And drum roll please....

It's gone! The scans were clean. No trace of inflammation or infection to be found! Yippee! As of today my doctor says I am bone infection free. I'm just like everybody else now... not sick, not waiting for surgery, not in constant pain, and not being stared at while on crutches/connected to an IV line. I am just another ordinary, healthy adult, and it feels fantastic! It was about time that this infection, which has been plaguing me for far too long, has been kicked out. Final eviction notice acted upon!

I will still be on antibiotics for three more months. Not really sure yet which ones as there are some shortages going on apparently. Staying on antibiotics is to make sure that any tough little cells that have evaded surgery, IV antibiotic, and then oral antibiotics don't have a chance to grow stronger and multiply. As much as continuing them sucks because I tend to get a lot of the side effects, it is worth it to be absolutely sure nothing will come back. But my infectious disease specialist said that I should assume that the infection will not come back, reassuring me that the vast majority of her bone infection patients never relapse after being told they are cured for the first time.  I see a surgeon next week Wednesday for  x rays to  make sure the bone is filling in nicely. Early September I see infectious disease again for a followup and then in October I have what will most likely be one last MRI just to make sure that everything really really really is gone, kind of like a safety net, and obviously a follow up for the MRI results.

But none of this matter! I am infection free. The rest is just routine protocol 'just in case'.

My mom and I wanted to celebrate. BTW my mom is awesome for all the things she has put up while my infection has being treated.

We stopped at my favorite second hand book store, and as usual, I couldn't walk away without buying anything (nerd, bibliophile, whatever, call me what you will. I am ok with it). Did you know that A. A. Milne, the author of Winnie the Pooh also wrote other novels? I found this out recently, and to my surprise found a copy of one of his murder mysteries at the book store. It will be interesting to compare his writing styles. And of course, I couldn't leave without a fiction novel that includes Hadrian's wall. It was extra nice to go to the bookstore because the owner, a very old lady, who had been away for months and months due to health issues was there today. =) It was really good to see her again.

 After the bookstore we went to the market and bought orchids. Below are the ones my mom gave me. She bought darker purple ones in  black pot.

And here you see me. Can you tell how exhausted I am? I will be very very thankful in three months once the antibiotics are stopped. I think I will still pretty icky and tired for most of first semester, but by the second semester I should be back to normal... whatever normal is, because honestly, I don't even remember. I look forwards to finding out how good I can actually feel. I was still a child, 13 years old, when I got sick, while dealing with a broken home and all the issues of living with a mentally ill father, and I will come out of it as a mature, 20 year old (well in 6 weeks anyways) adult in university preparing for her future. It just feels good. =)

On Tuesday, July 12, 2011 I was diagnosed with chronic osteomyelitis, and exactly one year later, today, Thursday, July 12, 2011 I am told my infection has been successfully treated and is gone. Hurray!