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Topic : 04/01 The Superbug
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.Find out what happened on the show.
As of January, 2009, this message board will become "Read Only" and will be closed to further posting. Please join the NEW Dr. Phil Community to continue your discussions, personalize your message board experience, start a blog and meet new friends.
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April 1, 2008, 6:45 pm PDT
 Dr. Phil,
Thanks for making people aware of the danger of MARSA bacteria. In our area (south Mississippi) we had a child about 12 yrs old contact one of these super bugs and she lasted two days. He school cleaned the entire area but that was as far as they were willing to go. There are machines on the market that will destroy all MARSA germs and keep on destroying them 24/7 for as long as the machine is turned on. The sad thing is that most schools and hospitals play down the risk of a child contacting MARSA and are not willing to spend a few dollars to prevent children and adults from contacting MARSA germs or other very bad bacteria. I say just one child or one person dying from the MARSA infection is too many if it can be avioded. To learn about this proven technology that may save your life or the life of your child go to: www.tryecoquest.com/dwelch |
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April 1, 2008, 6:48 pm PDT
I am 54 years young, single and work full time. I try to eat sensibly and go the gym 3-5 times a week. I am 5'5 1/2" tall, and a size 8. Two years ago exactly, I began to have what seemed to be spider bites that appeared infected ( I had I think 4 total). I was given an anti-biotic to eliminate the infection. And it seemed to work. Although, later in the fall I needed to have surgery on my neck, and before they would proceed they did a blood test to insure the infection was gone. And it was not. So, before I could have suregery, I was required to go through another round of stronger anti-biotics.( I wish I remembered what it was). Now that I have seen this show, I feel lucky to have made it through the surgery without problems. And two weeks after my neck surgery in November of 2006, I went in and had breast augmentation done. If I had only known what I know now, I do not believe I would have proceeded with the surgeries without being absolutely positive that I was without ANY signs of staff infection in my system. I have not had any symptoms since the original outbreak in the summer of 2006, until 2 weeks ago. I had one more infection appear on my lower abdomen. As always, it appeared as a blemish, but soon grew, began to be red and warm to the touch. It had a hard core center and after a few days, usually approximately 5-7 days, it began to ooze, like a pussy substance. It was extremely sore and painful. I let it heal on its own with help of a topical triple anti-biotic ointment and forgot about it. But when the second one began to appear less then two weeks later, I called the doctor once again, and he called in an oral anti-biotic (generic form of bactrim) But both times with anti-biotics and topical triple-anti-biotic ointment, it disappeared. Now I am wondering what I should do. Does it lay dormant in me until something in my system is provoked, and when might it rear its ugly head again, and be a real threat? I feel like I can relate to the 19 year old on the show, the doctor does not seem to be worried with my symptoms. I think I will call tomorrow and insist on some further investigation. Thank you so very much for your show and all of the information it provided. natsnana |
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April 1, 2008, 6:50 pm PDT
Quote From: desertlilly 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. My tummy tuck was not a procedure done out of vanity, but a life saving reconstruction procedure at the same time as my bilateral mastectomy due to breast cancer. Maybe before you go riding off on your high horse, condemning me for having "a cosmetic procedure" you should read the entire message and understand what the frick you are talking about. I understand your problems, but DO NOT DARE COMPARE ME AS A FIVE YEAR BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR TO YOU...THIS IS NOT A CONTEST TO SEE WHO HAD WHAT THE WORST, BUT I HIGHLY RESENT YOUR IMPLICATION, AND WILL BE REPORTING YOU TO THE MONITORS. IF YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT YOU ARE REPLYING TO, DON'T DARE TELL ME I'M VAIN, OR THIS WAS CONTRACTED OUT OF COSMETIC CONCERNS. |
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April 1, 2008, 6:55 pm PDT
