Well, that didn't go as planned.

[Queen]

Got to Chicago for a conference on Thursday and my right big toe was neon red and screamingly painful; ended up in urgent care on Friday morning, another MRSA infection from a tiny cut I probably gave myself trying to trim my toenails (I can't bend my right leg far enough to see what I'm doing very well).  So lots of time in the hotel room with my foot propped up and eating antibiotics. Made it to one morning of the conference, scored some free books, and headed back to the hotel. Wheeeee!  

At least I had a gorgeous view, 26th floor overlooking the Magnificent Mile.

 

[BradKW]

Kinda looks like weekly pedicures are the economical way to go...

 

[Queen]

No kidding, way cheaper than the co-pays from that little adventure. 

 

[Dennis]

Ouch! That doesn't take much does it? Just curious, do you disinfect your clippers before use or think that might have any cause? I can imagine how lucky I have been with all the cuts, scrapes, gouges, etc. I have had through life.
Hope that gets better soon.

 

[Queen]

I'm going to start soaking them in alcohol before using, I think that may have contributed to it.  Anyone who has worked in the medical field has a fair chance of being colonized with MRSA, I was a medic back before we wore gloves so my doc thinks I'm a carrier now, doesn't take much for me to end up with a blow up.

 

[SoulRaven]

Sorry to hear that. Ouch!

 

[jimindenver]

Hope you start feeling better soon.

 

[Dennis]

I remember you saying you were a medic and wondered about that. Just something else to be careful about.

 

[Queen]

It's so weird, all the stuff we didn't know back then that we get to deal with now.

 

[Optimistic Paranoid]

Anyone who has worked in the medical field has a fair chance of being colonized with MRSA, I was a medic back before we wore gloves so my doc thinks I'm a carrier now, doesn't take much for me to end up with a blow up.

I find this somewhat troubling.  A thorough scub down everywhere with alcohol or hydrogen peroxide or something like phisohex wouldn't completely rid your skin of this stuff?

 

[Queen]

Nope, it lives in your nose, all over your skin, your throat, etc. not possible to kill it all.  Before my knee replacement I had to scrub my entire body and use swabs up my nose for the days leading up to the surgery to minimize the risk of infection.

I've been told there's not a danger to other people, just to myself when I have open cuts.

 

[Richard]

I found this on the Minnesota Department of Health web site's page (bold emphasis, below, is mine) : Learning about MRSA: A guide for Patients


MRSA Transmission

How did I get MRSA?

• Anyone can get MRSA. You can get MRSA by touching someone or something that has the bacteria on it and then touching your skin or your nose.

Some ways that you could get MRSA:

• Touching the infected skin of someone who has MRSA
• Using personal items of someone who has MRSA, such as towels, wash cloths, clothes or athletic equipment
• Touching objects, such as public phones or door knobs, that have MRSA bacteria on the surface and then touching your nose or an open sore, paper cut, etc.

You may increase your chances of getting MRSA if:

• You take antibiotics a lot
• You take antibiotics without a prescription
• You don’t follow your doctor’s directions when taking antibiotics (for example you stop taking your antibiotics before finishing a prescription or you skip doses)
• You frequently get cuts or scrapes on your skin (Your skin serves as a barrier to infection. When the skin gets damaged staph bacteria can enter and increase your risk for infection.)

There are two ways you can have MRSA.

• You can have an active infection. An active infection means you have symptoms. This is usually a boil, a sore, or an infected cut that is red, swollen, or pus-filled.
• You can be a carrier. If you are a carrier you do not have symptoms that you can see, but you still have MRSA bacteria living in your nose or on your skin. If you are a carrier, your doctor may say that you are colonized. These words - “carrier” and “colonized” - mean the same thing.

MRSA Diagnosis

Will I always have MRSA?

• Many people with active infections are treated effectively, and no longer have MRSA.
• However, sometimes MRSA goes away after treatment and comes back several times.
• If MRSA infections keep coming back again and again, your doctor can help you figure out the reasons you keep getting them.

 

[SoulRaven]

Well, although a little off topic, how many of us could title our autobiography "Well, that didn't go as planned." I couldn't resist!

 

[tx2sturgis]

In my line of work, MRSA gets our guys thru public showers...

We've had some guys who had severe infections starting at their feet and working its way up the leg before the guy sought medical treatment. That is a bad scenario.

I always wear shower shoes in any and all public or motel showers.

And even then, I liberally apply anti-fungal powder to my feet, my socks, and the insides of my shoes as I get dressed.

So far, I've been lucky.

MRSA is some nasty stuff.

 

[Putts]

Yeeesh! I'm putting this on the list of scary creepy stuff I really don't want to know about.

Sorry, Queen. Hope your skin stays buttoned up from now on.

 

[AbuelaLoca]

Dayum... Hope you're feeling better!!!

 

[Queen]

In my line of work, MRSA gets our guys thru public showers...

We've had some guys who had severe infections starting at their feet and working its way up the leg before the guy sought medical treatment. That is a bad scenario.

I always wear shower shoes in any and all public or motel showers.

And even then, I liberally apply anti-fungal powder to my feet, my socks, and the insides of my shoes as I get dressed.

So far, I've been lucky.

MRSA is some nasty stuff.

Picked up my first case, along with the worst athletes foot on the planet, when I was a firefighter. Medic run got me the MRSA, athletes foot from the shower at the fire house... not sure which was worse.

 

[SoulRaven]

Hope you feel better soon, Queen.

 

[XFILE36]

I've been told there's not a danger to other people, just to myself when I have open cuts.

That's interesting because growing up we were told my brother was a carrier of strep throat.  He never got it, but I lived on anti-biotics from either strep or tonsillitis.  I thought he could pass it on, but not get it.

 I was in the medical field, so I will keep it in mind.  What can I do, except sterilize things?  I like using colloidal silver either as a precautionary or treatment in liquid or topical gel.  I make my own.  Hope you are better soon.  BTW, did they do a culure as a confirmed dx?

 

[waldenbound]

I need to go on a immune suppressing drug soon, and this is exactly what I fear. Getting MRSA or some horrible crap like that.

Hope you feel better soon Queen.