I learned a lesson

Hi,

    I have several implants in my joints (mainly in my fingers) from RA. I have a broken implant in my left index mcp joint. The infection is clearing up with antibiotics, until I have the surgery to remove the broken implant.  I had this implant in for the past three or four years now. I think the implant has been broken since the week after surgery due to a fall I had taken on my way to see my orthopedic doctor who did the surgery. I have had warning signs that I ignored in the past that someting might be wrong with the implant, like minor infections that I just passed off as being little sores when I bumped my finger. This time when the infection showed itself again, it was worse. I ended up in the ER in so much pain. I was put on an antibotic,sent home until 12 hrs later for my next antibiotic infusion. This time the infection had spread to my whole hand. The orthopedic doctor at the hospital wanted to open up the joint surgically without clearing up the infection first which would have caused damage to my other implants. I am now seeing a specialist, (because I refused to have this doctor do the surgery that he  was to eager to do). The infection is almost cleared up and my hand looks normal except for the drainage whole in my mcp joint. I am getting ready for surgery to remove the broken implant to finish clearing up the infection without damage to my other implants. The consequencies that I would have paid for if I ignored the infection like I have done in the past, I would have lost all of my implants and the possibility of my hand. Next time I have a sore on one of my joints that I have an implant in, that secrets puss, I am calling my RA doctor, or my primary doctor to have it looked at before it gets as far as I let this one. I have learned a hard lesson this time, and it scared the heck right out of me.