You Have Got to be Kidneying Me!

Well as if juggling school (and all the work that comes along) with my dislocations, pain, and physical therapy wasn't enough, now I have a kidney infection. I started noticing symptoms (that didn't seem normal) on Monday when I was experiencing knife stabbing back pain. Back pain is 'normal' for me but this didn't seem right. However, I put it off as muscular and made sure to tell Cam at PT on Tuesday. Tuesday was horrible. The back pain got worse and was radiating to the front. Cam tried to work on the area, still hoping it was just a bad muscle spasm. We tried heat as that usually helps...but it didn't. Then I started to feel like my groin was on fire and knew something was wrong. After PT I called my primary and was seen immediately. My back pain was directly over the kidney's and the test came back positive for infection. Great!

My PCP told me that if my fever went above 101 and/or if the pain worsened to go immediately to the ER. Thankfully that hasn't happened.

I am on antibiotics for 14 days--taking Ciprofloxacin. I will have another test next week to see if the antibiotics are working. I have noticed a slight difference in symptoms since I started taking Cipro yesterday. Hopefully my symptoms continue to improve.

*Fun fact: Ciprofloxacin is the antibiotic used to combat Anthrax--> I learned this on NCIS (my favorite TV show).

Aside from my kidney infection, my hip pain (a result of psoas/rectus femoris tears) is still horrible. Cam hasn't cleared me to start walking and I am getting very frustrated. Hopefully the pain calms down enough to allow me to start "learning" how to walk properly. The crutches are really taking a toll on my shoulder.

My right shoulder has been subluxating more frequently. Cam has been taping it to help train the surrounding muscles (particularly around my scapula) to fire in the correct order. Surgery is not until next summer, so hopefully I am able to get off crutches soon (or switch to a cane) to limit the amount of subluxations/dislocations I have.

My left shoulder has been sore lately which is likely a result of increasing the weight/strength of some of my exercises. Because I was limited in what I was able to do on Tuesday, I don't believe my shoulder will be discharged tomorrow--hopefully next week! It is still doing well and right now is really the only joint that doesn't cause any problems.

Both of my knees still hurt. Thankfully my brace (Bledsoe 20.50) has helped prevent any subluxations/dislocations. I am still waiting to hear back from the surgical scheduler on the official dates for my reconstructive knee surgery (TTT Osteotomy and MPFL reconstruction) and ankle surgery (Chrisman Snook procedure). I really hope we have the dates soon--as I need to inform my professors if I have to take a final early.

Hopefully next week goes a little smoother...