Osteomyelitis

My wife underwent cancer treatment three years ago and as a result of that her immune system was compromised. That allowed a bacteria that naturally occurs in our intestinal tract to attack her tissues. This also caused endocarditis to form in one of her heart valves resulting in a stroke. Later, after surgery to clean out her abdominal tissues of the infection she finished her antibiotic treatment at which time the infection returned but this time in her joints. We were fortunate to have one of the foremost experts on joint reconstruction and yet he was not able to repair her joints due to the fact that she has the infection in at least four sights. The most he had previously treated was two sights. She simply would not survive four surgeries performed at the same time and that is what would be needed to eradicate the infection in her body. He did perform what is called a girdlestone procedure which is where the femural head is removed and only scar tissue connects the leg bone to the hip. He will not perform any more surgeries as the only thing that can be done going forward is amputation of the infection joints. She is not a candidate for joint replacements as those joints will only become reinfected and infection of a prosthetic joint is far worse than leaving it alone. Currently she is living in a nursing facility as she is confined to a bed. She suffers great pain and it is all she can do to get through each day. We have been told she will never improve as she is a severe diabetic. Pain management is what is our focus now but she has no quality of life.