Improvement

Steve is out of the step-down unit and on a regular medical ward. It means he's no longer hooked up to monitors, and he's well enough that the hookup was starting to irritate him--a good sign.

The leg still looks just awful, swollen and discolored, but less than it was, and the rash is no longer streaking up his leg. The fever still comes on at night, but lower. It will probably take two weeks to a month before the leg starts to look normal, and maybe longer for the swelling to entirely recede.

Steve can walk now, though he feels pain when he puts weight on his bad leg. But--another good sign--he asked the doctors when he could expect to return to work and when he could get on the elliptical machine at the gym. I wanted to yell "Slow down cowboy" but of course I am happy that he feels good enough to ask those question.

In reality Steve is still very weak. Most of his energy goes toward fighting the infection. It isn't yet clear when he will leave the hospital. Many different teams of docs flow through and say different things: perhaps IV antibiotics at home, perhaps a wait until the switch to oral meds occurs. And he'll probably be on crutches.

Keep those emails (steve.lipmann@me.com) coming.