit of a nuisance, better get it sorted when I'm not so busy" to "this could kill you" didn't kick in. I'm still forgetting to keep my legs up, because it just doesn't register as a problem. No pain, not even much discomfort = no reminder.

[newt.livejournal.com]

I had a dose of that last year. At first it was just a bit itchy, like I had a series of insect bites. Then I showed Nurse Rachel (aka t'wife) and she made an eek noise and packed me off to the docs, who put me on anti-biotics and blamed the cats for scratching my leg in my sleep as the source :O

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

Mine didn't even itch (though it does now). I take it the first lot of antibiotics got rid of it, for you?

[aunty_marion]

Gleep! I saw the Facebook messages, but couldn't work out what was going on. Glad to hear you're doing better, though.

[hobbitblue.livejournal.com]

Eep, was wondering what had happened, glad you got it dealt with before it got really icky.. the "no pain" aspect you'd think would be a good thing but clearly not! *hugs*

[alaimacerc.livejournal.com]

Owch! Very nasty indeed. Glad you're pulling through. Definitely take advantage of those strapping young chaps, or at least someone to bring you lots of cups and tea and biccies...

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

That would be my darling husband - the one who had both knees operated on two weeks ago, and can now just about get around without crutches.

[thefon.livejournal.com]

My Dad has it too, so I sympathise. Lots of trouble.

[janewilliams20.livejournal.com]

Any thoughts on treatment, and making sure it doesn't happe again?

[thefon.livejournal.com]

No really useful thoughts. He's had it come back several times, and had to go into hospital for IV antibiotics.
Wearing pressure socks seems to help, and recognising the early signs.
Try different variations of exercise and diet, it seems like some things can help to trigger it, others to avoid it, but would vary from person to person.
No luck with alternative treatments, eg. chinese medicine and such.

[mr-malk.livejournal.com]

Hiya. Sorry to hear that you have been going through this. My brother suffers from recurring cellulitis, possibly exacerbated by the fact that he weighs in the neighbourhood of 24 stone and flies to and from Japan whenever he can afford it. Not pleasant, and when you say that the case pictured in Wikipedia is a mild one, I know what you mean.

Nothing useful to offer I'm afraid; only sympathy, and the hope that you get better completely very soon, and don't have any recurrence.

[soren-nyrond.livejournal.com]

Exresses strong preferenece for you getting Rid of it and it Not coming Back.