Quote From: silvert1
I am a 50 year old 5 year breast cancer survivor who has been 'battling' MRSA since at the very least Sept, 2007. On Aug 29,2007, I had a bilateral mastectomy (left side recurrence, right side prophylactic) followed by an immediate DIEP reconstruction, where my own belly fat was used to build new breasts. I was on the table for 10+ hours, and while that was long and difficult, including a spell when I literally quit breathing 2 days later, the worst was yet to come. My abdoominal incision went from 1' behind hip to 1' behind hip, long, long scar, but my belly fat was gone. Within 10 days of that surgery, my abdominal incision began to open up and 'weep', drain, so we went back to doc. Doc obtained culture of oozing stuff, and it came back positive for MRSA. By that time, my incision was literally opening up and spliting like a zipper being unzipped. Immediately back to doc, who 'snipped' the last tissue holding my abdominal wound together, right there in the office, my husband almost fainted. The doc did this in order to allow the wound to drain and 'heal from the inside out'. At this point, the open wound was 8' long (side to side) 1 1/2 ' deep, and 2 1/2 ' wide). After weeks of looking in the mirror at my new 'bloody smile' below my belly button, washing and rinsing and packing it daily with fresh gauze, then applying sanitary pads to cover the wounds...I was worn out. However, the wound did gradually heal to the point that on Dec 5, 2007 I had a 'revision surgery' in order to fix and tuck some minor problems around my new breasts, build nipples, and close the remaining hole in my belly. I was loaded up with Vancomyacin prior to that surgery, but in less than 5 days, my belly became hot, red, swollen, bloated, and the redness continued up my torso, and down my right hip and leg. Immediately went back to doc, (this is a large metroplex hospital I'm talking about), and he admitted me. For the next 8 days I was on IV antibiotics consisting of vancomyacin, clindamyacin, and another one IV I can't remember, plus oral bactrim. I almost died. When the doc 'lanced' my swollen abdomen on the 2nd day of hospitalization, approximately 2 cups of fluid and pus rushed out of my belly onto me, my bed, and totally surprised my doc. That incision was less than 1/4 inch. When I was finally sent home 6 days later, it was with home health and an incision that had widened and spread to approximately 4' long, and 2' wide, again having to heal from the inside out. This time my insurance paid for home health nurses to take care of my wound daily, check my vitals, etc. On Feb 14, 2008, I had the belly closed AGAIN, and while it has remained closed, I have a huge swelling just underneath the site, with obvious fluid buildup, but now everyone is afraid to drain my belly, for fear. My family (extended, not immediate) treat me like a leper, who is death walking in the door. I absolutely have to have an entire left elbow joint replacement, but until this MRSA is declared gone, I remain in pain, no surgeon will touch me, and I'm on pain meds to get me through day to day. I'm only 50. I can't pick up my grandkids. This is what MRSA has done to me.
Debra
My heart goes out to you! I will pray for your recovery.
I would like to ask everyone here a question, something for them to ponder, and also tell you about my experience with MRSA.
First...you had a tummy tuck. This is a procedure that I would have LIKED to have had done, but due to the danger of MRSA, I will remain the way I am, tummy and all. I am not laying blame on you. I want to point something out to the general public. How many have had a cosmetic procedure, like breast augmentation? How many of these people are young, perhaps in their teens, and how many are considering having a procedure done? THINK ABOUT THIS LADIES.....ANY time you go in for a procedure, cosmetic or otherwise (breast enlargement) IT IS SURGERY, and you risk getting MRSA. If that isn't enough, you risk GIVING MRSA TO YOUR FAMILY AND OTHERS!!!!! YOU may be healthy and be able to shrug MRSA off, but what about if you expose, say, your mom who is older and not able to fight MRSA off?
I am diabetic. IDDM to be exact (insulin dependant diabetes mellitus). You may not think of a diabetic as having a compromised immune system, but some of us do. I happen to be one of the un-lucky one's.
In 1980 I gave birth to my second son. Within a few short weeks I fell sick, REALLY sick. I had two things wrong with me. I had gall stones, and I had contracted Hepatitis B. Hep B is not easy to get. It is contracted through sexual contact, or a blood source. I am not sure HOW I contracted it, but it has a long incubation period, and looking back, I am fairly sure that I contracted it at my doctors office when I was having a blood draw, and had to be re-stuck several times due to the in-experience of the person doing the draw (now I always ask for someone skilled in phlebotomy). I was sick, VERY sick for a few months. I had surgery to remove my gall bladder in late 1980 (while I was 6 weeks pregnant with my third son).
