“We have a few hospitals nearby,
but I trusted Chilton. That was
where I wanted to be.”
Christine Calandra
John EmErson
C
hristine Calandra of Little Falls was driving to the shore
last June when her left leg suddenly locked and wouldn’t
move. Doctors initially suspected sciatica. But Chilton
Medical Center’s team of specialists uncovered a far more serious
condition. Much to her astonishment, Calandra’s stiff limb was
the first sign of a life-threatening infection.
Calandra was evaluated by three physicians in five days, all of
whom prescribed medication to reduce the inflammation as well as
additional testing. Calandra’s condition, however, declined steadily.
Over the next few days, she became increasingly immobile and
developed a sharp pain that radiated to her right hip, prompting an
early morning visit to Chilton’s Emergency Department. “We have
a few hospitals nearby, but I trusted Chilton,” notes Calandra.
“That was where I wanted to be,” she recalls.
Upon arrival, Calandra was examined by hospitalist Ritesh
Kumar, MD, who ordered blood work, an MRI and a CT scan.
Importantly, he also recruited the expertise of an infectious disease
specialist, Richard Krieger, MD, who immediately suspected
infection and recommended a needle biopsy to extract fluid from
Calandra’s hip. The results revealed a troubling diagnosis: septic
arthritis.
According to Krieger, septic arthritis is a joint infection caused
by harmful bacteria that travel through the bloodstream. The
bacteria typically migrate from another area of the body and affect
one large joint, causing intense pain, inflammation and loss of
joint function accompanied by fever and weakness. In Calandra’s
case, the condition was linked to a staph infection that settled in
her right hip. “Staph infections can be dangerous,” Krieger warns.
“It’s very important to catch them early, as the infection can lead
to permanent joint damage and spread to other joints and organs,
including the heart,” he explains.
Calandra was admitted to Chilton for aggressive treatment.
Orthopedic surgeon Gary Drillings, MD, meticulously drained
and cleansed the infected hip before six weeks of daily infusion
therapy, which delivered antibiotics directly into her bloodstream.
“I was scared and overwhelmed,” admits Calandra. “What I
thought was sciatica spiraled into a major event. One day I was
shopping with my sister, and a few days later I was waking up
from surgery,” she says.
Calandra’s ordeal included a week in Chilton’s inpatient
medical/surgical unit, where she recuperated under the skilled,
compassionate care of the nurses and staff. “They were all so
patient and kind, and did everything possible to make me
comfortable,” she states. “I told them that they must have
had little wings tucked under their uniforms, like angels.”
An arduous recovery was facilitated by an additional week of
inpatient rehabilitation and outpatient physical therapy to help
Calandra regain strength and mobility. “I’m still on the mend,
both physically and emotionally,” asserts the 69-year-old artist.
“For a while, the pain and fear took over, diminishing my creativity and enjoyment of activities, but I