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The facts of life, getting older on the doomstead

Started by 18hammers, Jul 10, 2023, 10:24 PM

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18hammers

Well, in emerg two days in a row. Extreme  fluid build up on the left side from lower rib to hip. I forget the name he called it but he tells me it was the largest amount of fluid he has ever drained, called over other nurses just to watch, they all said they had never seen such a thing. I had not been able to even pull my pants up lately let alone do up the zipper or top button. I already feel much better. Have to go to a different hospital Monday where I am booked for a ultrasound to find the cause of some abdominal pain. Still on crutches, that left leg just wont work right.

RE

My fluid buildup in my legs was caused by Cellulitis.  Is that the name of what is causing yours?  If so, it's very dangerous and can spread rapidly if not treated with antibiotics.  Just draining the fluid isn't sufficient to cure it.    Ultrasound testing won't reveal it, they need to biopsy the skin to find out what type of bacteria is responsible for the infection.  Before the results come back on that though (takes a couple of days to culture the samples) it should be treated immediately with a broad-spectrum antibiotic to prevent or at least slow further infection.   You need IV antibiotics for this, not pills.  Hospitalization is necessary.

This disease is life threatening if not treated quickly.  Hopefully it is not what you have, but if it is, you need to be in the hospital and admitted yesterday.

RE

18hammers

#17
Quote from: RE on Oct 20, 2023, 01:58 AMMy fluid buildup in my legs was caused by Cellulitis.  Is that the name of what is causing yours?  If so, it's very dangerous and can spread rapidly if not treated with antibiotics.  Just draining the fluid isn't sufficient to cure it.    Ultrasound testing won't reveal it, they need to biopsy the skin to find out what type of bacteria is responsible for the infection.  Before the results come back on that though (takes a couple of days to culture the samples) it should be treated immediately with a broad-spectrum antibiotic to prevent or at least slow further infection.  You need IV antibiotics for this, not pills.  Hospitalization is necessary.

This disease is life threatening if not treated quickly.  Hopefully it is not what you have, but if it is, you need to be in the hospital and admitted yesterday.

RE

No, the Doctor called it a Hematoma, not cellulitis. The largest they have seen. It feels much better having been drained. The side is all tapped up to keep compression on it.

RE

Quote from: 18hammers on Oct 20, 2023, 05:02 PM
Quote from: RE on Oct 20, 2023, 01:58 AMMy fluid buildup in my legs was caused by Cellulitis.  Is that the name of what is causing yours?  If so, it's very dangerous and can spread rapidly if not treated with antibiotics.  Just draining the fluid isn't sufficient to cure it.    Ultrasound testing won't reveal it, they need to biopsy the skin to find out what type of bacteria is responsible for the infection.  Before the results come back on that though (takes a couple of days to culture the samples) it should be treated immediately with a broad-spectrum antibiotic to prevent or at least slow further infection.  You need IV antibiotics for this, not pills.  Hospitalization is necessary.

This disease is life threatening if not treated quickly.  Hopefully it is not what you have, but if it is, you need to be in the hospital and admitted yesterday.

RE

No, the Doctor called it a Hematoma, not cellulitis. The largest they have seen. It feels much better having been drained. The side is all tapped up to keep compression on it.


Hematomas can produce similar symptoms to cellulitis.  Yours likely was a result of trauma, particulaly if you take some type of anti-coagulant to reduce the chance of blood clots which can cause strokes.  Yuo can read a bit about it from this study

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7948628/

In conclusion, elderly patients with reduced resilience and weakened connective tissues who are taking antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications may present with haematoma formation mimicking cellulitis. Thus, haematoma should be considered one of the differential diagnoses for cellulitis in such cases, especially for those with a prior history of trauma.

RE

18hammers

Quote from: RE on Oct 20, 2023, 06:10 PM
Quote from: 18hammers on Oct 20, 2023, 05:02 PM
Quote from: RE on Oct 20, 2023, 01:58 AMMy fluid buildup in my legs was caused by Cellulitis.  Is that the name of what is causing yours?  If so, it's very dangerous and can spread rapidly if not treated with antibiotics.  Just draining the fluid isn't sufficient to cure it.    Ultrasound testing won't reveal it, they need to biopsy the skin to find out what type of bacteria is responsible for the infection.  Before the results come back on that though (takes a couple of days to culture the samples) it should be treated immediately with a broad-spectrum antibiotic to prevent or at least slow further infection.  You need IV antibiotics for this, not pills.  Hospitalization is necessary.

This disease is life threatening if not treated quickly.  Hopefully it is not what you have, but if it is, you need to be in the hospital and admitted yesterday.

RE

No, the Doctor called it a Hematoma, not cellulitis. The largest they have seen. It feels much better having been drained. The side is all tapped up to keep compression on it.


Hematomas can produce similar symptoms to cellulitis.  Yours likely was a result of trauma, particulaly if you take some type of anti-coagulant to reduce the chance of blood clots which can cause strokes.  Yuo can read a bit about it from this study

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7948628/

In conclusion, elderly patients with reduced resilience and weakened connective tissues who are taking antiplatelet or anticoagulant medications may present with haematoma formation mimicking cellulitis. Thus, haematoma should be considered one of the differential diagnoses for cellulitis in such cases, especially for those with a prior history of trauma.

