# I almost bought the farm



## xander9727 (Mar 25, 2006)

I just got out of a week+ long hospital stay. I got a community acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (CA MRSA) infection that got into my blood stream and began infecting my organs and brain. I'm back at home now but am still feeling pretty weak and have to take massive doses of antibiotics for the next 6 weeks. It's hard to believe that with all the risks I've been exposed to during my life that I almost went out on a microorganism. If you or anyone you know gets something like this you need to get it checked out immediately. The best we can figure I was exposed on thursday morning and by Saturday night I was hospitalized and going rapidly down hill. I should be back to work in a week or so. My employees kept things rolling very well while I was gone so I don't have a ton of catching up to do.
Thought I'd let you know.


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## Sprig (Mar 25, 2006)

Xander, glad you've pulled through man, nasty little bug that one, you are very lucky. I have a brief and similar story (not trying to hijack yer thread), mine was exposure to Aeromonas (sp), a naturally occuring organism that exists in still and standing water. Our bodies normally fight it off as it occurs but if exposed to large amounts it can start to take over your system, I got it from swimming in my kids wading pool which I had neglected to chlorinate (1 time), never been so sick in my life and the only thing that fights it is Cypro, a cure that is almost as bad as the cause, over a month to feel sort of normal. Make sure you replenish your intestine's bacteria, I believe there are three types you will need, L. rhamnosus, L. acidophilus, and B. bifidum, you can pick them up as a combo in capsule form from any healthfood store and once re-established you'll feel much better.
Hang in there, sounds like you have a great crew too, bonus. How did you get exposed ya figure?

Your Good Health! 
Serge


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## jp hallman (Mar 25, 2006)

God Speed on your recovery! 
Billions of lil' nasties out there just waiting to take us down.


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## smokechase II (Mar 25, 2006)

*Good for you*

We read a lot about this resistent stuff.

Any advice? 
Was there any job related aspect to this exposure?


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## xander9727 (Mar 25, 2006)

The best we can figure I got it at the VA Hospital. Not to bash the VA, but we went down to get an ultrasound for my wife (she is 2 months pregnant) and while there I HAD to use the restroom. As usual I wiped the seat before I sat down but that doesn't get rid of MRSA. The sore is in line with where I sit on a toilet (now it hurts if I sit period) so I must have had a break in the skin to let it in. The restroom I used was in the main lobby. During the week they have coffee and donuts available in the morning. A lot of homeless come in for the free meal and to get out of the weather. I imagine they use the toilet at the same time. This particular strand is community acquired and is not present in hospitals. Since I don't rub butts with people this was the only logical way I figured I could have gotten the infection. On Friday morning it was a REALLY sore pimple. By Friday night it was the size of a golf ball. At 4 am on Saturday I woke and could not get back to sleep. The site was now the size of a baseball and throbbing with pain. I went to the hospital around 5:30 am and they figured (incorrectly) that it was an abcess and cut it open to let it drain. They made a 2" X 2" X across the infected area. It didn't really drain at all but it did allow the bacteria into my blood stream. I was sent home with percocet and bactrim (an antibiotic). I got home took my meds and laid down. I tried to get up and dressed at 6 pm and didn't feel up to it. My wife came home at 10 pm and I could get out of bed and started throwing up uncontrollably. She took me to the ER and I was admitted at 4 am Sunday morning. They misdiagnosed my condition as cellulitus and began treating me with Penicillin based antibiotics. MRSA is resistant to penicillin based antibiotics so my condition continued to degrade. Sunday afternoon my kidneys shut down, my body temp shot up 7 degrees, I had an uncontrollable migrane and couldn't even drink water without vomiting. The contacted the CDC and the infectious disease doctor on call and around 9 pm they ascertained that I probably had an CA MSRA infection. They switched my antibiotics to Zoicen, maxipime and cleocin. By Monday evening my headache was under control, I was able to urinate and my fever was dropping. By Wednesday I was able to get out of bed and use the restroom and started whirlpool baths to aid the sores in draining. Now I'm home and feel good enough to get around, surf the net, etc., but I still feel it when I over exert myself. I'm sure I'll be fine in a few days. I lost 8 pounds I didn't want to loose. I don't have much of an appetite but I'm sure it will be back soon enough.


