Survivor Stories – Survivors Network

Survivors and Their Families Share Stories & Experiences.

Please email your story over and specify if you would like it published on the website. Please write no more than 2 paragraphs so there is space for others and a photo, if you like. Please add:

1. First name of the MRSA victim,
2. Age of MRSA patient or survivor
3. What state or country you are from

Telling our personal stories helps others to understand this disease better and raises awareness.
THANK you for sharing!

Darcia, Michigan - 45

Started on my belly where my pants rubbed. I assumed it was an ingrown hair. Then my arm started itching and more on my stomach and arms, and then one on my bottom. After a few days the burning, itching and the extreme tiredness finally took its toll. At the hospital, they first thought it Ebola since I work in a restaurant and the boils were so red raised and boils the size of a golf ball. They put me in isolation and wore suits. Masks and scalpel in hand they cut them open, poked long looking cotton swabs in them for culture then drained them. The pain was beyond even giving birth. I was wrapped bandages IV all the stuff you see on tv and more. Once it came back MRSA I was wheeled to a permanent room. There I stayed with IV dripping for 5 days.

Doctor tells me I had it so bad that another 10 hours I would have fallen asleep and not woke up.

Needless to say, I created a super bug in my home they said. But I still get it every few months no matter what I do it CONTROLS MY LIFE. I CAN’T WORK, I CAN’T BE AROUND MY GRANDKIDS. I FEAR FOR MY FIANCE. . This is the most horrifying controlling and scaring disease. No one know what it is by me. I’m looked at like I carry the zombie apocalypse.

I exercise and eat right. Take turmeric and other natural herbs. I eat garlic and kale. But never the less it still makes its way into my life. WE HAVE A FLESH EATING DISEASE ALREADY ON THIS EARTH. Nothing more can be worse. Please be aware wash your hands and be responsible.

Terrie – 44, Tulsa

After reading some of the stories I feel very lucky!! I developed a hard lump on my buttocks on a Saturday. I asked my spouse what it was and he told me it was a bug bite, to stop scratching it. I thought that was odd because it wasn’t itching. Tuesday I met up with a few friends, one of which is a doctor. I showed her the lump and asked what she thought it was, she said it could be a spider bite or an inflamed hair follicle and would call in an antibiotic the next day. By Wednesday afternoon I was in so much pain I could hardly move. It was all I could do to make it through work. I went straight to urgent care after work and found out I had 102 fever. They cut into the abscess and packed it, gave me an antibiotic and pain medication and told me to come back in two days. I went back Friday and had the packing changed, although very painful, it was uneventful. I was supposed to go back in Sunday to have the packing changed again but when I woke up I was chilling so badly I couldn’t hardly get dressed. We went to the same urgent care, my temperature had climbed to 104. They changed the packing, gave me Tylenol, and told me to get to the ER. The paperwork they sent with us said “cellulitis” as the diagnosis. The doctor at the ER gave me IV antibiotics and pain medication. They decided that the hole cut by the urgent care doctor wasn’t large or deep enough so they enlarged the incision by more than half and put about 3 feet of packing material in. I am shocked but glad they didn’t keep me in the hospital.

I was asked to come back in two days to have the abscess/wound checked and packing changed. The ER doctor made a comment about MRSA. I just looked at her and said I didn’t have MRSA, I just had a staph infection. She said she was pretty sure my chart said I had MRSA but she would check. Sure enough, they did a culture Sunday and the results were MRSA, I would have never known if she hadn’t said something. After almost a week of the painful process of changing the packing material she irrigated the abscess and told me it no longer needed packing. It is now two weeks after the initial doctor’s visit and I still feel tired and weak. The wound is still open and oozing a little but slowly getting better. I can’t believe how painful this process was. I now live in fear of my next outbreak, especially since I have no idea how I got it.

Gerald – 47, Vancouver Island, BC Canada

May 2015 my husband was complaining of a sore neck. It rapidly became worse. After four ER attempts my husband was airlifted from one hospital to the next. He was septic. He remained in ICU for three weeks, underwent a surgery to insert a chest tube that drained one infection pocket that was near his heart. He was diagnosed with internal MRSA that spread throughout his whole body. It was in his bloodstream, all organs and in his spine. He had infection pockets literally everywhere. There was no signs of external boils or infections. My husband wasn’t suppose to survive. He remained in hospital for three months on Daptymican. His first time discharged we arrived home pulling up in our driveway and he was septic again. Once again, by ambulance he was back in hospital with a secondary infection. Two weeks later he was discharged. Now we are in September. We learned to administer his IV medication by gravity flow and he remained on Daptymican until November 2015. To date (March 2016) my husband has permanent spinal damage resulting in chronic pain everywhere. He has endocarditis (inflammation of his heart valves) and still urinates blood. “Apparently” he is negative for MRSA and we hope he never gets this again. He lost 40 pounds and suffers from speech delays and memory loss. He was also having TIAs (mini strokes) for sometime. We don’t know the future, however we really hope, pray, believe that this will never return. To this day we have no idea why and where this came from. There was no point of entry found. It has changed his life and now suffers daily…..we are a large family, and the rest of us are negative for MRSA. Thank you for this site, I like to read other stories and connect as survivors. It’s so devastating and I wish every one the very best with no relapses.

