Tiny Update

On Tuesday I have an appointment with another orthopedic surgeon to get a second opinion. I am pretty confident in what I want to do. Both my surgeon and ID specialist agree with each other about what needs to be done - surgery to remove the infected part of my tibia and packing the space left with antibiotics beads, followed by a bone graft from my left hip 2-3 months later. It sounds like a good plan. It is a good plan... I don't really want to go through with it, but I want to get rid of the infection, and that ultimately trumps not wanting more surgery. But second opinions are not bad; my surgeon says I have a right to get one , so I might as well take advantages of it... and it can never hurt to get more input. I am hopeful that a date for surgery will be scheduled soon. I would like to have it done as soon after second semester ends (August 15) as possible.

In three weeks, first semester ends. I was going to treat myself to a Lego set (three birds you can build and put on display) as a reward for making it through first semester, which the instructors say is usually the hardest semester, but I have decided to wait now until I have surgery - will be a nice reward and way to spend an afternoon. I have done so well in school that I don't think I need a reward to motivate me to keep going... surgery on the other hand... I will need all the motivation I can get.

My leg has been bothering me more the last two weeks. I wouldn't necessarily say it hurts more often, but I have been getting more strange tugging or tingling sensations in it ( peers in my clinical group say I look like I am definitely favoring the other leg), and when it does hurt, the pain is deeper and stops me, kind of takes my breath away. I am super tired all the time (I know I am working very hard for final projects and exams, but that is only part of it), and the chills have increased.

I am still on Doxycycline - likely will be on it at least until surgery. The headaches it was giving me thankfully went away, but it is causing some stomach issues. Oh, and staining my front teeth - it did this last time I was on it as well. Despite brushing my teeth really well at least twice a day and flossing, it still came back. Usually going to the dentist for a good clean fixes it, so I will try to book an appointment during the two weeks off between first and second semester.

There is more I would like to mentioned, but I have an early morning tomorrow. I have moved back home for April before my lease for second semester starts in May, so I am carpooling to school with a classmate. If we don't leave super early we get stuck in traffic. I will try to post more this week once I get some more projects done and I get my second opinion.