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Thanks, everybody, these vibes and prayers mean a lot to us.

Quick update. They THINK they know what might be wrong with her. She's had an infection on her back for a few weeks. She had her dermatologist dig it out. They thought they got all of it, but apparently not. It went subdermal, and spread. It radiated out about seven inches. They cultured it yesterday. They're guessing staph, but they aren't sure yet. Apparently, it's gotten into her bloodstream and is attacking all over her body. Since her lungs are her weakest spot, they're breaking down first. They put in a PICC line to deliver massive doses of antibiotics straight to the heart and lungs but those are barely making a dent. They'll know which antibiotic to use better when they get the culture back and know what they're dealing with but since the original infection is so massive, it's a war of attrition, and the main infection seems to have unlimited troops. A plastic surgeon is going to go in and try to gut it at the source, hoping that then the antibiotics can wipe out the rest. They don't want to do the surgery until the culture comes back and they know what antibiotic to use. Anyway, please keep your fingers crossed that this is ALL it is, and that the surgery will work.

Thanks again, everybody, but we're not out of the woods QUITE yet.

Vibes and prayers still coming. Please keep us updated. God bless.

bjornolf wrote:Thanks, everybody, these vibes and prayers mean a lot to us.

Quick update. They THINK they know what might be wrong with her. She's had an infection on her back for a few weeks. She had her dermatologist dig it out. They thought they got all of it, but apparently not. It went subdermal, and spread. It radiated out about seven inches. They cultured it yesterday. They're guessing staph, but they aren't sure yet. Apparently, it's gotten into her bloodstream and is attacking all over her body. Since her lungs are her weakest spot, they're breaking down first. They put in a PICC line to deliver massive doses of antibiotics straight to the heart and lungs but those are barely making a dent. They'll know which antibiotic to use better when they get the culture back and know what they're dealing with but since the original infection is so massive, it's a war of attrition, and the main infection seems to have unlimited troops. A plastic surgeon is going to go in and try to gut it at the source, hoping that then the antibiotics can wipe out the rest. They don't want to do the surgery until the culture comes back and they know what antibiotic to use. Anyway, please keep your fingers crossed that this is ALL it is, and that the surgery will work.

Thanks again, everybody, but we're not out of the woods QUITE yet.

All this sounds sort of familiar. PICC lines, plastic surgeons, etc. Tilly's personal vibe deliveries at DUMC have been our best medicine! She just has to grunt a little harder to get them sent long distance. But, she can do it. Believe you me!!!!

Hug Jou Jou for us. More vibes to you guys.
Love, Ima

bjornolf wrote:Thanks, everybody, these vibes and prayers mean a lot to us.

Quick update. They THINK they know what might be wrong with her. She's had an infection on her back for a few weeks. She had her dermatologist dig it out. They thought they got all of it, but apparently not. It went subdermal, and spread. It radiated out about seven inches. They cultured it yesterday. They're guessing staph, but they aren't sure yet. Apparently, it's gotten into her bloodstream and is attacking all over her body. Since her lungs are her weakest spot, they're breaking down first. They put in a PICC line to deliver massive doses of antibiotics straight to the heart and lungs but those are barely making a dent. They'll know which antibiotic to use better when they get the culture back and know what they're dealing with but since the original infection is so massive, it's a war of attrition, and the main infection seems to have unlimited troops. A plastic surgeon is going to go in and try to gut it at the source, hoping that then the antibiotics can wipe out the rest. They don't want to do the surgery until the culture comes back and they know what antibiotic to use. Anyway, please keep your fingers crossed that this is ALL it is, and that the surgery will work.

Thanks again, everybody, but we're not out of the woods QUITE yet.

Time to bring out the heavy guns. Start praying to St. Bernadette to heal your mom. Hmm, perhaps I should find a novena to St. B. Found one, http://www.thesacredheart.com/nbernadt.htm.

Prayers, vibes and happy thoughts coming your way, my friend.

Prayers and vibes for Jou Jou heading out from Kansas. Also to you and all the family as you help her through this. Remember to take care of yourself.

Massive healing vibes for Jou Jou coming from Florida...hope they slay those microbes in no time!!

Ima Facultiwyfe wrote:

All this sounds sort of familiar. PICC lines, plastic surgeons, etc. Tilly's personal vibe deliveries at DUMC have been our best medicine! She just has to grunt a little harder to get them sent long distance. But, she can do it. Believe you me!!!!

