Large Scale Central

My health update.

Since there are a few on here that have been following my continuing saga I thought I would give you all a little update.

I am shuntless if you recall. Been 5 months and I am miserable. Pretty well back to square one. The doc in Seattle will do the surgery but not until the reoccurring wound in my belly heals and stops re rupturing. I have been seeing a wound specialist and she has watched two (going on three) cycles of the wound healing over and then rupturing out in a new spot. She sent me in for an ultrasound and they clearly see that the wound track from my upper incision tot he lower incision where my shunt tubing was is still open and draining after five months. It also shows what appears to be a calcified “knot” and what “appears” to be a 1.2 cm long piece of shunt tubing at the top scar. I have been saying all along I can feel something up there and it is always where it hurts the most. The general thought is that there is a piece of tubing that got left behind and is festering and then draining down the old would track to the lower scar where it builds up thanks to gravity and finally blows out. I am waiting a call from a general surgeon to schedule a surgery to remove what ever it is that they are seeing in the upper scar area and see if they can get that to finally heal.

In the mean time, this Friday, I am going in for another therapeutic large volume draw lumbar puncture. What that means is they are going to tap me like a beer keg and drain out 20cc of spinal fluid in an effort to give me some temporary relief. I have had two of these therapeutic (as opposed to diagnostic where they are looking for something) lumbar punctures in the past and I am 1 for 2. The first one bought me nearly a month of modest relief. The second one barely gave me two days. Hopefully I can get some relief, especially for my eyes. Then once I get the surgery to fx this wound I can schedule brain surgery #5 (actually I guess I have only had 3 surgeries that have involved my brain. #4 was just in my abdomen).

Our best wishes and prayers Devon, Maybe when they find that piece of tubing someone else left behind you can make a present of it to him (along with a lawyer maybe?)

Sounds like getting to Seattle was the right thing to do. We are all pulling for you.

Regards, Greg

I am not going down the lawsuit road yet. I will wait until they find what they find. IF something was left behind and this is due to negligence (something left behind) and not just bad fortune (a cyst), then I will be first talking to my insurance company who I am sure will be interested to know about it, since they have been paying to treat me. Then I will probably seek a lawyer. But all of that is not even close to my main goal. I want to get this thing cleared up so I can get to Seattle and get a new shunt put in.

Oooo Boy… Gee … good luck there buddy and thanks for the update… (https://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-yell.gif)

I think you should go to the appointment wearing your new wig …Image result for bob ross wig

lol, Bob would be proud of me.

The first thing I have ever attempted to paint picturewise. . . my “happy little tree” painted with a fan brush. Bob Ross is my mentor. I actually suck at painting but I am working hard to try and learn some modest scenery painting. As John P pointed out to me when I shared this with him, was this will be a great skill to have when I finally get started on my indoor.

Devon, I hope you can get some relief soon. We will keep you in our prayers.

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Maybe you can use whatever they pull out of your belly in your next Mik challenge! That would be unique!

More genuinely: hang in there. Sounds like you are starting to have a beginning of a plan to get better. Sheesh!

Hmmmmmm… thort it was sumpin like this. Glad you’re on the mend, even though it doesn’t feel like it, yet.

Steve Featherkile said:

Hmmmmmm… thort it was sumpin like this. Glad you’re on the mend, even though it doesn’t feel like it, yet.

Well at some point you have to step back and say what is going on. You have a reoccurring “infection” that is aseptic. Your white count is high and you have a reoccurring festering wound. I am no doctor but you have to say that the body is fighting something and not winning and that something is not bacterial. Kind of leaves you with the option of loose spare parts that the body is trying to eject. You and I have been talking about this possibility since when? How come the docs are just now exploring that idea. Glad I got into the wound doc. She is at least willing to explore all angels. Instead of blaming the reoccurring problems on me “picking” at the wounds.

Oh man, I was so hoping for better news. I am encouraged that they are willing to look for a liability.

Stay strong, please.

Yer bud,

Aww, well, was hoping for better news, but gotta say, that the situation is getting taken more seriously now is a kind of good news.

Hope all goes well Devon and they get it done right this time.

Best of luck Devon. How’s your family holding out?

Sheesh…stay away from THESE guys!

What Bruce said, best of luck with all this… (http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

You are a better man than me Gunga Din. I probably would have given up hope a year ago with all you have been through. Best of luck solving the wound infections. Maybe you should watch “We are Spinal Tap” to lighten your mood.

Dev,

I came in late to this today. You know I am rooting for you! I hope all goes well and they get you on the right track with all signals green.

Bruce D. Chandler said:

Best of luck Devon. How’s your family holding out?

Sheesh…stay away from THESE guys!

I kinda have a feeling this is what my ER rooms have looked like. The family is holding up. The wife and dog are taking good care of me. And I am not yelling at the kids to much.

Just catching up today Dev, wow.

Praying for you brutha!