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Hi All,
So, my stepdad is hospitalized right now with pretty serious declining health. He has been taken away by ambulance about 3 times in the last month and a half and is now considering moving to hospice care. It's been really shocking, as he was very active and full of life just a couple of months ago.
As some of you know, I was doing really well in treatment with Matia until late November, when I came down with a serious UTI from staph bacteria that I have yet to fully beat. It is getting much better, but my life went from almost normal to living in the bathroom for several months. My stepdad is in a hospital that is a little over an hour's drive from where I live, so I have not been to see him there, as it's a bit of a long car ride for me still.
We got a notice in the mail yesterday from the hospital that he is testing positive for VRE (vancomycin resisitant enterococcus). None of the hospital staff has mentioned this to my family, but this note made it sound kind of serious and it mentioned a lot about hard to treat uti's. I have been doing the classic ICer thing for the last 12 hours of worrying that visiting him could be a bad idea for me, as I don't know how serious it is to expose myself to VRE. It's making me reticent about gearing up to take a big trip, only to expose myself to serious bacteria. That said, this is a member of my family who is really ill and I don't want to be alarmist and miss out of being supportive.
Do any of you have any info on ease of VRE transmission? I'm just wondering if I'm being overly worried or intelligently cautious...
I think this is a reasonable
I think this is a reasonable question and you should discuss with Dr. Brizman. Also ask the hospital what precautions they take. If you wear disposable gloves I can't imagine there would be much of an issue. But with c-difficile and others they sometimes quarantine the person. It is very sad that your step father has fallen so ill and has now acquired a hospital infection. I wish he could treat with Boaz.
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
Oh and a mask too!
Oh and a mask too!
If we don't excel at health, the only other option is disease.
Claire,
Claire,
I work in a Neonatal ICU so I see VRE infections occasionally. You should be fine to visit as long as you wash your hands with soap and water and wear gloves if you will be touching him. They may even have yellow gowns for you to wear if you need to. Just take the precautions that the hospital enforces and you should be fine. I would find out where his VRE infection is located and if they have treated it. It's just another bacteria that gets out of control due to antibiotic overuse. VRE is transferred from hands to different surfaces. It is not airborne.
Jessica
Hi Claire! So sorry to hear
Hi Claire! So sorry to hear about your stepdad. Like the others have said unless really touching bodily fluids that are contaminated saliva, urine, feces open wounds you should be fine visiting. To be extra careful ask the hospital for a gown and gloves and if in his respiratory tract and he is coughing a lot wear a mask. And wash hands well after contact with him. Many hugs!
Thanks girls - I knew there
Thanks girls - I knew there were several of you who work in the healthcare field with far more know-how about this than I have. Very helpful to know the fuller story from those with experience around this. I think I'll double check with Matia, and my mom was going to ask the Drs. today about what it all means for visitors.
What an intense time this is. I appreciate all of your well-wishes, too.
Claire, Although I have
Claire, Although I have nothing to add regarding the VRE discussion, I did want to write in and tell you how sorry I am about your step-dad. This has been quite a year for you. Your family is in my thoughts, Katie
Claire- so sorry. I just
Claire- so sorry. I just ironically got home from visiting my dad who is in Hospice care at home.
(((((((((((hug))))))))))))
Thanks Katie and Deir. I
Thanks Katie and Deir. I really appreciate it!
Deir, I'm so sorry to hear about your dad. I hope you have lots of support. Big hug back to you! I'm glad your dad is able to be at home. I hope you and the rest of the family caregivers are doing alright, as it is quite intense with someone dying at home, even when it's the best place for them to be.
There was an amazing story on "This American Life" on NPR today about hospice and end-of-life processes. It was really beautiful and had me in tears the whole time, but I really recommend listening to it - esp. to Deir but really to anyone. It was so sad and beautiful. You can stream it on the This American Life website starting tomorrow evening or hear it this weekend whenever its on in your area.
Thanks!! I will check that
Thanks!! I will check that out.