ANOTHER INFECTION

Ron has just been diagnosed with another infection...it is referred to as VRE.... it is basically a staph infection that is resistant to Vancomycin....Vancomycin Resistant Ecococci.... In reading about this infection it is one that patients who have been in the hospital awhile are prone to getting it...especially patients who are immunosuppressed..such as Ron ...it is a bacteria that can stay dormant for some time. It is now the hospital's policy to swab every patient that comes in the hospital for various staph infections. They tell me Ron probably came in with it...but my guess is...because he was in the hospital for so long before...he contacted it here prior to leaving two and half weeks ago. I don't believe they were testing patients back in December when we arrived. I don't believe it started until the first of the year. Just one more thing he has to deal with. His heart rate has increased quite a bit in the last couple of hours ...going as high as 150bpm. He is in and out of irregular rhythm and tachy. They suspect the antibody rejection is causing this....we are still waiting for the red cross to arrive to start his plasmapheresis. I have been pushing for the doctors to up his beta blocker dose for now...but I can't seem to get anyone to agree with me...they are worried that it will drop his blood pressure...and Dr. Smith is not in the hospital right now. She was suppose to be here ten minutes ago 20 minutes ago. The Red Cross has just arrived to do his plasmapheresis...it will run about 2 hours. His temp has gone up again to 39 ...which is just under 103. I hope they give him something soon...he cannot continue with a temp like this much longer. The nurse is just as frustrated because she cannot do anything without a doctor's order. Will keep you posted.