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## DDM (Mar 25, 2006)

Dang! Glad to see your better! Makes you think more than twice about using a public toilet!


xander9727 said:


> The best we can figure I got it at the VA Hospital. Not to bash the VA, but we went down to get an ultrasound for my wife (she is 2 months pregnant) and while there I HAD to use the restroom. As usual I wiped the seat before I sat down but that doesn't get rid of MRSA. The sore is in line with where I sit on a toilet (now it hurts if I sit period) so I must have had a break in the skin to let it in. The restroom I used was in the main lobby. During the week they have coffee and donuts available in the morning. A lot of homeless come in for the free meal and to get out of the weather. I imagine they use the toilet at the same time. This particular strand is community acquired and is not present in hospitals. Since I don't rub butts with people this was the only logical way I figured I could have gotten the infection. On Friday morning it was a REALLY sore pimple. By Friday night it was the size of a golf ball. At 4 am on Saturday I woke and could not get back to sleep. The site was now the size of a baseball and throbbing with pain. I went to the hospital around 5:30 am and they figured (incorrectly) that it was an abcess and cut it open to let it drain. They made a 2" X 2" X across the infected area. It didn't really drain at all but it did allow the bacteria into my blood stream. I was sent home with percocet and bactrim (an antibiotic). I got home took my meds and laid down. I tried to get up and dressed at 6 pm and didn't feel up to it. My wife came home at 10 pm and I could get out of bed and started throwing up uncontrollably. She took me to the ER and I was admitted at 4 am Sunday morning. They misdiagnosed my condition as cellulitus and began treating me with Penicillin based antibiotics. MRSA is resistant to penicillin based antibiotics so my condition continued to degrade. Sunday afternoon my kidneys shut down, my body temp shot up 7 degrees, I had an uncontrollable migrane and couldn't even drink water without vomiting. The contacted the CDC and the infectious disease doctor on call and around 9 pm they ascertained that I probably had an CA MSRA infection. They switched my antibiotics to Zoicen, maxipime and cleocin. By Monday evening my headache was under control, I was able to urinate and my fever was dropping. By Wednesday I was able to get out of bed and use the restroom and started whirlpool baths to aid the sores in draining. Now I'm home and feel good enough to get around, surf the net, etc., but I still feel it when I over exert myself. I'm sure I'll be fine in a few days. I lost 8 pounds I didn't want to loose. I don't have much of an appetite but I'm sure it will be back soon enough.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Mar 25, 2006)

Glad you're now going UPhill!


Any hospital is a good place to pick up germs, but a VA is probably especially bad.



Eat more garlic - it might keep some of the bugs away!


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## xander9727 (Mar 25, 2006)

It really blew my whole "you can't catch anything from a toilet seat" philosophy out the window.:jawdrop:


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## LarryTheCableGuy (Mar 25, 2006)

Wow, that is an incredibly nasty bug! My wife is immunocompromised. Something like that could take her out so easily.

I'm glad to hear that you are on the mend. Will there be any permanent effects, such as to your kidneys?

ALWAYS use a head gasket!


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## xander9727 (Mar 25, 2006)

I use the "Texas T-Shirts" when they are available. Otherwise I usually cover with paper. This was one of those occassions when your going to go whether your on the toilet or not..............I should have gone in my pants!


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## 046 (Mar 25, 2006)

what's even more scarry is what should happen if these bugs get resistant to our last line of defense drugs???


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## smokechase II (Mar 25, 2006)

*Serious*

Wow:

You hear something like that and if you're not bullet proof like you were 30 years ago it's time to change.

I realize I can't change everything but I've got it in my head to be cleaner.

If this wasn't so serious I would have laughed at the Texas T-Shirt label. I hadn't heard that one.


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## TreeLady (Mar 26, 2006)

Glad you are getting better, hope you are back to yourself asap.
Great to hear your guys took care of business, sound like you've got some good ones. Take care.


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## Eagle1 (Mar 26, 2006)

Glad you are on your feet again !!

