A Break Too Long!

This blog was abandoned for nearly three months not because I have given up blogging and sharing my story but because I was hospitalized for that duration - I could have posted some entries but not until today that I feel a little better.

It all started after we came back from Cambodia for our long due vacation (I will eventually post about the trip someday). Remember the permanent catheter that was inserted in January? (Refer here) It somehow got infected and that was how things started. I have had this bacteria called MRSA in me when I had my right leg amputated in 2008 and since I am and ESRF (End stage renal failure) patient and diabetic, my immune system is very low thus making me susceptible to this bacteria - each time I am hospitalized.

I went to Ampang Hospital to get treatment for prolonged fever and backache on February 12, 2010 and was admitted, diagnosed with Pneumonia secondary to MRSA (more article on MRSA here). Spent a week there and had to be transferred to HKL to remove the permanent catheter as that was the point of infection (I may have gotten it when hospitalized for the insertion as I had an open wound then) While in Ampang I had another stroke attack affecting the right side of my body. Alhamdulillah my limbs could now be moved after sessions of physiotherapy.

I was discharged from HKL on march 19, 2010. The doctor there suspected that I have abscess in my lungs and set an appointment for me to see a respiratory specialist the very next week. The bronchoscopy done while I was in HKL showed multiple cavities in the right lungs but the presence of puss couldn't be confirmed. Unfortunately only after 2 days being discharged I had to be sent back to Ampang due to severe SOB (shortness of Breath) and was re admitted on March 22, 2010.

After over a month in Ampang I was advised by the specialist in Ampang to be transferred to PPUM (University Malaya Medical Center) as there are no ID (Infectious Diseases - my case, lower respiratory tract infection secondary to MRSA) specialist in Ampang. So, after more than a month in Ampang, I was transferred to PPUM on April 29, 2010.

While in Ampang, the MRSA bacteria had attacked more parts of the body affecting the left stump (yes if you didn't already know, I have lost my left footie too end of last year - will also write about this some time soon hopefully) The bacteria has also attacked my left index finger besides the lungs (that's the reason why its called disseminated MRSA) resulting to more operations being done to drain the puss from the left stump and removal of my left index finger (yup another amputation!)

On the 6th day in PPUM and after another CT Thorax was done, I undergone another surgery to insert a drainage pipe to remove the puss that has been accumulating in my lungs. It is a really satisfactory experience seeing globs of puss coming out of me and being collected in a urine bag. My breathing becomes better (thus the blog entry) although still oxygen dependent. Hopefully everything will be well soon and the MRSA infected be settled and I could go back to my home sweet home.