Mending Thumb

Buonserra-

I almost feel funny posting again about Ben's thumb, but so many people have kindly asked about it, even as of yesterday, that I thought I'd put in a few words from yesterday's follow-up appointment. This seems like a lot of appointments and follow-up treatment for one small digit, but we know better than to take a chance on any nasty bacteria surviving...and they don't seem to go down without a fight.

Bill reports that Dr. S. was much more satisfied with the way Thumbkin looked, and there was no need for further draining (or long anesthetic needles). He also said that Ben can stop the hydrogen peroxide soaks, which is one less thing to do.

Ben does need to continue on the antibiotic and was also given a refill for 10 more days. Dr. S. wants to make sure that this infection is killed. He is going to be out of town for a few days, and he wanted to make sure something did not flare up while he was gone.

He wants to see Ben again next Wednesday (I think we can just set the car on auto-pilot to get to Rockford Orthopedic now) to check on it for, hopefully, the last time. The plan is for Ben to stop the med on Sunday, allowing a couple of days without it before the next appointment. If these last 10 days of antibiotic do not kill the infecting bacteria, then the couple of days without meds will allow it to flare up just before the next appointment, when Dr. S. can get another look. If this last course of meds kills it, then we are done. If not, we will not be happy campers and will have to see what's next: probably a stronger drug that is harder on the system. But, I remind myself that in the days before antibiotic therapy, a lot of people died from rampant bacterial infection.

Perhaps some of this extra caution means he is taking Ben's recent medical history into account with this treatment. We are cautiously hopeful that this little incident does not mean Ben will be more susceptible to and harder hit by infections in the future.

His glucose readings have been more reasonable lately, but still bouncing a bit [104, 87, 140,11, 74]. Of course, Ben still is not testing often enough or noting the times he eats or exercises in relation to the timing of these readings. I have nagged him about this repeatedly, and even spoken to him in English...we are supposed to fax more detailed readings into the endocrinologist next week. Ben knows that this testing scenario can be as pleasant or unpleasant as he wants to make it...compliance = no loss of privileges or outside activities, while the reverse is also true. This stuff makes me old and tired.

The last two days, Ben has gone to track practice and, though he comes home exhausted, he is able to keep up. He has also returned to work (three or four nights a week at the frame shop); so far he reports that the eccentric lady who strongly resembles me (perhaps my secret lunatic twin) has not appeared lately...but that may be changing. Word on the street is that she unearthed the Scottie travel poster that was supposed to be framed and hung in the powderroom, after our painter friend transformed it to Highland Green....