Just finished watching the show on "Superbug". Surprised to see it on but also very pleased. MRSA is something I battled for nearly 8 months in 05-06, had 4 outbreaks with 13 lesions (I still have the markings of 3 from my third outbreak). Three of those lesions where cared for in the ER and that is when I was first told what it was. Had 2 PIC lines for IV Vancomycin put in during a 4 week period, and took several different oral antibiotics. Thankful that I was able to combat mine with great help from my husband and mother as well as home health workers. I did have a great Infectious Disease doctor who told me what precautions to take and how important it was to monitor any outbreaks as they could turn very serious very quickly. I must add that I did not see an Infectious Disease doctor until my 3rd outbreak, as my primary doctor at the time thought my first outbreak was a spider bite (very common diagnosis) even though she didn't even look at it from any closer than 3 feet. About a month later I got another boil, and felt terrible, told my husband to take me to the ER as this was not a spider bite. They lanced and packed the wound and I had to go back every other day for this, until one PA asked my husband if he thought he could do the packing as it would save us a co-pay in ER and the wait, from then on my husband packed that wound. About a month after that outbreak my husband got it on his knee from treating the first "spider bite" I had, we asked for a culture immediately and he was able to rid himself of it with Bactrim (a drug I can not take). My last outbreak was a 2 years ago and it was over 1 inch deep and 2 inches wide, with cellulitis that was 6"x9" inches across my buttocks. The pain of having this wound packed daily was excruciating and I was only thankful that I did not have a surgical wound that required this care. What I have found is that some Doctors take it seriously and others think you are just being paranoid, that once you are wound free you will not get it again. I have not read or been told that this is the case. I had surgery last year and the surgeon would not take my concerns about precautions prior to surgery seriously. Then when the hospital required me to go into isolation (their rules) she about flipped, and just thought it was ridiculous. She only put me on vancomycin as my propolactic antibiotic prior to surgery after I called the Infectious Disease Doctor and had him contact her and tell her that was what was need. I to this day do not know if I made it out of surgery and the hospital stay without contracting MRSA again due to the hospital's precautions or because I am trully free of MRSA in my system. The answer haunts me. Thank you DR. Phil for bringing this to the attention of the public, and I agree if you have a pimple like bump that does not go away and begins to grow,do not let the doctor dismiss it as a spider bite, and if you think you have one run don't walk to your nearest emergency room, they seem to have a better understanding of it. This is what I urge Stephanie to do and not wait for the appointment with the Infectious Disease doctor! |
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April 1, 2008, 6:56 pm PDT
My son is 17 years old and he has been fighting MRSA sence October 2007 he got it from playing football he was hospitalized for four days. Then 2 1/2 mon. later he had it again and was hospitalized for three days. then 2 mon. later he has it again he just got out of the hospital for the third time on March 25,2008 My son was a very healthy boy a football player and very active, now all he does is lays around the house he goes out sometimes with some friends to the bowling alley. He has lost weight and is depressed most of the time.He has fell so far behind in school I hope he can catch up.The Doctor just put him off for 4 to 6 more weeks so he will get a home teacher. Please if anyone can help by giving info. because we live in a small town and the Hospitals around here does not seen to know how to treet MRSA. For the Love of My Son, may God Bless You All Lori
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April 1, 2008, 7:00 pm PDT
Quote From: rosie0719 I am so glad this subject of staph infections, MRSA.... SEPSIS, SEPTIC SHOCK was aired today. I can only hope that more news shows, talk shows, and newspapers start discussing MRSA. MRSA very often leads to SEVERE SEPSIS / SEPTIC SHOCK, which is a VERY DEADLY INFECTION. My heart goes out to Melissa, who shared today her experience of loosing her 13 year old son, Mark.
For QWARRIOR6 and the individuals who feel that our society should not get alarmed over SEPSIS......... and for the few that posted today and are in the health care field, my message to THOSE INDIVIDUALS is perhaps you need to GO BACK TO MEDICAL SCHOOL OR NURSING SCHOOL. I don't know what rock these individuals have been living under or what world these individuals have been living in, but it certainly has not been our current world. MRSA, which can easily lead to SEVERE SEPSIS WHICH IS DEADLY, DEADLY, DEADLY!!!!!!! Between 33% and 50% of patients with sepsis, DIE !!!! The death rate is much higher if the patient has had any pre existing conditions. A drug called XIGRIS, had been the only new drug in the past 25 years or so, that the FDA has approved to treat SEPSIS. The death rate number as quoted on Dr. Phill today is much, much greater.