RE

That  was not a fun read. I just noticed my muscles on my left leg are floppy. Starting to atrophy. If the pain would stop I would try to use that leg more. It is what it is though, I will just have to let things heal.

RE

Quote from: 18hammers on Oct 20, 2023, 07:49 PMThat  was not a fun read.

Generally speaking, getting old is not fun, so reading the details about the process is even less fun. I have a morbid fascination with it though, so I like to stay abreast of my own decay as I inch my way closer to my date with the Grim Reaper. :D

RE

18hammers

#21
Had a ultrasound Monday morning, looking at my organs for the cause of pain, all my organs looked ok, no cause found. By that evening I was again in pain, took it as long as I could then got my ass into emerg at about 2am. No doctor on site (small town hospital) so The nurse gave me what she could, some injections of a couple things I don't remember the name of and T3s for pain.
The Doctor bumped me up with morphine when he came in at 7am. His thought is the pressure of the earlier ultrasound tool on my belly triggered pain in the muscles of my stomach. Discharged me with a script for Tramadol hcl for pain if it returns and oh yes as I type this I feel the pain coming back. I think this internal pain is related to being clubbed and pinned by that tree. Must have just twisted all the connective tissues in my torso.
Last year near this time I was packing moose out of the bush, there will be no hunting this year. This will be my first year since 2015 that I have not filled the freezer with deer or moose.

18hammers

A bit of solid progress, I can get around the house slowly with out crutches now. I am sure glad to have the internet, being stuck on the sofa for 3 weeks without something to keep the mind busy would have been pure hell.

18hammers

Quote from: Knarf on Oct 14, 2023, 05:10 AM"When life throws us lemons, we can make lemonade." Just be sure to add 4 cups of sugar per gallon! :) I am glad you are mobile. Can you walk/scoot upright?

  The best pain medication I use is Kratom. Have you heard of it? It is ground/processed leaves from a tree that mainly grows in Indonesia and neighboring countries. It is a crime to process it in some US states. It is legal in Canada. I don't tell my Doctor that I am using it. The Government and the Medical industry don't want it legalized. They use misinformation propaganda to demonize it. There are millions of users in the states that have a shared saying..."It saved my life." I dove deep into finding the truth about it to avoid RX pain meds. If you get interested in it we could make it a subject here, if K-Dog feels it will not draw unwanted attention. :)

  When you get to "scene of the mishap" I would think you will be a lot better off than you were, lying there, pinned by the tree, and in shock ( glad you didn't faint ).

I have been reading up on this product, very surprised I had not heard of it before. Looks to be sold in capsules, and in bulk. I am thinking I will order in 500g of red Maeng Da Kratom to give it a try.

18hammers

Well it is 5 or 6 weeks since that tree got the better of me. I can move around the yard without crutches now, but I am far from healed. I may not be able to walk with the stride I had, nerve damage causing pain in the right foot
, and stinging lighting bolts running up my left leg from the ball of the foot. I have my order of Kradom now, I can take the lighting bolt pain, but the constant pain in the right foot is a bitch, I will try out the kratom this weekend and see if it helps.

RE

Quote from: 18hammers on Nov 14, 2023, 06:55 PMthe constant pain in the right foot is a bitch

I highly recommend narcotics for constant pain.  ;D

RE

18hammers

Quote from: RE on Nov 14, 2023, 07:20 PM
Quote from: 18hammers link=msg=900 date= 1700016925the constant pain in the right foot is a bitch

I highly recommend narcotics for constant pain.  ;D

RE
I agree, they work but supply, or more correctly constant supply can be a problem.

RE

Quote from: 18hammers on Nov 14, 2023, 09:25 PM
Quote from: RE on Nov 14, 2023, 07:20 PM
Quote from: 18hammers link=msg=900 date= 1700016925the constant pain in the right foot is a bitch

I highly recommend narcotics for constant pain.  ;D

RE
I agree, they work but supply, or more correctly constant supply can be a problem.

I have not had any problems with supply on either oxycodone or percocets.  I haven't used morphine in a while so I don't know about supply issues there.

RE

TDoS

Quote from: RE on Oct 07, 2023, 06:49 PM
Comparing the top of the monument in the video to its current condition, does it look like it has weathered more than expected? Particularly the pins that appear to hold the top plate on?


RE

Quote from: TDoS on Dec 02, 2023, 05:55 PM
Quote from: RE on Oct 07, 2023, 06:49 PM
Comparing the top of the monument in the video to its current condition, does it look like it has weathered more than expected? Particularly the pins that appear to hold the top plate on?



Did you take that photo recently?  When did you go by there?  If so, I would say the neodymium magnets are oxidizing faster than I expected.  I thought the epoxy coating would keep the air out better.  I wonder if they still hold their magnetic properties?    Did you try sticking any ferromagnetic object to them?

Those magnets aren't structural, they are a surface decoration.  It's pinned together from the bottom where the uprights are, which is protected from the elements more.

I kind of expect the stones to eventually be cannibalized and individual parts taken as souvenirs.  That stone globe particularly is a one of a kind thing, that was tough to have engraved.  The dodecahedron and tetrahedron also were tough because of the non-square angles.

RE