So Chris was diagnosed with a mild urinary tract infection last week (after the seizures), but the results came back from Methodist this evening, and it’s a combination of Escherichia coli and Acinetobacter baumannii.
A. baumannii (and E. coli) are multiple-drug resistant, so they’re a bit more serious than your standard UTI. Apparently Chris is the second patient at RIOSA who has been colonized by A. baumannii. Apparently it’s going around at Brooks Army Medical Center (BAMC) in San Antonio, too.
Not sure how Chris came down with this, but the infection raised the risk of seizures (and perhaps contributed to them last week). Argh.
Chris is now in kind of a quarantine situation at RIOSA until they can get rid of the infection (everyone entering the room has to don disposable protective gear head to toe, and it gets discarded when you leave).
Hopefully the antibiotics they’ve chosen to go after this knock it out quickly – looking at the chart, you had 2-3 antibiotics you could try (the other 8 or so on the list were ineffective).
Update – April 12th: The first urinalysis sample retrieved at Methodist Hospital came from a very old (two weeks) drainage bag; a subsequent “clean” re-test, collected at RIOSA, is showing negative results. A doctor is going to have to get involved to make sure; an incorrect diagnosis due to invalid test results could potentially put the entire hospital – patients, staff, visitors and all – in isolation for a lengthy amount of time.
That’s good to hear that there was a “clean” test now! Are they thinking he actually had the infection and treating him like he had the infection?
We think of you all daily and are sending our positve thoughts and prayers your way always!! Love ya!
Hope your brother Chris gets better. Your website is an inspiration. I can relate 100% with your pain and suffering. I have a twin brother that suffered a severe head injury in 1997. He was only 38. Since then, he requires 24 hr care at a local SA facility. He was single when this happened to him so we had no choice then to seek a facility that would take care of him. He survived but has permanent disabilties that include blindness in both eyes, severe short term memory loss and is unable to walk. I visit him at least 3 times a week. I’m grateful for the time God has given us with my brother. I will keep Chris and your family in prayer.