Revenge of the MRSA

Yours truly here to relay the series of events that all began with a paper cut/scratch on my chin. This post will be an update of sorts (yes...rare for this blog). I do not want pity, but I decided that posting a brief overview of the past week's events would prevent me from having to describe over and over my (semi)recent medical situation. (DON'T READ if thoughts of needles and such make you woozy)

Two months ago, I woke up to find my chin/neck/face swollen. I rushed to an urgent care facility where I was diagnosed with a staph infection that started from a tiny scratch on my chin; the tests came back MRSA positive. The most logical source of the bacteria?--could have been the weight room at BYU (the doctor said so). I lift weights a lot, and probably touched my face post using a machine post some sweaty, gross boy using the same machine (yuck).

Well, to get to the point...the darling MRSA took its revenge earlier this week, and I found myself in the emergency room around 1:00AM Thursday morning. The ER doctor found that the MRSA had travelled to the tissues surrounding my heart. He immediately started an infusion of vancoymcin, the best and most effective antibiotic for MRSA. As luck would have it (I'm a very luck girl as you'll see...), I developed Red Man's Syndrome from the vanco. The nurses quickly infused me with benadryl, but to every one's horror I stopped breathing and was passing out --from the benadryl. After a bit, they got my vitals under control, finished the vanco infusion, and finally released me around 4:30 AM.

This picture shows me snowed...snow coned...snow dozed...or whatever the nurses were calling it. I wish I hadn't been so loopy so I could remember the funny description!

The next morning at 8:30, I went back to the hospital for my second infusion of vanco. Despite taking a small dose of benadryl prior to the infusion, I once again had a bad reaction. The nurse once again had to infuse me with benadryl, which I reacted to badly...again. Finally, at 2:00 PM and after switching my infusion to a different antibiotic I was released. Exhausted, I slept for a couple hours and then presented a final presentation/exam. I think I did really well despite it all (phew!).

While at the hospital Thursday morning, I was trained to give myself at-home infusions (cool!). Despite making me feel really sick, weak and nauseous the infusions went pretty well with only a few hiccups (blood clots in the IV, etc.). Friday night, I discovered a leak in my IV when blood started spurting everywhere (so again I went to the hospital). Now if you'll remember my earlier statement of being a lucky person... you'll see how lucky it was that at the same time my IV sprung a leak, I also happened to be on a date (my life could be a TV show...)

Anyways, this morning I administered my last infusion and then had a follow up with the Doc. Because the infection is still present, he wants me on 14 more infusions over the next week. He also ordered me to have a mid line put in my arm instead of a regular IV. My aunt took me to this little clinic to have the mid line administered. I wasn't too worried about it, until the nurses started space-suiting it up (not kidding), and began to cover my body with blue sanitary operating, blanket thing-ies. I started getting a little nervous then. It took at least an hour for the whole process, but it was finally over and my arm only hurts a little.

They put my mid line in the Basilic vein (diagram below) which goes straight to my heart. I have high hopes that this round of infusions will conquer the staph once and for all. Moments ago, I finished my first infusion through the mid-line. Though the bad side effects (fever, weakness, wheezing, etc.) came faster and stronger, the whole process hurt incredibly less than when the infusions were going through a vein in my hand. I'm grateful for that.



Well, there you go. A much more detailed update than I meant to give, but I don't feel like editing/condensing right now. Honestly, I'm feeling pretty upbeat, and again I don't want pity. Just sometimes I think that when the cards of life were dealt, I received a hand of straight jokers!