Flash forward to 2006. My 2 year old grand daughter had this pimple looking thing on her face. We were in the pool and I wanted to take her home and pop this ugly thing! If I touched it she would cry out in pain. Soon after my daughter got a painful pimple on her leg, In both instances the pimple burst open, and oozed for a few days. The lesion left a scar. In a few weeks, I noticed a pimple on my grand daughters backside. By then my daughter mentioned that her (now ex) boyfriend said he had the same pimple and his two young son's had lesions on their head. What ever this was, was now spreading from person to person. My daughter took herself and her daughter to the doctor. The tests came back positive for MRSA. I had no idea what this was, so I Googled it, and was frightened at what I read. Not only can MRSA spread, but it can turn into Necrotizing Facetious (speliing is incorrect, I'm sure) FLEASH EATTING DISEASE! My daughter begged her Boyfriend to take the kids to the doctor. He refused saying he did not have enough money to take them (a long story). By then my daughter ended the relationship, but we are sure the boyfriends son's picked up MRSA from their mother who is an escort. My daughter and grand daughter had several outbreaks over the next year.
Currently, my daughter and grand daughter have had no more break outs.
Last November, I had emergency surgery, an appendectomy. Much to my distress, I was released from the hospital within 13 hours of having the surgery. As I mentioned, I am diabetic. My glucose reading going in to surgery was 500, normal is under 100. Within two days post-op, I was feeling feverish and had a lump in and around one of the incision sites (I had laparoscopic surgery). It was inflamed and tender, hell it downright HURT. I went to the doctor, he checked my out and told me I was fine, even though I was running a fever and had this lump, which by now was a mound. Two days after that, I had my husband rush me back to the doctors office. I had a massive infection that he had to drain. It must have looked pretty bad as the nurse that was assisting him, backed up and looked faint when the doctor cut into me. From that time in early December, until March, the following year, the doctor had to re-cut my wound every other week, to "allow the wound to heal from the bottom (inside) up (outside). Mind you, I knew about MRSA. I had seen it. Doctor told me that the culture taken on my wound showed E-COLI.
I was given antibiotic....pills and liquid.
I was very sick during this entire time. Every couple of days I would have terrible nausea and vomiting. I could get very little food down me, a few crackers and a bit of soup chased down with a few sips of 7-up or ginger-ale. In a few months time, I lost 50 pounds! I wound up in the emergency room to be hooked up to IVs twice. My blood pressure skyrocketed because I was so dehydrated. I had a CAT scan that showed nothing. I had my blood tested. My primary asked if I had been out of the country. I had not been to Mexico in many months, but gave a stool sample to test for parasites. I was sent to a wound care specialist. I was till taking antibiotics, that just about killed me because I was nauseated and vomiting.
Finally, my primary said, and I quote..."if I didn't know better, I would think you had something called MRSA" ! Welllll DUHHHHH, I told you ALL I had been exposed to it many months earlier!
Slowly I got better...slowwwly I felt like a human again.
To this day, I do not know who or where I picked MRSA up. Was it from my daughter and grand daughter? We are almost compulsive about keeping things clean. I use a combination of alcohol and water in a spray bottle that I clean sinks, toilets, basins, floors, counter tops, etc. I use bleach IN my tub and toilet to clean them. We use wipes to clean the parts of a shopping basket we come into contact with. We wash hands all the time.
Did I get it at home...........OR, did I get it IN the hospital, OR did I get it at the doctors office? After all, he DID have gloves on, BUT he did not wear a mask on his face! If MRSA or step, staff is in most peoples noses, might it have come from my surgeon?
Just like years ago when I contracted Hep B, and recently MRSA, I have no one to blame, BUT, I will continue to be diligent with cleaning my surroundings. BTW, we wash our hands when we eat out BEFORE we eat, do you? I hope to GOD those who are preparing our food also wash their hands, but I fear...they don't.
So if you see a crazy woman, cleaning off a scooter and basket at your local wal Mart, stop by and say hello, it's probably me!
OH, I almost forgot. We used a combination of water and Prvidone Iodine in a 10 per cent solution to dry up the lesions. We kept them covered with a band aid, and made sure we washed our hands THOUROLY after we treated the spot.
Could a grave danger be lurking in your home? If you believe the headlines, you know that catching the Superbug can have deadly consequences, but should you be concerned? How can you spot the danger, and what can you do to stay safe? Dr. Phil gets to the bottom of these questions and others. Melissa's son, Mark, was just 13 when he went to the hospital and wound up with MRSA, also known as the Superbug. Learn about Melissa’s tragic loss and why she thinks her son’s death could have been prevented. Then, 19-year-old Stephanie has been battling the Superbug for almost a year. Get a firsthand account of her experience with the disease, and find out what advice her doctor gave her that has Dr. Phil shocked and concerned. Even doctors aren’t immune to the Superbug. Dr. Drew O’Neal had an accident while on vacation, and what happened next changed his life forever. He shares his valuable insights as both doctor and patient. Plus, two years ago, Glen was your average sophomore playing on his high school football team -- until he contracted the Superbug right from the team’s locker room. Find out what important lessons he learned that could help protect you and your children from the disease. And renowned pediatrician Dr. Jim Sears weighs in with the latest information and shows off products to keep on hand that could save your life. Join the discussion.
