It is finished.....

ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

I have spoken with a total of SIX medical professionals over the course of a week........from ER Nurse Practitioners, to a General Surgeon. NO ONE has the same thought or idea on what's wrong with my back/shoulder. My original culture from last Saturday in the ER (where this all started), came back after a 3-day cook time, as negative/no growth. At all. So, as far as any testing goes, there was NO bacterial infection involved......which ALL six docs have disagreed with. So.....we know the culture was bad. Therefore, on Wednesday, when I had to go BACK in to ER, they decided to treat it as MRSA.....even though they had no medical PROOF.

So....fine......that's how I have been getting care.....as if I had MRSA. I was getting my incision repacked everyday, as per ER on Wednesday. This weekend, my doctor was not in, so my friend has a cousin who is a local doctor. I went to his house, and he cared for me by repacking my incision..........and draining the wound on Saturday. Said he got over an ounce of "stuff" from it. Gave me 2 Rx's, and an Rx for my family to start putting up their nose, as that's where the bacteria lives. I more than doubled up on my antibiotics.

Saw my doctor this morning. He took one look and said "Cancel the trip". He felt that the wound was doing much better, and looked like it had been completely drained. However, he is still of the belief that the wound needs to be repacked daily. He then agreed to the diagnosis that the weekend doc gave, which was to get a General Surgeon involved. He called two surgeons while we were in the room, waiting to see who would answer first, because he wanted me seen today. Got an appointment to see the General Surgeon at 1:30. Called my travel agent and cancelled the trip.

Dean took me out to a nice lunch at Yoshino's, and then we headed to the Surgeon's office for a consultation. I didn't end up seeing the doctor that MY doctor had thought that I would be seeing. THIS doctor, COMPLETELY disagreed with my doctor, and said that we should go on our trip. Also said that "packing" a wound was a VERY controversial thing in the medical field, and as far as he was concerned, the wound should NOT be packed. We called our travel agent back (quickly) and told her NOT to cancel the trip yet...

***sigh***

Two, ENTIRELY different messages within a couple of hours. So, he took the packing out of my shoulder, concurred that it was a deep wound, and told me to come back on Wednesday, so that he could see how the area was reacting. I put in a call to my doctor, because he wanted to know how the appointment went today with the surgeon. Waiting to tell him the IMMENSE difference between HIS diagnosis, and the diagnosis that the surgeon gave me. Regardless, I am supposed to go back after 6 weeks of healing, and have the initial cyst removed, so that it won't cause damage/infection again. I don't know if I will be going to THAT surgeon though, as he was NOT my doctor OR my first choice.


My primary doc called tonight just before 7, and I went through the whole run-down of what all the surgeon said. He was flabberghasted. He agreed to have the packing out until Wednesday....that was fine. Not what he would have chosen...but, fine. HOWEVER.....he INSISTED that the trip be cancelled. Dean was not happy and wants to wait until Wednesday to see if the wound heals up. I'm sure it won't....and I hate to disappoint....but, there's no WAY I am going to go against my doctor when he is INSISTING on us not traveling.


Long.....day.