DISEASE NUMBER OFDEATHS
Severe Sepsis *(Augus of 2001) 250,000.00 AM (Minino 2002) 193,000.00 Lung Cancer (Minino, 2002) 57,000.00 Breast Cancer (Minino, 2002) 42,000.00
*Minino AM, Arias E, Kochanek KD, et al. Deaths: final data for 2000. National Vital Statistics Reports Website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr50_15.pdf. Accessed June 2004. *Angus DC, Linde-Zwirble WT, Lidicker J, et al. Epidemiology of severe sepsis in the United States: analysis of incidence, outcome, and associated costs of care. Crit Care Med. 2001;29(7):1303-1310. Much of this information can be obtained through the CDC. OR go to XIGRIS.COM, or to Eli Lilly & Co website. Some may ask why my little Emotions are set @ angry for this topic, well her is my own sad story!!! Almost 3 years ago, in July of 2005, my husband was often outdoors in our Ohio heat. As a result of being outside in the heat, he became dehydrated. Dehydration can lead to many dangerous things going on in our body. On the evening of July 24th, 2005, my husband's blood pressure dropped and I called the squad and the paramedics transported my husband to Mt. Carmel Hospital (west) in Columbus, Ohio. He was given IV's and fluids to rehydrate him. On July 26th, 2005, the discharge nurse came to his room, and he had to of course sign the necessary papers before leaving the hospital. The discharge nurse removed his IV from his right hand, at which point puss started seeping from the infused sight. Although I did not know it at that time, the discharge nurse called my husband's primary physician, a Dr. Phillip Stern, and informed Dr. Stern of the puss coming from the infused IV site. Dr. Stern's response.......RELEASE HIM ANYWAY. I have all the medical records from Mt. Carmel. The above is stated right in the medical records!!!!! The next evening, on July 27th, my husband started running an extremely high fever, and his blood pressure drops again. So, once again I called the squad and the paramedics transferred my husband to Riverside Hospital in Col. Ohio, this time...... because it was the nearest. He was placed on LIFE SUPPORT ON JULY 27TH, 2005 where he remained on LIFE SUPPORT until HIS DEATH, on AUGUST 31, 2005 @ 12:01 AM. My husband was 45 years old. It is still hard for me to wrap my brain around everything that happened. Went to Mt. Carmel on July 24th, discharged on July 26, and on life support July 27th !!!!!! He was given vancomycian, xigris, paralytics, and every other drug coming and going. He was also given 12 or 13 units of blood....., not only was his white blood count destroyed, but one of the little side affects of Xigris... gee, it can cause internal bleeding!!! Am I angry, you damn right I'M ANGRY. SEPSIS causes MULTI ORGAN FAILURE!!!! It will destroy everything from, kidneys, lungs, liver, eyes, brain, etc!!! SEPSIS SHOWS NO MERCY!!!! For the few that do survive sepsis, they endure months and months as an inpatient in some rehab facility, just trying to learn to walk again, and do everyday routine things. Every single hospital through out the United States should be mandated to report all MRSA.... Severe Sepsis related deaths to the CDC. Our society was not made aware of or education of AIDS until AIDS became an epidemic. Our government will probably once again not take the necessary measures to inform our society as a whole of the consequences of this DEADLY INFECTION, until it too reaches epidemic rates Education, Education, Education, on MRSA, which leads to Sepsis, is the only way we can learn about the infection and the prevention of the same!!!! I have never been lawsuit happy. I did try to sue over my husband's death, but .... Ohio passed a new torte reform law several years ago which has made it virtually impossible to be compensated for my loss of EVERYTHING. Not that any dollar amount could ever replace my husband, but for some of these medical personnel, they need to be hurt badly in the pocketbook!!! Perhaps then they will stop trying to sweep this crap under the rug!! I made sure to take pictures of my husband while he was on life support, which show the nasty hole in his right hand from were the infection first started. I also had our funeral director, of Novak Funeral Home in Col. Ohio to take pictures of my husband before he was embalmed, which show just how badly MRSA can eat away at a person's body. Our funeral director stated that in all the years he has been in business, that he has never in his career seen anything like my husband's arm. For those of you who care to view these four photos, please visit, www.annfitch.shutterfly.com Please keep in mind, that these pictures are very graphic. Thanks for listening. Our sixteen year old daughter died last year after getting the flu and then a staph to her lungs. It took less than twenty four hours from the time she saw a pediatrician to the the time sepsis and sectic shock set in. Our lives have been completely devastated. Our story is too long and too painful to tell right now, but thank you for taking the time to get all this information out. |
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April 1, 2008, 7:02 pm PDT
Quote From: rosie0719 I am so glad this subject of staph infections, MRSA.... SEPSIS, SEPTIC SHOCK was aired today. I can only hope that more news shows, talk shows, and newspapers start discussing MRSA. MRSA very often leads to SEVERE SEPSIS / SEPTIC SHOCK, which is a VERY DEADLY INFECTION. My heart goes out to Melissa, who shared today her experience of loosing her 13 year old son, Mark.
