Todo sobre mi MRSA/ All about my MRSA

July 2012 was a month full of firsts, I never wanted. First overnight hospital stay, first IV, first surgery, and first stitches. If we are Facebook friends, then you probably have read my status updates regarding my week long stay in the hospital to be treated for MRSA. MRSA is a type of Staph bacteria that is resistant to common antibiotics. It spreads quickly and aggressively and can be deadly if your lungs or heart get infected as well. Thankfully, my infections were caught early and no serious damage was done. As a result, please don’t worry as I am totally fine and was never near death. Also, if you get squeamish when reading, seeing, or hearing about gooey, bloody medical details, I recommend not reading any further. 

About 3 weeks ago, I was working with local kids at an at-risk youth center where I was bit by a sizeable spider after sitting down on a bench outside. At first, I did not realize that the spider had bit me. I felt a pinch upon sitting down on a slotted wooden bench, then saw a sizable, hairy brown spider the size of a half dollar. Figuring that the two events were unrelated, I joyously participated in soccer and volleyball games with the kids without washing the wound or covering it. By the late afternoon, the back of my thigh, where the spider had bit me was sore and swollen. I realized that the spider had bit me and figured it had venom so I called one of handy Peace Corps doctors who recommended that I take anti-histamine and ice it to reduce the swelling. Figuring it was no big deal, I followed suit. However, a day and half later, it was larger, redder, and more painful and walking was reduced to limping. Red flags were raised in my mind, so I called the Peace Corps doctor again who said that it must be infected and prescribed antibiotics. “Hallelujah!” I thought, problem solved... But I was very wrong about this. After 24 hours of taking the antibiotic, everything was worse. The pain, the size, the color… all had gotten stronger. Even more concerning was noticing a small bump on the side of my calf on the same leg that did not itch, was hot to touch, and red. All of these things were the initial signs of the first infection. In order to monitor the growth of the possibly second infection, I drew a circle around it before bed. Sleep that night was hardly possibly since my entire leg was in pain.

Upon waking up, I found the second infection to be bigger and beyond the circle. I called the Peace Corps doctor again and they requested that I come to Managua to have it looked at and treated. That phone call was followed by the most uncomfortable bus ride ever to Managua. I get to Managua see our Peace Corps doctor who takes samples by causing me necessary, but excruciating pain. In order to get the sample, she had to push the large, swollen wound and force liquid out to be tested. Since the abscess had not yet formed and it hurt without any touch or physical contact, having it pressed against for a few minutes flooded my eyes with tears. Thankfully, the doctor finally got enough discharge out of it for a sample then I was off to the nicest hospital in Nicaragua for an afternoon of tests and trying to track down the Infectious Disease specialist. Nothing calms your nerves like hearing you need to see the Infectious Disease specialist!  He was not available so they doubled my antibiotics and threw some pain killers into the mix. The next day was hell. The infection was in all layers of my skin so as the abscess was forming, all layers of skin were splitting open in an attempt to push the infection out of my body. This was a slow and painful process. Even with pain killers, I would have sporadic shocks of pain that were so strong, I would scream out loud and some so strong, I felt faint after. I did not get much sleep that night and the next day, I finally had an appointment with the infectious disease specialist.

The specialist’s office was covered with awards and certificates which comforted me because receiving medical treatment in Spanish and in a developing country that has standards, rules, and medical training different than your own is worrisome. “Whoa!” Exclaimed the highly esteemed specialist as I showed him the big infection on the back of my thigh. Not comforting. He promptly admitted me and called in the surgeon to schedule surgery on the 2 infected areas that night. At this point, I had a fever and felt generally ill all over from the infection. Also my zombie walk was no longer possible, as I was reduced to hopping on my left leg. 


I was prepped for surgery with a rather humiliating but hilarious experience. Since I could not walk or move much from the pain and the abscess was profusely bleeding. The nurses forbade me from moving. Therefore, when they were about to transport me to the operating room and noticed that I had my underwear still on, they reacted quickly by removing it then slapping an adult diaper on me instead! One nurse lifted me while the other strapped it two me just like you would do to a baby. Two sticky straps on each side. Sadly, no cartoons. Realizing, I had lost all dignity, I could only laugh hysterically.  

Before entering the operating room, they gave me anesthesia in my IV and knocked me out. However, I woke up in the operating room while they were prepping my leg for surgery. Upon waking up, I found myself strapped to the bed on my side with my arms strapped down in front of me, tubes coming out of my nose, heart monitors attached to my chest, and the freakiest sight was watching my heart beat on the monitor. I groggily looked up at the nurse and asked “Should I sleep?” in Spanish. The anesthesiologist promptly gave me more meds in my IV that knocked me out instantly.

According to my surgeon, the operation only took about 20 minutes to open, drain, and remove the infected flesh. Thankfully, no muscle tissue was infected but all layers of skin were so they had to remove a sizable chunk. The incision and removal behind my thigh was about 3 inches long and 3/4inch wide at one point. I have several stitches in the back of my thigh and in the side of my right calf that only required a 1 small one inch incision. Thankfully, after my operation, I spoke with my father and sister by phone which was comforting. I must admit the drugs were strong and I do not recall much from that conversation.

Immediately, they began giving me fluids, pain killers, and a MRSA killing, super strong antibiotic. The antibiotics were strong and the major side effects were heartburn and nausea. Reading was difficult because of the intense nausea but thankfully, my hospital room had a television and wifi! About 2 days after my surgery, a third infection began to grow on my opposite leg. Seeing as the bacteria was still active, they increased my antibiotics, drained the third lesion, and extended my hospital stay by one more day. After 6 days in the hospital, I was freed and released to a nice hotel to finish recovering for a week. After a week there, I was able to return to lovely Somoto that I missed dearly. 


Currently, I have stitches and still am unable to walk much in order to prevent breaking the stitches however; I am returning to Managua this Friday so the doctor can check its healing progress and possibly remove the stitches if they are ready to be removed. There is no need to worry. Other than some mild pain in my leg, I feel great and am very happy to be back in my site. The doctors, nurses, and Peace Corps medical office were all really great and treated me well. In no time I will be back to functioning fully!