Tuesday, February 24, 2009
Yesterday I thought Ian was coming home. He phoned me to say he was being discharged, that he was having his staples removed and his IV canula and that once they'd got him some equivalent oral antibiotics he could go home. He sounded so happy! And I was so excited to have him home! I couldn't wait!
An hour or so later he was back on sounding so despondent. His CRP levels had gone back up to 30-something and he was having to stay in till they found out why. It's was an awful day yesterday. I cried about every hour. I think eventually I was in a state of disbelief. Now I have no medical training so I may have this totally cock-eyed, so anyone with more knowledge than me, please correct me if I'm wrong ... my understanding is that the CRP (C-reactive protein) levels are a way of measuring inflammatory response. Considering his other blood results were within normal ranges, surely it makes sense that since his skin is showing some inflammation (he now has puffy patches on his cheeks) then his CRP levels will reflect this? There is nothing else to indicate infection or anything else going on. So why do I get the impression that the orthopaedic surgeon is just waiting for an excuse to open him up again? Why can't he just come home and let the rash subside on it's own? He's been given creams for it and he's on antihistamines. He's due back for a check up in week anyway! What's going on? I want him home!
