Ock is out of service.

[Jaxson]

Sending you healing thoughts!

[Ocklawaha]

Hello friends, Diane is correct, there is some sort of raging infection going on inside, and no apparent cause, and no apparent way to negate it.  I've been in a downward spiral with the back pain over the last 2 months, going from moving slower to using a cane, to barely using a cane, to a walker to a bed! All this time everyone thought it was 'just the back acting up +/-' Not so. With normal white count between 5-10 mine was 28 when the admitted me.

In the area of the lower spine injury a CT scan picked up inflamed tissue running from the tailbone to the kidney, but what is unusual is there is no trail leading there. No obvious injury, bleeding, intrusion, etc. The dangerous spot is about 1/2 the size of your fist and pressed against the spine, between the spine and bowel. Normally they would go in with diagnostic radiology run in a needle and pull out a sample if not the poison itself. Not here, too close to many touchy areas. Surgery isn't keen on opening up the area with many of the same fears. So gallons of IV fluid laced with a couple of powerful antibiotics washing through me the white count has finally turned downward.

Epidurals and other exotic VA 'cures' are off the table into the foreseeable future. If they can discover how this happened and how we might get at it and remove it, I'd be home free. According the the Mayo team, this is completely 'new' to any of them and we are literally making it up as we go. I'll keep you posted with any more dramatic changes. Until then, thank you for your prayers, cares and wishes.

[buckethead]

We are all hoping and praying for your speedy and complete recovery, Ock.

Of course you are aware that you are more than just a member, founder, or rail expert. You are an irreplaceable resource.

So... with regard for you and yours, as well as selfishly, I am pulling for you.

That, and I really admire your compassion for others. You influence me to strive to be a better person.

We love you, Ock.

[If_I_Loved_you]

We are all hoping and praying for your speedy and complete recovery, Ock.

Of course you are aware that you are more than just a member, founder, or rail expert. You are an irreplaceable resource.

So... with regard for you and yours, as well as selfishly, I am pulling for you.

That, and I really admire your compassion for others. You influence me to strive to be a better person.

We love you, Ock.

+1000

[ben says]

Hello friends, Diane is correct, there is some sort of raging infection going on inside, and no apparent cause, and no apparent way to negate it.  I've been in a downward spiral with the back pain over the last 2 months, going from moving slower to using a cane, to barely using a cane, to a walker to a bed! All this time everyone thought it was 'just the back acting up +/-' Not so. With normal white count between 5-10 mine was 28 when the admitted me.

In the area of the lower spine injury a CT scan picked up inflamed tissue running from the tailbone to the kidney, but what is unusual is there is no trail leading there. No obvious injury, bleeding, intrusion, etc. The dangerous spot is about 1/2 the size of your fist and pressed against the spine, between the spine and bowel. Normally they would go in with diagnostic radiology run in a needle and pull out a sample if not the poison itself. Not here, too close to many touchy areas. Surgery isn't keen on opening up the area with many of the same fears. So gallons of IV fluid laced with a couple of powerful antibiotics washing through me the white count has finally turned downward.

Epidurals and other exotic VA 'cures' are off the table into the foreseeable future. If they can discover how this happened and how we might get at it and remove it, I'd be home free. According the the Mayo team, this is completely 'new' to any of them and we are literally making it up as we go. I'll keep you posted with any more dramatic changes. Until then, thank you for your prayers, cares and wishes.

Could this be something you picked up in Colombia?

[Ocklawaha]

Between tests this AM.

Ben, no, Colombia had no role in this mystery.

Current MD team thoughts are:

Got some bad food, threw up (lowering BP) stood up (lowering it again) hit the wall then the floor HARD, causing internal bleeding around the back injury introducing an infected mass...??

Got epidural injections at the VA in Gainesville, a bacteria was accidentally introduced near the spine, which may have caused the nausea and passing out and indirectly a LOT more pain...??

or, similar to #1 theory, except the fall did not cause bleeding in which case the bacteria came in via food, but this seems the most unlikely according to the current findings...??

The worst part of the whole treatment thing is we don't really know what, or how, so 'cure' is a little elusive. The other part I'd love to lose is the daily injections in the stomach! OUCH!

Okay friends, best head out, more MRI's and ? today. White count is finally down under a blistering, non-stop, 40 gallons an hour, 3 antibiotic 'attack' and they are talking a somewhat tethered release tomorrow or 'midweek.' But any release if going to be loaded with RX and 'conditions.' Kind of makes me wonder if Pella can install a window on my back?