Speedy recovery dude


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## Dadatwins (Mar 26, 2006)

Blood and staph infections are no joke, I almost lost my right arm a few years ago after I had some surgury to correct a torn ligament. One of the aurthroscopic surgical sites developed some fluid that my doctor tried to drain. He pulled the fluid out on a wednesday and told me I should fine. I traveled up to NY for a family party the friday after. At the party that night my hand was feeling stiff and sore, by saturday morning it had started swelling up and turning red, also had low fever. Went to the emergency room and was admitted withg a diagnose of cellulitious also. By sunday morning my arm and hand were three times normal size and fever was up, blood pressure dropping, I was on IV antibiotics, and pressure pants to keep my blood pressure up. Infectious disease called in by sunday afternoon after treating doctor make some marks on my arm below my elbow telling my wife if the redness passes this point we will have to take the arm at the joint to stop the infection. Infectious disease set me up with heavy doses of zocean for the infection and some wacky painkillers that made me see bright lights and balloons after each dose. After 2 more days I was stable enough to be transported back to VA to my Dr. who had a PIK line installed in my good arm for more antibiotcs and surgury to clean out the infection from the arm. Had the PIK line at home with self administered antibiotics every 4 hours for 6 weeks. Most scary thing I have ever gone through, and am very happy to still be here with all my parts. Of all the big and nasty trees I have worked on that little bug almost knocked me out also.
Glad you are feeling better, and I wish you a speedy recovery.


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## xander9727 (Mar 26, 2006)

Here is a pic of the original site after 8 days of antibiotics. It's kinda icky so if you don't like icky stuff........don't look.


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## xander9727 (Mar 26, 2006)

Here's another angle. The outer edges of the X incision are around 2" across.


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## smokechase II (Mar 26, 2006)

*You're a sick man*

You're a sick man. Posting your bottom side sores on the internet.

At least we can be on the humerous side now.

Some Doc says I've got cellulitious I'm out the door and its antibiotics you guys mention over the net or otherwise.


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## jimmyq (Mar 27, 2006)

good to see you are getting better X.
hospitals are a good place to not touch ANYTHING. nurses, door handles, toilet seats... etc.


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## vharrison2 (Mar 27, 2006)

Xander, glad you are on the mend. Congratulations to you and yours on the new baby that is on the way. That is number 4 for you right?


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## Chris J. (Mar 27, 2006)

PleaXander, glad that the doctors finally sorted out what was wrong. I went through a painful testicular infection about this time last year, but it now seems like a walk in the park compared to what you went through. They tried four or five antibiotics until they found an effective one, had to test my blood every four hours to make sure the cure wasn't killing me.

Hang in there. Much mojo & many positive are being sent your way.

Please forgive the digression...my roommate was brought to the hospital by the police. They found him passed out by a dumpster, and his blood alcohol level was (after who knows how many hours of sleeping it off) .45. And he was bipolar and had been off his meds for several days. It took him over two full days to get his head screwed on straight, and he was actually an okay guy once the meds reached the effective level.


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## darkstar (Mar 27, 2006)

Dang silver back ,good to hear you pulled through. shhewwww Dark


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## xander9727 (Mar 27, 2006)

vharrison2 said:


> Xander, glad you are on the mend. Congratulations to you and yours on the new baby that is on the way. That is number 4 for you right?



Yes, The wife and I would like another boy........they seem to be less maintainence.

Chris.......I think I'd rather risk losing one of my butt cheeks......From my perspective your's seems worse.


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## xtremetrees (Mar 27, 2006)

Man that blows, glad your ok polywog.My father in law just got over MRSA but he still has the lung cancer.


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## Bobcat (Mar 27, 2006)

X: 
Good to see you are recovering. It is amazing how a little germ/virus can quickly affect a strong and healthy person. Life is just full of suprises. 
bob


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## Chris J. (Mar 27, 2006)

Xman, your bug threatened a lot more than just one of your buttocks.

God speed you to a full recovery.


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## Gearhead1 (Mar 30, 2006)

Texas T-shirt, Irish party hat, ass-gasket....they're all the same thing.

Xander, after hearing your story I think I'll just go in the woods and find a tree to lean against the next time I'm needing to use a public toilet.


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## Jumper (Apr 8, 2006)

xander glad you are back among the living, and best wishes for a speedy recovery. 

I agree Staph is no joke-years ago pre anti biotics they called this blood poisoning and people routinely died. 

