Had surgery on 12/29 to remove 4 cm of deformed 5th metatarsal resulting in a pressure ulcer that refused to heal since last April.
All went well and BG control remained excellent.
Ten days later was hospitalized with a CA-MRSA infection in the open post-operative wound.
Long story short...looks like I get to keep the foot. For now at least.
Spent a total of 8 days in hospital, undergoing 3x day IV Vancomycin, and 1x day of IV Ertapenem. Came home Friday on 1x day of IV Daptomycin for the next six weeks.
I'm anticipating a total of about $600,000 - $700,000 for this (on top of the $60,000 for the surgery.) Heck the Dapto is $5,000 for a seven day supply!
Get blood drawn 2x week to make sure antibiotic is not killing me.
Started Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (a.k.a. Vacuum Assisted Closure)today. They tell me that this will take 6-8 weeks for the wound to close. I have to go 3x week to Wound Care Center to have dressing changed.
So, now on top of the cases of dia-crap I have, I've got cases of wound care supplies, and cases of IV antibiotics, normal saline, heparin, and other assorted minutia.
While in hospital, I had Doppler studies of the lower legs, x-rays, a CT angiogram, a Bilateral femoral angiography w/ angioplasty of my posterior tibial artery in the ankle. This will increase blood flow despite my body developing three of its own lateral branches to bypass the blockage.
I'm told I should be able to walk almost normally despite the missing 4 cm of bone in the foot, after some physical therapy to learn to walk again.
I was able to maintain an almost flat-line BG, in the 80-90 range for the entire hospitalization (to the amazement of every doctor I saw), and despite the complete failure of the hospital pharmacist in helping me calculate a temp basal for a dextrose IV I was getting prior to one procedure. She had no clue whatsoever!
I tested my BG about 300 times in the past two weeks - I could not wear my CGM due to the numerous electromagnetic irradiation assaults I endured. I had to make somewhere around 30 temp basal changes (ranging from 70% - 90% of normal) in that time, to maintain a proper BG levels.
Funny how so many chemicals can kill one's appetite. I lost about 20 lbs.
I'm still running at an 75% - 85% temp basal at various times of the day. Possibly due to insulin sensitivity changes and/or a rare hypoglycemia side effect of the Dapto.
Despite all this, I'm still having significant unexpected/unexplained lows at random times of the day. Night before last, had a low in the 40's right after dinner that stayed low for about an hour and a half despite consuming nearly 200 grams of carbs!
And just now as I type this, my vision was getting weird, tested and I'm at 57! But I just finished lunch about an hour ago!
Again, it's really random when it happens.
So I guess I'm going to finalize my basal rates at about 15% - 20% less than before surgery and have to refine my ISF and possibly I:C ratio.
It's like I'm starting all over again.
Well it's not like I'm going out running around. I've got a vacuum line and pump attached to my right foot, a two-lumen PICC line in my left arm, a four-lead cardiac telemetry unit, plus my CGM and infusion set.
I think I'm going to have someone come out and remove all the door knobs and other 'grabby' things in the house for a couple months.