Hi Iv posted a couple of times as I’m a carer for my husband who’s in his 40s.
His illnesses are rheumatoid arthritis osteo and osteomyelitis chronic in left foot and cellulitis that keeps coming back and hasn’t really gone in right foot.
I had to take him to hospital yesterday as he was screaming in pain and could hardly move due to pain.
His cellulitis foot was pouring out with liquid and soaking through dressings And dripping everywhere.
Turns out we are facing yet another surgery his crps are a 100 and he’s quite ill .
I’m very down we are facing surgery again in a few weeks as it’s even harder to look after him post surgery due to even larger wounds and the pain he’s in .
It seems like never ending surgeries on his feet .
What an awful time for both of you.
When he gets discharged do they offer the post hospital care package for 6 weeks?
I’m not sure if this is just for elderly or if it is for everyone, someone else might know.
If it is for everyone, make sure you get it to help ease the load a little for you.
Do they change the antibiotics for his cellulitis? it is dreadful to get rid of, but there can become a resistance to the same antibiotic when used over a length of time. My mother has been having problems with it and they have changed the antibiotic, increased the dose and frequency now for a week to try and see it off. She hasn’t had the weeping sores from it fortunately, that must be awful to manage.
Sounds like you’re in a very difficult situation.
I read a few of your other posts and wondering if you’ve managed to get your husband to accept having carers to help out and how the situation is re babysitting etc?
Regarding the cellulitis, you don’t say if the fluid was clear or more like infected pus?
If it’s clear , more watery fluid that leaks if he would benefit from some sort of light compression stockings / compression bandaging because the fluid is due to oedema ( fluid in the tissues) ? A wound in an oedematous foot/ leg will always be slow to heal.
Additionally, I wonder what your husband’s diet is like?
Protein is essential for wound healing , plus low protein in the blood contributes to oedema. Sometimes people can boost their protein by drinking high protein drinks.
Blood protein is measured in the kidney function blood tests they will have done , so you can ask them if it’s low.
Low protein is known to be a predictor of the outcome of an illness and intensive care units put a big emphasis on not only protein levels but nutrition in general.
Regarding the antibiotic therapy, as another member said, the hospital microbiologist should be involved in deciding which antibiotic and how it’s given, eg intravenously or by mouth .
If the hospital has tissue viability or wound specialist nurses have they been involved?
You don’t say what the surgery is that he needs now.
I’m wondering if community nurses are usually involved in the management ( dressing etc) of his feet/ legs?
If it’s not healing then they should be taking swabs to send to labs to check if he needs antibiotics and which ones. There will possibly be a tissue viability nurse in the community too.
They and GP should also be helping to ensure his pain and wound leakage is being managed appropriately
If your husband can walk even with a walking aid if he has one then walking around will also help with the oedema and his circulation. Ultimately immobility isnt good for most problems ,although I can understand it must be difficult if he has huge dressings and is in pain or therapists may have said he’s not to walk for safety reasons.
You have to start putting your needs on an equal par with your husband’s , as does he. Explain that you won’t be able to care for him at all unless you get some help to care for him now.
That’s reminded me of when my mum was in hospital, there was a lady with weeping legs like waterfalls. My mum was moved to another ward the next day so that was all that I knew about it.
So it is very interesting to read all that goes into it.
When my mother gets a moisture lesion, I phone for the district nurse to check on it, she takes photos to send to the tissue viability nurse and they come twice a week and tell me to phone them if it gets worse/she gets ill.
Hi all sorry for replying late Iv had my hands full.
We have had microbiologist involved fur past 3 years on the osteomyelitis foot and tissue viability but the consultant did say he will be holding meetings with microbiologist after the operation as he’s pretty much said the cellulitis infection is now also gone to the bone in the other foot so he needs to debride the bone and and so forth .
He’s got sereous fluid I think that’s how it’s spelt but he’s also got the puss that comes out of it too that’s been going on past 8 months for the yellow puss .
They’ve switched up the antibiotics but I think he needs a cocktail after a swab but the consultant is thinking after the operation on that front.
He’s very ill they sent him home from hospital and I think he needs to go back for Ivs as he’s screaming in pain and can hardly move at all lying down as of the pain, he keeps getting hot but being stubborn about it and saying give the tablets a chance but they clearly aren’t working.
Iv stopped babysitting on demand as Iv took your advice and your right I need to put myself first and be offered a hand not asked to do favours in the situation We’re in .
I cut back on the garden and gave away the raised beds with the veg to go with them and put pots around the seating area , I still have my lawn and roses and other plants but Iv cut back and just mow the lawn really and tiny jobs due to my hands .
At the moment im shattered I just know it’s going to get a lot harder after the operation and at present he has wounds in both feet still .
The hospital don’t do a package unless as the consultant said he’ll probably have a vac pump on this foot now but they will just come for 30 minutes change that maybe and hour if he needs hospital to home Ivs but that’s about it then after few weeks the hospital appointments ramp up too after his bone debridements going by the past 3 odd years from the other foot on osteomyelitis.
Thanks a lot for all your replies I really do appreciate them .
Oh dear. Things don’t sound much better at all.
The care package mentioned was social care and would be arranged by the hospital social worker . It’s to help with things like washing and dressing and anything else that’s not nursing care.
You don’t say how your husband transfers from bed to chair etc, and getting to the toilet etc. Can he stand on his feet to transfer?
I wonder if it’s possible he has an infection elsewhere that’s contributing to his temperature ? Thinking chest or urinary ? The antibiotics he’s on for the bone infection probably won’t work for either of those.
Please keep an eye out for signs of sepsis. I’m surprised they’ve sent him home when he’s obviously quite ill and in so much pain. Have they advised what he should take for pain?
I’m astounded they sent him home in that state.
Phone 111 or 999 if he is still so bad if you haven’t done already.
Meds can take up to 48 hours at the most to kick in but if he is in such a state phone 111 or 999
Don’t give him a choice, just phone them - take his temperature first.
I learnt with my mum that I just dial the number and then tell her.
Glad you’ve stopped helping others and I hope they are starting to help you - call in those favours.
Hi all I had to call the consultants secretary today as he was so bad and he’s in for an emergency operation in the morning, looks like will have vac pump aswell like we had on the other foot .