Looks like you need to hydrate. Motrin, and water.

quote:

Originally posted by SevenPlusOne:
Looks like you need to hydrate. Motrin, and water.

Spoken like a true Corpsman. Only thing you left out was "take a knee".

After XRay, turns out nothing broken or chipped, just strained and an infection. Joy.

Antibiotics (Cephalexin) for the next 10 days and a bit of Oxy to take at night.

Doc used a sharpie and drew a circle around the 'red'area. Gave me about an inch buffer and said if it gets red past the circle, go directly to the ER, they might need to do a surgery as there could be a puss of infection in the leg that would need to be removed. He didn't think that was the case, but didn't want to take any chances.

He was an M.D. in Afghanistan and made some half sarcastic/half respectful crack about Marines waiting til shit is practically falling off until they come see someone. I added, "unless we want to get out of something." He thought that was very funny.

Only 2 classes of complaints, in the ER: "Bullshit" and "Oh, shit!"

Today, that there is "Oh, shit!"

5 days ago, it would have been "Bullshit".

You just can't win

Glad you're on the mend.

Bruce

Good news. Take another pic now in case you wash the sharpie mark off. Sounds like the doc has seen a lot of those types of injuries. That is a good thing. Thanks for the followup.

First thing I thought when I saw that pic was Compartment Syndrome. Been there done that and when I finally hobbled into the local ER the doctor told me I was about 24 hours from developing Gangrene and having my foot amputated. They gave me a shot of some antibiotic that dropped by blood pressure like a stone for about 45 seconds or so. Vision went totally black and the nurse is yelling at me to sit down. Would have done that if I could see the damned chair. After that the doctor drew around the margin with a sharpie without any spacing at all. Then he told me if the redness didn't recede from that line within two hours I needed to come back and check in for IV therapy with a stronger anti biotic.

Note, as I learned from my experience it is rather common for a blow to the shin to lead to Compartment Syndrome. Because what can happen is a blood clot can form in a compartment in the leg that causes blood to get trapped in that veinous compartment, which then leads to Sepsis. In my case the first time was a water ski hitting me in the shin. The second time was walking in a stray bar of steel someone left sitting in the band saw. Fortunately the second time I recognized the symptoms at onset so all it took was 10 days on Cipro to clear it up.

BTW those symptoms are moderate swelling due to fluid retention in the lower leg, mild pain, and a dusky yellowish tinge to the skin in the effected area. Anyone who has taken a blow to the shin and sees this happening needs to get themselves to Urgent Care or an ER immediately. Otherwise there is a real potential for progression to Gangrene and a subsequent amputation.