For QWARRIOR6 and the individuals who feel that our society should not get alarmed over SEPSIS......... and for the few that posted today and are in the health care field, my message to THOSE INDIVIDUALS is perhaps you need to GO BACK TO MEDICAL SCHOOL OR NURSING SCHOOL. I don't know what rock these individuals have been living under or what world these individuals have been living in, but it certainly has not been our current world. MRSA, which can easily lead to SEVERE SEPSIS WHICH IS DEADLY, DEADLY, DEADLY!!!!!!! Between 33% and 50% of patients with sepsis, DIE !!!! The death rate is much higher if the patient has had any pre existing conditions. A drug called XIGRIS, had been the only new drug in the past 25 years or so, that the FDA has approved to treat SEPSIS. The death rate number as quoted on Dr. Phill today is much, much greater.
DISEASE NUMBER OFDEATHS
Severe Sepsis *(Augus of 2001) 250,000.00 AM (Minino 2002) 193,000.00 Lung Cancer (Minino, 2002) 57,000.00 Breast Cancer (Minino, 2002) 42,000.00
*Minino AM, Arias E, Kochanek KD, et al. Deaths: final data for 2000. National Vital Statistics Reports Website. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/nvsr/nvsr50_15.pdf. Accessed June 2004. *Angus DC, Linde-Zwirble WT, Lidicker J, et al. Epidemiology of severe sepsis in the United States: analysis of incidence, outcome, and associated costs of care. Crit Care Med. 2001;29(7):1303-1310. Much of this information can be obtained through the CDC. OR go to XIGRIS.COM, or to Eli Lilly & Co website. Some may ask why my little Emotions are set @ angry for this topic, well her is my own sad story!!! Almost 3 years ago, in July of 2005, my husband was often outdoors in our Ohio heat. As a result of being outside in the heat, he became dehydrated. Dehydration can lead to many dangerous things going on in our body. On the evening of July 24th, 2005, my husband's blood pressure dropped and I called the squad and the paramedics transported my husband to Mt. Carmel Hospital (west) in Columbus, Ohio. He was given IV's and fluids to rehydrate him. On July 26th, 2005, the discharge nurse came to his room, and he had to of course sign the necessary papers before leaving the hospital. The discharge nurse removed his IV from his right hand, at which point puss started seeping from the infused sight. Although I did not know it at that time, the discharge nurse called my husband's primary physician, a Dr. Phillip Stern, and informed Dr. Stern of the puss coming from the infused IV site. Dr. Stern's response.......RELEASE HIM ANYWAY. I have all the medical records from Mt. Carmel. The above is stated right in the medical records!!!!! The next evening, on July 27th, my husband started running an extremely high fever, and his blood pressure drops again. So, once again I called the squad and the paramedics transferred my husband to Riverside Hospital in Col. Ohio, this time...... because it was the nearest. He was placed on LIFE SUPPORT ON JULY 27TH, 2005 where he remained on LIFE SUPPORT until HIS DEATH, on AUGUST 31, 2005 @ 12:01 AM. My husband was 45 years old. It is still hard for me to wrap my brain around everything that happened. Went to Mt. Carmel on July 24th, discharged on July 26, and on life support July 27th !!!!!! He was given vancomycian, xigris, paralytics, and every other drug coming and going. He was also given 12 or 13 units of blood....., not only was his white blood count destroyed, but one of the little side affects of Xigris... gee, it can cause internal bleeding!!! Am I angry, you damn right I'M ANGRY. SEPSIS causes MULTI ORGAN FAILURE!!!! It will destroy everything from, kidneys, lungs, liver, eyes, brain, etc!!! SEPSIS SHOWS NO MERCY!!!! For the few that do survive sepsis, they endure months and months as an inpatient in some rehab facility, just trying to learn to walk again, and do everyday routine things. Every single hospital through out the United States should be mandated to report all MRSA.... Severe Sepsis related deaths to the CDC. Our society was not made aware of or education of AIDS until AIDS became an epidemic. Our government will probably once again not take the necessary measures to inform our society as a whole of the consequences of this DEADLY INFECTION, until it too reaches epidemic rates Education, Education, Education, on MRSA, which leads to Sepsis, is the only way we can learn about the infection and the prevention of the same!!!! I have never been lawsuit happy. I did try to sue over my husband's death, but .... Ohio passed a new torte reform law several years ago which has made it virtually impossible to be compensated for my loss of EVERYTHING. Not that any dollar amount could ever replace