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Dear forum,


My wife (87) was in great shape. Only 1 health issue: Suprapubic catheter.


It worked perfectly. We get it changed every 3 months.


(We live at home. We manage. We have everything set up for IL, AL, etc., when/if necessary.)


We have a great private urologist. We decided to try the public urologist, since it’s cheaper. Our private urologist said: that’s fine and we can still ask him for any advice. He’s very kind.


Extremely unfortunately, it went very wrong with the changing of the tube/catheter at the hospital (public urologist).


My wife caught bacterias, resistant bacterias as well. Enormous infection.


I warn you to be careful where you get your catheter changed.


Our private urologist is fantastic. His clinic is very clean, sterile.


We didn’t realize it would be risky at the hospital. Of course we wouldn’t have done it, had we known.


My wife got hospitalized. She might have to stay long.


I’m extremely sad.

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Don't blame yourself here. There is really no one to blame. Unfortunately, antibiotic-resistant bacterial infection with catheters can happen with any doctor, any hospital, the nicest SNF or at your house.

As her DH, I'm guessing that you are about or slightly older than she is. Examine your care plan closely. Should she become increasingly immobile or need to wear Depends for fecal incontinence, you will increasingly need more help.
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pleaseheal Mar 2022
Thank you for your answer! Very appreciated.

I feel your kindness!

By the way, I don’t blame myself. I wish we hadn’t gone there.

We’ve gone to the private doctor for years. Excellent.

Some places are riskier than others. We never realized. I never imagined this would happen.

We’re well organized for the future.

I’m extremely sad about the present. Great health, and now my wife has many problems.

I know sometimes people make miraculous recoveries.

Our private urologist is very sad too. He’ll help us as soon as she gets out of hospital. He will check the catheter, etc.
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I'm sorry that you and your wife are having to go through this, but it's not your fault or perhaps even the hospitals. Supra pubic catheters can be tricky to say the least. My husband had one for the last 22 months of his life, and had his changed every 4 months. The first time was by his urologist at his office, and then the majority of the remainder of times was changed by the hospice nurses in our home, though only one actually knew what she was doing. And only once when the hospice nurse couldn't get it back in, was my husband transported to the ER for a urologist to reinsert it there. which was quite the fiasco to say the least. But all that being said, he thankfully never got an infection from any changing of it, though it often caused him pain.
I hope she will recover fully, and that you will remain strong and positive for her. God bless you.
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pleaseheal Mar 2022
Thank you so much for your kind wishes!!!

It’s not my fault at all.
I just wish we hadn’t gone there.

We’ve changed the catheter for years with our private urologist. No problems ever.

Thanks for your words!
I speak to my wife in a very happy tone.

I am actually extremely sad. I hide it. But today I cried. I managed to hide my face. She only heard my positive voice.

Very luckily her mind is sharp. This disaster hasn’t affected her mind.

The new problems are all physical. Dangerous problems.

Thank you for your message.

If problems had emerged…that’s one thing. One gets problems in life.

But all these problems emerged because of deciding to go to a different doctor, public.

Of course, our private doctor also didn’t imagine this would happen.

Sending warmth and good wishes to everyone.
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UPDATE: A lot of luck. My wife today came home from hospital. She is all right. But she’ll have to do physio now, to learn how to sit, stand, walk again. After lying down for many days in hospital, she’s too weak

Warning to others:

Please be careful where you change the catheter.

As TChamp wrote:
“Hospitals are full of bacteria. It's the easiest place to catch an infection. Many of those bacteria are resistant to antibiotics.”

There is no doubt that’s what happened.

Our private urologist saw her at home. She’ll be OK. He’s helping her.

Thank you for your kindness, forum!!!
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pleaseheal Mar 2022
Have a great Saturday!!

Another update:

My wife’s weakness is gone!! Healed!! Walking again just fine. (Physio worked!!)

Thanks for all your support!!!! Truly.
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The truth is, bad things often happen for no reason; to good people, and it's nobody's 'fault'. Germs and bacteria exist everywhere, even in the private urologist's office where this very thing easily COULD have happened. Try not to blame the hospital or the public urologist or yourself. We all do things in an effort to save money, never knowing how things will turn out. Just have faith that your wife will heal and get past this blip in time and be back home before you know it.

In 2011, my mother developed pulmonary emboli which should have killed her, but didn't. She pulled through, when she wasn't expected to.........and went on to live another 11 years.

Miracles DO happen, every day of the year. Praying for you and for your wife that she heals and you are reunited once again.
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pleaseheal Mar 2022
Thank you for your kind words!!!

Miracles do happen…Ohhh I hope so, for my wife - and for so many who wish it in their own lives.

Actually, I do think hospitals have more resistant bacterias than other places (for example one’s home…or our private doctor’s office. He has a small clean/sterile office. His clients are less sick, than the many patients at the hospital). I never imagined however that where we change catheters (special part of hospital), it would be risky.

With hindsight vision…that expression:
if it isn’t broken, don’t fix it.

We had the perfect doctor.
Arghhhhhh.
If we had stayed with him.

But yes, we thought about money. And our private urologist also thought it would be fine: standard procedure.

Thanks for your very nice wishes!!!!

PLEASE HEAL
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PleaseHeal, such great news!!
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pleaseheal Mar 2022
THANK YOU.
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I am so sorry this happened. It may just be a coincidence that the infection was caught at that time - or not. But infections can just happen to.

I wish your wife a speedy recovery & peace to your both.
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pleaseheal Mar 2022
Thanks!!!
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Hospitals are full of bacteria. It's the easiest place to catch an infection. Many of those bacteria are resistant to antibiotics.
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pleaseheal Mar 2022
CORRECT
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Pleaseheal, thank you for the update it is great to hear good news. 🙏
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