I have had a couple of bad goes with Staph in the past, and to be honest I should have gone to the doc sooner in both cases. One was on my nipple believe it or not, and I had developed a huge abcess/infection all over my chest, and the second was four years ago, the result of a really minor, minor cut on my left index finger with a kitchen knife on a friday night. I had a pre existing doc's appt Monday so I let it go, but by Sunday night I was really ill and my sister fortunately made me go to the emerg, by which point I had a 102+F fever and my arm was red and swollen up to the elbow. Nasty, Nasty, Nasty! They were worried I had strep, ie rotting flesh disease, but the results came back staph. The whole mess was compounded by the fact this is the same arm that has 4 1/2 inches of plate and six bolts holding the whole thing together, and that was starting to bother me because of the swelling as well.
Lucky to have caught it early enough that I did not require admission, but I had to return twice daily eight times for IV antibiotics, which fortunately did the job right on their first choice, and then two weeks of oral antibiotics on top of that. Had I not responded I was told I would be admitted the following morning, but as I said, I started to feel better about two hours after the first IV. Choosing the right anti biotic can be a crap shoot, but I was lucky !
Above post about the good germs in your gut is true, I had antibiotics for a recurring chest infection I caught in Kabul and while they cured the pneumonia, they also sent my entire system for a ride.($7 a pill but I have not been sick since). It was worth it, I could not breathe and two previous doses of lesser antibiotics did nothing at all. You will feel better soon I promise, also try some yoghurt with the bacteria in it still alive, ie unpasturized.


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## smokechase II (Apr 8, 2006)

*Where is Xander?*

Xander:
You OK?
No posts since 3-27.
Speak to us.


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## xander9727 (Apr 9, 2006)

I'm still with the living. I've improved a lot since I got out of the hospital but I still have flu like symptoms. They say it's from the antibiotics. I get winded pretty quick and I have body aches which make me feel crummy but I'm working. I'm trying not to over do it but I can't get enough sleep. I wake up several times a night with my stomach hurting. It hurts for two to three hours about 30 minutes after I take my antibiotics. I take them every eight hours, a 7 am, 3 pm and 11 pm. I only have about three weeks left and hopefully I'm done. I go to the doctor this week. I still have an open sore, it is a little smaller than a dime now but stilll oozes puss. I'll be glad to get past this and return to normalcy. When I climb my bosun seat is right on my sore........and it doesn't feel good.......but I'm sure it helps to force the puss out 
On a good note, one of the guys who used to work summers for me called tonight and said he'd like to come back to work for me. He wasn't able to work last summer because he took classes. He has been doing remodeling for the last 6 months and decided he'd likes Arborculture better. He is a good worker and I really need someone else right now to keep up with our increasing work load.
We also got our new F-550 last week, so I'm excited to get into full swing.

That's what's up in my world.


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## smokechase II (Apr 9, 2006)

*good*

Take a F-550 a bunch a pills and call me in the morning.
Typical Doc.


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## Diesel JD (Apr 9, 2006)

Seems like I hear more and more about this MRSA all the time. It sure makes me think twice about visiting the public toilet, I'm glad you are on teh mend, I don't know how I missed this post when it was original...wow,
J.D.


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## Jumper (Apr 10, 2006)

Just make sure you take all the antibiotics-I know from first hand experience they are hard on the system as a whole, but the alternative is a whole lot less positive. My guts literally burned taking those pills for the Kabul bug, but they worked where nothing else had up to that point. As I said try some "live yoghurt" once you are off the pills to try to re introduce some good bacteria to your intestines. Super to hear you continue to move forward.

I think part of the reason we hear more about these bugs that wreck such havoc is that we have been overfed antibiotics by well meaning parents and docs, and also via the food chain in meats. The bugs got smarter, and in the process more deadly.

New wheels are a good thing...enjoy.


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## BlueRidgeMark (Apr 10, 2006)

Jumper said:


> Just make sure you take all the antibiotics-I know from first hand experience they are hard on the system as a whole, but the alternative is a whole lot less positive. My guts literally burned taking those pills for the Kabul bug, but they worked where nothing else had up to that point. As I said try some "live yoghurt" once you are off the pills to try to re introduce some good bacteria to your intestines. Super to hear you continue to move forward.




Good advice. Make sure it's got LIVE cultures - not the phony store brand. Dannon is good, and there are others. Just make sure to look for the live cultures, and no fillers like carrageenan (sp?) or guar gum.


And take it slow, man. Your #1 job is recovery.


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