Update on Pat

Just an update on our status here. As some may know, Pat got a serious infection in his leg where he had his achilles tendon repaired. We went to the McKennan ER on Frid Dec 26 in Sioux Falls-he was gushing out blood and clotty substances from his suture. They sent us home with a couple oral antibiotics. By Sunday it was much worse with swelling, oozing, and more coloring, so back to the ER we go. This time the orthopedic surgeon came to look at it and without hesitating said that surgery was imminent. The infection was so bad that had he waited another day or two he would have lost his leg. He reopened the wound and found nothing but infection which basically "ate" his achilles and he no longer has one. He has a wound vac on his leg now that is sucking out all the bad stuff and will have that for about another week. Pat also had another surgery Tues to go into his open wound cleaning out more of the infection. We did get good news then that the infection looks so much better than it did and from the wound culture results learned that it was a garden variety staph infection-I guess that's the good kind of them. We get of the hospital tomorrow. Olivia has been with Pat's family in Iowa and gets back tomorrow. We appreciate the help so much and miss her like crazy. We were supposed to fly out Sun back to Alb but Pat needs his foot elevated, and besides will be having his wound vac attached, along with a picc line that I have to administer antibiotics every 8 hrs for the next two weeks, and having lots of luggage, Olivia, and her stroller. So, our great friends Jerry and Nadine Beck in Alb offered to drive our expedition up to Sioux Falls and drive us home. We can't thank them enough for their generosity. Once we get back Pat has to have plastic surgery done. He no longer has his achilles so before anything can be done, a plastic surgeon has to either put on a free flap-a graft taken from his calf or stomach to put over his open wound, or a tissue expander. Once that is done and healed then he will go back to an orthopedic surgeon, have it reopened and have an achilles put in. I guess he's looking at 3 to 4 more surgeries and months of recovery. I will keep you posted on any upcoming news, results, etc.