my husband, but for some of these medical personnel, they need to be hurt badly in the pocketbook!!! Perhaps then they will stop trying to sweep this crap under the rug!! I made sure to take pictures of my husband while he was on life support, which show the nasty hole in his right hand from were the infection first started. I also had our funeral director, of Novak Funeral Home in Col. Ohio to take pictures of my husband before he was embalmed, which show just how badly MRSA can eat away at a person's body. Our funeral director stated that in all the years he has been in business, that he has never in his career seen anything like my husband's arm. For those of you who care to view these four photos, please visit, www.annfitch.shutterfly.com Please keep in mind, that these pictures are very graphic. Thanks for listening. Our sixteen year old daughter died last year after getting the flu and then a staph to her lungs. It took less than twenty four hours from the time she saw a pediatrician to the the time sepsis and sectic shock set in. Our lives have been completely devastated. Our story is too long and too painful to tell right now, but thank you for taking the time to get all this information out. |
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April 1, 2008, 7:02 pm PDT
When did bug come to the United States? Where did come from in the first place? So far I only haerd of the Super Flu on the National Geographic Channel once. When I saw it starts in pigs in China somwhere. Then when it was killed and butchered. The flu speads to people. Once someone snzees it's spraeds to the next person. And so on and where he or she goes. Even on a airplane too. but not always. What is this bug and what the symotoms that people need to watch out for? So they don't get it and end in the hospital for days, months, or years or worse even dying from it. What kind of bug is it? That's carrying adaedly illness worldwide. |
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April 1, 2008, 7:04 pm PDT
Quote From: mgkjrmad Where can a person get a list of the number of MRSA infections and the hospitols infected in Michigan? Your question prompted me to do a little research, and as far as I can tell, Michigan doesn't require hospital-specific reporting of infections. On the consumer's union website there is a link to states where there are currently bills under consideration to require it, but again, Michigan isn't one of them. However, I can pretty-much guarantee ALL hospitals have it to one degree or another. When my mom had it, we were told that most everyone has MRSA on their skin and it isn't an issue, but when there are open wounds, and a compromised immune system then it becomes a problem. I think, like the RN who posted earlier stated, that we need to be aware, and we must demand excellence in care! |
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April 1, 2008, 7:04 pm PDT
Quote From: desertlilly 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. I feel your pain, but you absolutely glossed over my own experience, and instead glommed onto one or two phrases from my post, and missed the boat.
I am sorry for you.
I feel for you, and your problems, but I will not lay blame at your feet for how and when you contracted MRSA and hep B, as you did by implying that my "breast augmentation" (your words, not mine) and my "tummy tuck" were "cosmetic". You could not be further from the truth, and until you have walked in my shoes for a mile or two, please don't judge me. I will not judge you.
Good for you regarding your efforts to be diligent regarding cleaning your surroundings. BTW, we wash our hands in Texas just as you do. We also wash our hands after planting our own vegetables, and we don't go out to eat. So if I see a crazy woman, cleaning off a scooter, may I suggest you get up off your butt and grow your own vegetables (as we do) and grow your own beef (as we do) and cook your own meals (as we do) instead of relying on others to "serve you" and then bitch about the cleanliness or lack thereof.
BTW, do you wash your own hands after picking your nose? Or sneezing before you open a door? Do you carry antiseptics everywhere with you, and spray everything around you? If you do, I commend you, if you are honest, you need to back up and read my real first post before pissing off an honest to God fearing, fearing no one, breast cancer survivor, who is just trying to live, and who just happens to have MRSA.
Thanks for listening, and you might want to wipe your computer monitor and spray it down after you ready this message, otherwise the "superbug" will jump out and get you!!
Debra |
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