Been under the radar ...
Posted: Wed Aug 19, 2009 11:28 amHi everyone. I've been outtapocket for a couple of months. Part of it has been the in-and-out internet access at the park at which I'm camp-hosting. The other is a medical drama that has turned out very well.
It began with some kind of a bite/sting on my right forearm. I developed an infection, the bite site became hard as a rock, numb, REALLY hot (about four inches around), and inflammation began spreading from there. I went to the emergency room and was told I had MRSA, that highly contagious, antibiotic-resistant strain of staph infection. Well, I was terrified, not only for my health but also for my roomie, who cares for a profoundly disabled baby boy who has a GI feeding tube.
The doc drew a line around the edges of the infection, gave me some of those nuclear-bomb antibiotics, and had me come back the next day to see if the infection is receding, or growing. I did, and the drugs were working and all seemed well.
The next day, I was stung by a wasp on the right hand (just below the other infection), and my hand blew up and THAT red & swelling started spreading north, toward the first infection. Back to the ER I go, and the doc (same one as the first time) smirked at me over coming in with a wasp sting. Take Benedryl, he said. I asked how he knew the first infection was MRSA, and he said, "Well, the only way to tell for sure is to take a swab test." So I insisted he do it.
After two days, the test results showed I did NOT have MRSA (great relief & tears -- then anger). So I contacted the hospital's patient advocate, and asked for an investigation. I said it was unconscionable for a doc to diagnose MRSA & not do a test to confirm it. I asked that all charges for the "wasp" ER visit be reversed, because I never would have come in to the ER -- on a Saturday night -- for a wasp sting. It was my fear of how close it was to what I was told was a MRSA infection that drove that decision. And I asked the doctor be reprimanded. So I'm waiting now.
Otherwise, I'm just happy to be healthy.
It began with some kind of a bite/sting on my right forearm. I developed an infection, the bite site became hard as a rock, numb, REALLY hot (about four inches around), and inflammation began spreading from there. I went to the emergency room and was told I had MRSA, that highly contagious, antibiotic-resistant strain of staph infection. Well, I was terrified, not only for my health but also for my roomie, who cares for a profoundly disabled baby boy who has a GI feeding tube.
The doc drew a line around the edges of the infection, gave me some of those nuclear-bomb antibiotics, and had me come back the next day to see if the infection is receding, or growing. I did, and the drugs were working and all seemed well.
The next day, I was stung by a wasp on the right hand (just below the other infection), and my hand blew up and THAT red & swelling started spreading north, toward the first infection. Back to the ER I go, and the doc (same one as the first time) smirked at me over coming in with a wasp sting. Take Benedryl, he said. I asked how he knew the first infection was MRSA, and he said, "Well, the only way to tell for sure is to take a swab test." So I insisted he do it.
After two days, the test results showed I did NOT have MRSA (great relief & tears -- then anger). So I contacted the hospital's patient advocate, and asked for an investigation. I said it was unconscionable for a doc to diagnose MRSA & not do a test to confirm it. I asked that all charges for the "wasp" ER visit be reversed, because I never would have come in to the ER -- on a Saturday night -- for a wasp sting. It was my fear of how close it was to what I was told was a MRSA infection that drove that decision. And I asked the doctor be reprimanded. So I'm waiting now.
Otherwise, I'm just happy to be healthy.
and you wouldn't have a thing to worry about! 
The stories never end. 
carold