Hi all, I had written a long blog about MRSA a while back, it was a graphic look at living with MRSA.  At the time I wrote it I thought maybe it would help to let everyone know what it was, how serious it is, and what it's like living with it.  I thought I was educating people who had never had it, or who might be at risk.  Tonight I went on the Community Boards and read some MRSA stories that had me seeing red.  People infected with a life threatning disease, seeing doctors who didn't follow the proper guidelines, and doctors who didn't educate patients on how to care for themselves or how to protect others. 

     MRSA is killing me, I take it very seriously, I know doctors are busy, someone recently wrote a blog about how they don't spend time with patients anymore.  It's very true, so we have to be educated as patients.  These are some of the things that upset me.  A 3 y/o with a kidney disorder got MRSA in the hospital, it happens, they treated the child and sent her home without even telling the mother it was contagious.  Another woman had MRSA, the doctor refused to drain the abcess, and gave her antibiotics without taking culture, not knowing what it was for sure, and not knowing what antibiotic will work on it.  The third story was a post office where 4 people got MRSA, OSHA said the post office couldn't be cleaned with anything more than baby soap.       

     MRSA can live on a dry surface for 10-14 days before dying, think of all the letters being sent out, think of all the surfaces people could touch, counters, mailslots.  It is true some people carry MRSA their whole lives, in their noses, or on their skin and never get it.  But for some people, children, the elderly, people with colds, or stress, or people with weakened immune systems from Aides, or an Auto Immune Disorder, or a transplant, this is a death sentence.  Everyone should be angry, 19,000 people died last year from MRSA, more people then from Aides.  And when I hear stories like these, it's no wonder. 

     People draining abcesses the size of eggs at home, now not only are the people in your household likely to be infected, but think of the sanitation worker, anyone who comes over to visit and touches your trash can or bathroom for up to 2 weeks!  How about your pets, did you know cats and dogs can carry MRSA, they typically get it from people, they may or may not get an infection, but they can give it back to you over and over again.  Pets can now be tested for MRSA by local vets, if you need this call around. 

     I even heard a story about a woman whose insurance company wouldn't pay for all of the Vancomyacin needed to completely rid her of her MRSA.  Vancomyacin is the most powerful antibiotic we have, it should only be used as a last resort.  When we use antibiotics and don't use them for the recommended amount of time, we don't kill all of the infection, the surviving infection learns how to "beat" the drug making it smarter.  Her doctor should either challange the insurance companies decision, or give her a different drug to treat the infection.  MRSA can turn into VRSA which means the MRSA is now resistant to Vancomyacin, when that happens there are no drugs at all to treat the disease, period.  GAME OVER!  This doctor continueing to give partial treatment to this patient over and over again could not only kill the patient, but anyone she comes in contact with.  Researchers don't expect a new drug on the market for MRSA for 25 years!  We need to be careful with the drugs we have.

     I want to pose a hypathetical story to you for you to consider.  I have MRSA, I got it for the first time October 2006 it is suspected I got it working in a childrens hospital.  After the initial infection, where I didn't know what I had and by the time it was figured out it had eaten through my earlobe and tunneled 4 inches down my neck (you could stick a wooden Q-tip through my earlobe and down inside the skin on my neck 4 inches).  In fact this area had to be drained and "packed" about 3 times daily, at first by a woundcare Specialist and I was taught to do it myself.  It also spread across my face, we would have to press along my cheek to drain the fluid out of my earlobe.  The doctors had to do a CAT Scan to be sure it hadn't eaten into my brain because of the close proximetry.  Vancomyacin was given, due to the risk.  About 3 weeks after I finished my treatment it returned, it was swabbed and identified, and I was given Clindimyocin, Clindi worked everytime my MRSA returned for 8 months, then it returned in my knee an abcess about the size of a marble.  The doctors drained it and swabbed it and to our astonishment it was MRSA, but it was now resistant to Clindimyocin, in just 8 months.  Lets say I get MRSA, I inadvertantly scratch my dressing and touch a shopping cart.  Up to 14 days later you touch the shopping cart I used and get my MRSA strain.  Your doctor drains it and says "yep, it looks like MRSA here's some clindimyocin, take this for 2 weeks and you'll be fine."  My MRSA is resistant to Clindimyocin, you could die, he was right in his diagnosis, but without a culture, you can't be sure your getting the right treatment.  This holds true for any infection.

     To prevent the spread of MRSA or any infection including the flu and common cold, just be sure you wash your hands often with soap and water.  If you can carry hand sanitizer with you and be sure to use it after touching public surfaces such as shopping carts, door handles, etc.  If you get a boil, go see your doctor, have them drain and culture your boil, so you know what you have and know it is being treated adequately.  Keep it covered with a non porous bandaide that seals on all sides of the wound so nothing leaks out.  Blister Band aides are what I have found works best.  If someone in the house gets MRSA, be sure not to share towels, sheets, pillow cases, etc.  Wash all of these items in hot water and bleach when possible.  Keep in mind your dog and cat can carry MRSA (studies have shown they get it from us) if you have recurrent MRSA, have your vet check your dog skin rashes can carry it, or they may just carry it in their noses as people do and never show signs or symptoms.  ALways take all of your prescribed anti-biotics even if you feel better or if it appears to be healed. 

     It's easier to prevent it then to treat it.  Thanks for reading my rant.  This could be stopped if we all knew how. 

    

• MRSA
• Rant
• Prevention
• Antibiotic