Updates On Jake's Knee and Femur Surgery From Monday
Just a few updates on Jakes knee surgery. Yes it took 5 hours, but the doctor feels it was a success to allow for a future 90 degree bend with his knee to assist with sitting more comfortably and allowing him more stability to go from standing, to sitting to walking. They removed 3 pounds of hardware from his two TX surgeries from April 2014, and a large amount of bone mass was removed due to the overgrowth around his knee from his TBI. A few setbacks incurred during this round of surgeries, as the results came back on the removed bone mass at it contains a very serious bacteria, bacteria that developed from his TX surgeries. This bacteria has caused the delay for Jakes upper knee and femur fracture not to heal properly, even 14 months later. His doctor noted his fractures were still open in some areas, as the bacteria counteracted the healing process. Jake will be put on two week's ( new correction as of June 19, it will be now 7 weeks not 2 weeks) of a high dose antibiotic through a dedicated peg insertion to treat the bone infection. Jeff and I will be trained later today of how to administer the medication and monitor and keep the peg site clean. The training went well today on Friday afternoon. Who knew Jeff Harm was going to be a RN as his next career. Life is good! Jake will be on bed rest for the next two weeks and also will be utilizing a knee machine that he has to wear 14 hours a day to keep his knee in constant motion to allow for him to retain his range of motion of up to a 90 degree bend. Through all this, Jake is trying to stay in good spirits, but can't week to leave the hospital, get through the bed rest period and finally begin walking with his new knee and rod supported femur. We are hoping that Jake will be able to come home later today or by Friday morning. Included in this post is a picture of the 3 pounds of hardware removed from his TX surgeries. The hardware looks so archaic and to think this is what it took to hold his knee, femur and lower leg together......wowza. Jake is so glad to have all this removed, get the bone infection cleared and focus on his physical and occupational therapy regiment with Gundersen in LaCrosse, WI to gain back a quality walking gate and be able to gain some new independence. Thanks for the listening ear everyone, and please feel free to send our Jacob a Facebook post to keep his spirits up, or feel free to mail him a card to our home address to help the two week bedrest go by more quickly. Home address: Jake Harm 295 North Marina Drive Brownsville, MN 55919