[Cheshire Cat]

So glad you checked in with us Bob.  Will continue to keep you in my thought's a prayers.  The antibiotics will do their thing and you will get well I know it.  The doctors may never figure out what really happened.  You getting well is what count's to all of us. 

[Ocklawaha]

Surgery is now a certainty...  So is another week in the Mayo Clinic but I may get a break between stays. Test results say this mystery 'abscess' is organizing - IE: getting worse and more specific in nature and location. A couple of weeks of additional antibody bombing should give it time to do whatever it is going to do. At that point they think they can go in and remove it. They have said this will NOT be an in and out procedure. More tests today, trying to separate whatever additional damage I did to the back in my fall, and whatever needs to be done for the neighboring infection. Both need to be fixed, but one is painful the other deadly. RX is here, so I've got to check out. Thank you ALL for your great wishes and prayers.

[Jason]

I sure do wish you all the best and will keep you in my prayers, Bob.  Keep fightin!

[If_I_Loved_you]

Surgery is now a certainty...  So is another week in the Mayo Clinic but I may get a break between stays. Test results say this mystery 'abscess' is organizing - IE: getting worse and more specific in nature and location. A couple of weeks of additional antibody bombing should give it time to do whatever it is going to do. At that point they think they can go in and remove it. They have said this will NOT be an in and out procedure. More tests today, trying to separate whatever additional damage I did to the back in my fall, and whatever needs to be done for the neighboring infection. Both need to be fixed, but one is painful the other deadly. RX is here, so I've got to check out. Thank you ALL for your great wishes and prayers.

Here is a quote From DWIGHT EISENHOWER (1890-1969)
The qualities of a great man are "vision, integrity, courage, understanding, the power of articulation, and profundity of character." this quote fits you Bob. I'm praying for you, family, friends and the Medical staff at Mayo. 

[Cheshire Cat]

Sorry to hear you are facing surgery Bob.  I know you have a great attitude about challenges like this and you will beat this one.  I will be thinking of you and remain with you in spirit during this time old friend.

[Cheshire Cat]

Just was able to have a short chat with our friend Bob.  I was hoping he would be doing much better by now.  Sadly, he is still struggling with this strange and undefined infection that has the doctors at Mayo more than puzzled.  Bob tells me that they have done more tests than he can count trying to find out what the infection is and how he got it.  They keep coming back to the conclusion that this infection must have been introduced into his system because of it's location with no apparent links to any other organs or areas of infection.  They are thinking this may have been introduced when he received some VA administered shots in his lower back.  He tells me he is on three very strong antibiotic meds which seem to be fighting the infection but as soon as they try and back off the meds, his fever spikes again.  Long story short, our old buddy still needs our thoughts and prayers of support.  Apparently he is going to undergo some more professional  scrutiny at Mayo tomorrow.  Let's hope they find something definitive and that will lead the way to Bob's cure a.s.a.p. 

[Dog Walker]

There was a series of articles recently about a compounding pharmacy in South Carolina (?) that managed to ship out a whole bunch of injectable steroids intended for the spine that were contaminated with some sort of mold.  A number of people ended up with mold infections in their spinal canal as a result.

Maybe Ock has run into something similar.

Hang in their, friend.  You are in the best possible place in the world.

[Josh]

There was a series of articles recently about a compounding pharmacy in South Carolina (?) that managed to ship out a whole bunch of injectable steroids intended for the spine that were contaminated with some sort of mold.  A number of people ended up with mold infections in their spinal canal as a result.

Maybe Ock has run into something similar.

Hang in their, friend.  You are in the best possible place in the world.

Pretty unlikely since I believe all of those contaminated shots were administered almost a year ago by now, and symptoms would probably have occurred long ago by now. That would probably be the first thing they would be looking at in tests as well.

I had two of those injections this summer, and the neurosurgeon said that particular type of compound was not ever used in epidural injections in the Jacksonville area as far as he was aware.

[If_I_Loved_you]

"When you suffer, you are being conformed to the image of Jesus. When you pray, you are being made holy in the image of Jesus. When you quietly serve a person in need, you are being shaped into the image of Jesus. When you generously give, your heart is being remade into the image of Jesus, our Lord and Savior."
― Allen R. Hunt

I also hope and pray you get better Robert W. Mann aka Ocklawaha.