Transported By Ambulance

June 3, 2022 - This afternoon, I will be transported by ambulance from the hospital, where I have been since May 13, 2022, to a "health care and rehabilitation center," where I will live and receive medical care. It's basically a "nursing home."

I do not know how long I will have to stay at the facility, but it could be two months. It depends on how long it takes my chest wounds to heal. It will be nice getting out of the hospital.

While at the facility, the wound vacuum on my chest will continue to run constantly; the bandages on my chest that hold the wound vacuum in place will continue to be changed every three days. I will continue to receive three bags of intravenous antibiotic every day, as I have been receiving here at the hospital every day since May 16, 2022. I require a total of six weeks of basically continuous, intravenous antibiotic for the staph infection within my chest and for the lingering osteomyelitis (bone infection) in my left foot. The lingering diabetic ulcer/surgical wound in my left foot will often be rebandaged. My podiatrist will continue to tend to the lingering and "healed" diabetic ulcers in both of my feet.

PHOTO: the wound vacuum covering the many wounds in my chest, June 1, 2022

WOUND VACUUM: Pieces of foam are stuffed into my wounds. Then, a long piece of thin foam padding to be attached to a hose covers my wounds. Tape placed around the foam forms a vacuum seal. The electric-powered wound vacuum is then connected to the hose to continuously suck out discharge and infected blood from within my chest. It also helps to heal wounds faster.

Recent Medical Events (2022):

MARCH 9: I had Quadruple Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

MAY 13: I entered the hospital emergency room with severe pain within my chest and within my central back; also, I was admitted to the hospital on the same day.

MAY 19: I had surgery to have metal sternal plates removed from my chest; and to have a wound vacuum installed to suck out a severe staph infection within my chest from my recent open-heart surgery.

MAY 25: My plastic reconstructive surgeon removed the wound vacuum within my chest; cleaned out the remaining infection within my chest; and mostly closed my chest by clipping off the tips of my ribs and reattaching my chest muscle flaps to my body. At that time, he installed a drain and a wound vacuum.

MAY 29: A plastic surgeon associated with my plastic reconstructive surgeon removed the drain within my chest and replaced the wound vacuum within my chest.

JUNE 1: Another plastic surgeon associated with my plastic reconstructive surgeon replaced the wound vacuum within my chest.

UPDATE: I was just informed by a nurse here at the facility that I will now receive one bag of intravenous antibiotic every day instead of three bags every day. Come to think of it, I was told in the hospital that my infectious-disease doctor changed the type of antibiotic I am receiving. Apparently the new antibiotic has a different dosage.