December 22, 2013
Dear partners, we still need your prayers for LaVerne.
LaVerne met with the infectious disease doctor Thursday. There is no evidence of infection in the fluid that was examined. The doctor is baffled. He does not know why the knee is once again red and swollen. He says it is may not be infected but is mimicking infection. Or, there is inflection down deep where they did not get ther sample.
He recommended that LaVerne continue for two more weeks elevating her leg and receiving the strong antibiotic delivered at home (usually by a visiting nurse) thru her PICC IV port. If there is no infection, the antibiotic is not doing anything positive. But if there is an infection, it is essential to continue it.
The orthopedic surgeon that did the knee replacement surgery in 2012 and her knee cap realignment/attachment recently, and who re-opened the incision and flushed it and removed the fluid pockets, is at a loss too. He said, in effect, that if nothing else works to restore the knee to health, the only thing left is to remove the artificial knee and clean everything and start over, installing a new one!
To my mind, that is no guarantee of solving the problem; it is an assumption that since A did not work then B is the only other alternative.
There can be complications from being on the strong antibiotic for so long, too.
May God answer our prayers with mercy and healing.
We were supposed to spend our vacation week in our time share on Cocoa Beach starting today, but the nurse and surgeon recommend that LaVerne not go out more than she needs to so as to limit her exposure to various germs that are not in our home. LaVerne was not able to do Christmas shopping. She may not be able to go out to eat for Christmas and she is not likely to be able to be on her feet to cook for Christmas. Changes! (Guess I could cook Christmas dinner or go out and bring it to her!)
Do be earnest and faithful in prayer for LaVerne,
Thanks,
and Blessed Christmas,
Georges