Firstly, please excuse the 'draft' format of this blog, I'm pretty tired and am writing this more for information than anything! I'll start by giving you a bit of background about myself. I'm 41 year old female, pretty fit (in the exercise terms), run 4 times a week (outside and the gym) due to a joint condition to keep myself mobile and if I'm not exercising am usually writing up features as a Beauty Editor for local papers and chatting on radio as a Beauty Specialist. I have 2 amazing children 9 and 4 and am separated from my husband whom lives nearby.
Anyway it started on Tuesday 4th June 2013. I was out running through the woods when I felt a particularly nasty sting on my backside, just above the crease on my left leg. Yelping, I just carried on running – I had another 2 miles to get back home. When I got home the pain had gone and I forgot all about it. That evening I noticed a small black dot where I'd been stung. Forgetting that I'd been bitten/stung, I set about squeezing the life out of it, thinking it was an ingrown hair, nothing happened except it turned into a small mass of red. The next day I woke up and apart from a tiny bit red it was all fine. I felt extremely tired, but not to deter me from my exercise regime, trotted off to do an hour in the gym – including lots of mat work.
That evening I was exhausted, I rang up my husband and asked if he could look after the children as I felt like I was coming down with dreadful flu. By the next morning my sting was swollen, hard and incredibly painful to sit on. I made an emergency appointment at my local surgery with the doctor who took one look and said 'hhhm not sure but here's a low dose antibiotic Flucloxacillan'.
On the Friday I woke up in agony, however, as one does with kids and being on their own they soldier on, besides it was my birthday celebrations that night, and nothing was going to spoil it – or so I thought – by 11pm I had to call it a night as I couldn't sit down.
The next morning I went to Harold Wood Out of Hour Doctors, the nurse took one look and told me it was a nasty abscess and I needed go straight to A&E. Off I went to Basildon – I should point out that my dear elderly parents took me as I couldn't drive. At A&E I was seen by a doctor who's first words were 'hhhm I'm going to have to take the top off this wound, it looks like a boil, but I'm not sure ooh and I'm sorry but I don't have any gloves to wear'. In hindsight I should have run the hell out of there, however, I didn't and he just sent me home and told me to continue the antibiotics.
By Sunday I was crying still and saw another emergency doctor at the Brentwood Community Hospital. He confirmed it was a Stapphylococus infection and upped my dose of Flucloxocillan and also put me on a very strong dose of penicillin.
Monday it was spreading and I went back to my local surgery and saw another emergency doctor whom took one look and said, I don't think its infected I think you need steroids, come back in 2 days. So Wednesday I came back and saw I think Doctor no 6, who said 'very nasty Staph infection, if it's not better you need to go to A&E'.
As you can imagine 6 or more doctors all saying different things, being in agony just was end for me. Luckily I had private medical care and rang The Spire Hartswood, Brentwood. Here I was put in to see consultant Matt Griffiths for the next day. Thursday, my dear friend Fiona came with me and as I was held down by the ankles by a nurse, Mr Griffiths got a rather large needle and took a biopsy. I resorted to a screaming mess as quite simply it was worse than 2 caesareans put together.
The next day was Friday and Mr Griffiths put me in for an ultrasound. This showed up a large cavity, the report was flagged urgent to Mr Griffiths and just as I was enjoying a Starbucks a couple of hours later he called me and told me I needed emergency surgery.
Saturday I was given a general at the Spire Hartswood and given surgery, a 2 inch by 2 inch cavity was left as he cut out all the infection – interestingly there was hardly any pus – this I think disappointed him (it's a man thing).
Then the packing began. I'm not going to lie but it felt like torture, I was given gas and air and IV painkillers but even through the gas and air I nearly passed out – as did nearly my poor mum who bear witness to this large hole on my left buttock – and then the surgeon came in with the news that quite frankly shook me. The biopsy results had come back from the Thursday night and showed I had MRSA. Now I don't know anything about MRSA except its a superbug that can be fatal. He explained that I would now be put on the correct antibiotics, however, my overnight stay resulted in a 4 day stay.
So, since then I've been out of hospital for about 4 days. Each day I have the packing redone and each day it gets easier. In fact I don't need gas and air now, although nurses have strict instructions on how to fill the cavity with the silver packing – DO NOT TOUCH THE EDGES OF THE WOUND. Each day I wake up and the plaster is filled with fluid and blood. My dear mum has had the kids for me overnight and tonight I was desperately hoping that I could see them, but the youngest Freddie has a large open scab from football and my gorgeous daughter Phoebe is covered in gnat bites. I called the doctor at the hospital and he said to be on the safe side its best they stay away for a few more days.
I was also rather upset today when I was told by the doctor that my wound is swollen and I need another weeks course of Clindamycin, as this has left me with horrible effects of metallic taste, but more so I'm devastated they think the infection may still be lingering. It's ongoing and I can't drive or walk far as it bloody hurts although not as much. I will keep this blog updated, but before I sign off, please pray for me! Oh and before I go – those antibacterial hand gels I've been told by nurses are useless unless state 99.99% effective – most are only 99.9% effective and don't rid of MRSA! Molly xxxx
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