My name is Nancy Rattigan and I’m 58 years old. I’m retired now, but used to be a trimmer (upholsterer) that did mainly custom cars, boats and occasionally furniture. I am by no means a couch potato. I have been battling the crippling effects of osteoarthritis since the early 80’s and it had gotten to the point where I had to have both hips replaced.

This is where my MRSA story begins. On February 6, 2007, I was admitted, perfectly healthy
with all normal pre-test results, to Baltimore/Washington Medical Center in Glen Burnie, Maryland, USA. I was scheduled to have my left hip replaced. I walked into the hospital without so much as the need of a cane.

The surgery seemed to go well. My surgeon, Dr. Courtney said that all of the X-rays showed the implant to be in the proper position. I was expected to spend 3 more days in the hospital and then go home. On the second day, when I was asked to walk, I did. My left knee was very swollen and it made walking difficult. However, I did manage and was able to do whatever the physical therapist required of me.

It was noted that my left leg, the one that just received the implant, was about 2 cm longer than the right leg. This made using a walker very difficult, for I wasn’t supposed to put much weight on the healing joint. However, I managed.

I was released and went home and continued with in home physical therapy. Again, I was experiencing more pain than I expected and my left knee was still extremely swollen. I also had a lot of groin pain on the left side.

My stitches were removed and the incision line appeared to have some infection. I am allergic to many cleaning agents and surgical tape, so it was assumed that is what was causing the irritation. This was February 21.

I was admitted on March 8 to Baltimore/Washington Medical Center. I was very shocky. My incision had abscessed and emergency surgery was scheduled for the next day. My incision opens sometime in the night, and I awaken to a puss soaked bed. My surgery was scheduled for the next available OR. At 1:00, a hip revision is performed. Only the ball and socket were removed, leaving the metal implant still in the thighbone. On March 12, I was informed that my
cultures tested positive for MRSA.

Since that date, I have been on IV therapy for 6 weeks using 600 mg Zyvox. I continued with infections after the Zyvox was discontinued and was switched to Cubicin (daptomycin) for 6 weeks. When this failed to control the infection, I was handed off to Dr. Mont and Dr. Delanois at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland. They decided the entire prosthetic must come out. I was scheduled for surgery on July 12 to have the implant removed and a spacer inserted.

I was also kept on Cubicin and Bactrim for the next 6 weeks. My next surgery was scheduled for September 24 assuming that the infection could be checked.

On September 24, the spacer was removed and a new hip implant was successfully implanted. I had to wear a brace from waist to foot for at least 5 weeks. I was released on September 27 and went home. I was feeling sore, but did not have the fevers and general feeling of illness that I had experienced in the past. My biggest problem was sleeping and of course pain.

The brace had to be retrofitted. It was causing lots of blistering. Once it was refitted, however, I was able to wear it and move about my house fairly freely. I was also using a power chair.

My staples were removed on October 4 and the incision line looked great. I was doing amazingly well.

I saw Dr. Delanois on October 31 and he was absolutely astounded at my progress. He told me at this time that he and Dr. Mont did not even think they would be able to save my life when they originally decided to take my case. He was ecstatic! So was I! I was told that I could discard the brace and walk with a cane. He did tell me, however, that it was premature to think I had beaten MRSA. I am still in the earliest stages of recovery.



[Artist Scott Westmoreland - Permission granted for use of parrot painting. See more of Scott's artwork by clicking painting.]