Hug Jou Jou for us. More vibes to you guys.
Love, Ima

I thought of you when I read the post...how is your daughter doing these days Ima...haven't had an update in a while.

windsor wrote:

Ima Facultiwyfe wrote:

All this sounds sort of familiar. PICC lines, plastic surgeons, etc. Tilly's personal vibe deliveries at DUMC have been our best medicine! She just has to grunt a little harder to get them sent long distance. But, she can do it. Believe you me!!!!

Hug Jou Jou for us. More vibes to you guys.
Love, Ima

I thought of you when I read the post...how is your daughter doing these days Ima...haven't had an update in a while.

Thanks Windsor. This thread being just for Jou Jou, I don't want to side track it. I'll post a separate little update on us soon, though.
Love you guys, Ima

I'm rolling out my strongest vibes and prayers. Please keep us updated.

Sending MUCHO VIBES and PRAYERS to your Mom, bjornolf and the family from across the street !!!! If you NEED ANYTHING, don't hesitate to give me a call!!!!!

Sending some HUGE vibes for bjornolf mama!

renewed vibes from St. Louis for a speedy recovery!

Thanks so much. I'm not sure what this means, maybe DD or one of the other medical experts can help me. It turns out that my mom has something very rare called a "negative gram" infection. Apparently, most infections are "positive gram", so they'd been treating her with antibiotics for the positive ones, which weren't doing squat. Apparently, negative ones are also much harder to kill. They're waiting for the more specific culture to identify the species of the infection so they can find the right drug to fight it. The plastic surgeon is trying to figure out how to attack it. We'll see. Like I said, maybe one of our medical experts can tell me the difference.

bjornolf wrote:Thanks so much. I'm not sure what this means, maybe DD or one of the other medical experts can help me. It turns out that my mom has something very rare called a "negative gram" infection. Apparently, most infections are "positive gram", so they'd been treating her with antibiotics for the positive ones, which weren't doing squat. Apparently, negative ones are also much harder to kill. They're waiting for the more specific culture to identify the species of the infection so they can find the right drug to fight it. The plastic surgeon is trying to figure out how to attack it. We'll see. Like I said, maybe one of our medical experts can tell me the difference.

Gram - vs gram + infections. Depends on the "gram stain" in the microbiology lab whether the bacteria "takes up" the biologic "stain" or not. Has to do with cell membranes. Gram - ones are generally more virulent/aggressive/difficult to treat. Gram + ones are usually staph or strep, more common bacterial infections. That's about my the extent of my microbiology/infectious disease knowledge from over 25 years ago . Hope that helps.

bjornolf wrote:Thanks so much. I'm not sure what this means, maybe DD or one of the other medical experts can help me. It turns out that my mom has something very rare called a "negative gram" infection. Apparently, most infections are "positive gram", so they'd been treating her with antibiotics for the positive ones, which weren't doing squat. Apparently, negative ones are also much harder to kill. They're waiting for the more specific culture to identify the species of the infection so they can find the right drug to fight it. The plastic surgeon is trying to figure out how to attack it. We'll see. Like I said, maybe one of our medical experts can tell me the difference.

Gram - have an additional external membrane...hence they don't take up the stain like Gram + bacteria do. (by the way Gram is someones name)Because of the additional exteranl membrane, they are harder to kill. In addition, the extra membrane is a toxin in and of itself...so they are nasty bugs...

Proteobacteria, Chlamydias, Spirochetes and Bacteroides are gram- (Ecoli is a protobacteria)

The antibiotics used have to absorb the external membrane first, then kill the critter.


Sending vibes to you, Jou Jou and the whole family:

Gram - super strong vibes coming your way. Note the reverse direction.
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More prayers and vibes heading to VA:



And some Gram - fighters, too:




And a few for Bjornoff. Hurry up and wait is the hardest part of medicine.

bjornolf, these are some of the very same bugs we have been fighting for nearly two years now with our daughter. Your story sounds achingly familiar. Our fight was made doubly difficult due to the fact that she was allergic to many of the antibiotics they wanted to use and also that they could not locate the actual source of the recurring infections, which turned out to be a compromised colon.

The infectious disease team told us that the solution was about 80% surgical and 20% antibiotic. So they will, as you have found out already, go in and clean out as much as they see and then apply the appropriate antibiotic to handle the rest.

They've got plenty of stuff to fight the gram negs. They'll get it. Just stay positive. Do all you can to keep her spirits up.......and your own, for that matter. The support of the folks on this board is invaluable and it's here 24/7. I came here and read and re-read the posts often in the middle of the night. Just soak up all these vibes. They really do work.
Love, Ima

OMG! More vibes and prayers to get those "gram -" bacteria germs heading your way, partner!!!!