I need some medical help please

[Ben Kenobi]

Just called my dad tonight, he is not doing very well at all. He had a small scrape that got infected on Tuesday, and the infection was very small yesterday just red and sore.

Today he went into the hospital because the infection has spread to half of his leg. They gave him some IV antibiotics and they sent him back home. My mom said that they seem to have halted the further spread, but his leg isn't getting any better.

Is there anything that my dad should look out for that he should be doing to get better? I have no clue about these sorts of things.

Any help would be appreciated.

[snoopy369]

I'm not a doctor, but there are several bacteria that meet the description that you described. Many are caught in hospitals, in fact Though at least it sounds like that didn't happen for your dad.

Hospitals, as a result, are pretty good at treating this sort of thing. The IV antibiotic should stop it (the bacteria) from doing any more damage. That said, they've probably already done some pretty significant damage, and that will just take time to heal. As long as he's following their instructions on how to keep it (Wrapped, i'd guess, but there are some times the doctors don't want you to wrap it), and change any bandaging often, and keep topical antibiotics on it (again if they suggest them), either a triple like Neosporin, or something prescribed, it should heal in several days. It will take several days, though, if there was significant damage already.

[snoopy369]

http://www.nnff.com/nnff_what.htm

Read over this website. More than likely he had a mild case of necrotizing fasciitis (flesh eating bacteria).

It sounds like you caught it pretty early, since the hospital sent him home. From what I was reading there, if it gets down into the muscle sheath (fascia), then they have to start removing tissue surgically.

Anyway, read that site over, and see how it compares to your dad's circumstances. Maybe that'll have something useful to tell if the hospital released him early...

[DRoseDARs]

This is why you should always stop whatever you're doing immediately and clean out even minor scrapes with soap and water. I've been lucky so far in that I've never gotten an infection in 8 years of cleaning gym equipment covered in dust, dirt, sweat, dried food, gum, coffee and God knows what else; I get nicks and scrapes all the time doing what I do.

[snoopy369]

/me is afraid of DRoseDARs' gym

[Pekka]

Here's to your dad getting better soon.

Even though these kind of things are kind of mundane and very normal, they still put a scare on people. But.. I'm sure this one will be OK soon, at least let's hope so.

[DRoseDARs]

Originally posted by snoopy369
* snoopy369 is afraid of DRoseDARs' gym

Erm, unless you go to a gym that doesn't allow anyone to actually use the equipment, all gyms have their equipment get dirty. It's all just a matter of if they have a cleaning staff and/or provide the members a means of wiping off the equipment themselves. I've worked at 4 separate gyms in the past 8 years, one of them for 5 years and counting. It's the same no matter where you go.

[Dis]

wow

I'm one of those wannabe macho guys who never uses a bandaid. Nor do I wash my scrapes and cuts. Many cuts I get and don't even notice them or know how I got them. Maybe I should be more careful from now on.

Usually though, my cuts are minor, and not very deep. If it's a serious one, I will wash it out.

[Ben Kenobi]

Same with my dad. We weren't worried about this at all and then my mom told me all about this last night. Very scary.

[DRoseDARs]

It's good that he's lived to learn a lesson. Water and soap

[Ben Kenobi]

He's not out of the woods yet though. Still very sick.

[Spec]

I need some medical help please

We noticed.

Seriously, how long is he supposed to take anti-biotics for? Usually, for these kinds of situation. they are prescribed for 10 straight days.

Spec.

[Dinner]

A friend of mine got an infection from a dog bite a few years back and he ignored it until red lines went up half of his leg. The antibiotics did work but it took a few days for the red lines to fade away.

[Zkribbler]

Re: I need some medical help please

Originally posted by Spec
Usually, for these kinds of situation. they are prescribed for 10 straight days.

And you should take ALL of the antibiotics. Stopping earlier can, not only revive the bacteria, but create a supergerm.

...But Ben said his dad was given an IV antibiotic at the hospital. So it's probably all be administered by now.

[Japher]

when was his last tetanus shot? Hopefully he got a booster at the hospital.

While I love coming to poly for medical advice I think he should go to the doctor.