Andrea -21, Las Vegas, NV

In early January of 2015 the first cyst randomly appeared on my lower back. I had no clue why it just randomly appeared. A few days after it’s appearance it had already trippled in size, and i attempted to drain it myself with a hypodermic needle. Big mistake. ALWAYS ALWAYS go to the doctor for any and ALL health issues, no matter how small it seems, DO NOT try to fix yourself. Because by the next morning I felt worse than I have ever felt in 20 years on earth. I had no appetite, no energy, my face had covered in what looked like blisters over night and every muscle in my body ached and screamed with pain every time i moved. For the next few days I attempted to just sleep it away. Barely moving and never eating or drinking. By day 4 I felt like dying but forced myself out of bed and into the world. I was miserable. Nothing had ever impacted my emotions and pushed me so close to suicide. This diseases messes with you mentally just as much as it does physically. I cried every day for no other reaon than that i felt so sad. By day 7 my body had erupted into a canvas of tiny dots that looked like zits. Hard and unpoppable. I idiotically ignored them. Figuring they were skin problems that I caused by lying in bed depressed all day. However by day 10 the tiny red dots had grown into what looked like giant boils. Still I stayed in bed, too sad to care. By day 12 the boils began to leak and ooze and shoot out blood and pus. I couldn’t move even an inch anymore. Any movement was torture. My body was absolutely covered in sores. Mainly on my hips, inner thighs, and butt. Still, I didn’t go to the hospital. I thought they were just boils, boils are common. But the pain was so bad I only ever focused on forcing myself to sleep so I wouldn’t have to experience it anymore. For days i simply layed on my stomach, the only area unaffected, and wished I would die. My family brought me food and water and forced it into me. They begged me to go to the hospital. I don’t know why I was so stubborn and stupid… At this point i think I was just embarrassed. And I almost let that kill me. DO NOT let this happen to you. MRSA is vicious!! It’s only intent is to take over your body and suck the life out of you so that it can thrive. By day 16 my immune system had given up. My mother found me on my bed unresponsive, barely breathing. She rushed me to a hospital where the nurse took one look at me and declared my condition an emergency needing immediate attention, or I would be dead in hours.. if not minutes. All i can remember is coming into consciousness every once in a while to a doctor draining my infected wounds or changing my bandages and administering morphine. I was in the hospital for weeks on a constant strain of powerful antibiotics before they even considered releasing me. It took me almost a year to fully recover from the trauma that this disease wrecked on my body. i still have large, deep, and nearly blackened scars in all the places that the sores had erupted and my flesh had rotted. After an experience like this, all i can really say is to please be careful. Never take any health issue to be a small issue. When it comes to your body, love yourself, don’t be stupid like i was. MRSA caused me the worst pain I have ever felt and the ugliest scars I will ever have to live with. I wouldn’t wish this disease on my worst enemies!

Bonnie – Texas

I was first diagnosed with MRSA during a serious outbreak that occurred in September 2007. I thought I had a boil on my buttock that I ignored until the pain was so great I could hardly stand. After finally going to the emergency room on a Sunday morning and spending six hours screaming while a poor intern from Parkland Memorial Hospital in Dallas, TX, cut into me and tried to excise and drain my wound. He wrote a script and advised me to visit my PCP two days later. I did and they called an ambulance. I spent six days in isolation with four surgeries in three days. I became the patient every doctor wanted to see. I awoke from one surgery to see an older man sitting in the chair next to my bed. He looked like an undertaker, and introduced himself as Dr. William Furlong who is a resident of Virginia Hospital Center. I felt like a bug caught in a net. Long story short, I turned out to be one of the few survivors of that outbreak. I spent eight weeks at home with a PIC line in my arm and Vancomycin via IV twice a day. When I went back to work, my colleagues were frightened of me when part of my tubing slipped out of the long sleeve blouse I was wearing. When my supervisor came back from lunch, everyone had a bottle of hand sanitizer on their desk. I felt like an outcast, and for months people avoided me. I had a recurrence in April 2008. I haven’t had another bout since then of MRSA, but everything (even a cold), is cause for alarm. Now I am waiting on my second surgery after fracturing my cervical spine on July 4th last year. I’ve had one and am recovering, but the next one will be more complicated. The final one will be in May. MRSA has made me feel my mortality, and my ongoing nightmare in the daylight. But I will always have hope and will never give up or give in. Thanks for allowing me to share my story. The moral of my story? Never ignore your symptoms and talk to your doctor. MRSA is blind to age, gender or anything else that makes us unique.

I had mrsa 3 times while in the army. The first time I was in the field and I thought it was a spider bite on the lower left part of my stomach. so I told my medic about it he said that we would monitor it, at that time it was about a dime size. A few days later it was so painful that I couldn’t even stand up straight and I dealt with the pain for a couple more days by this time it was the size of my fist. I told my medic again and once he seen the infection he told me I needed to lay on my cot and take benadryl (at the time we was training at jrtc in Fort polk) a few hours later in the middle of the night I was picked up by a convoy of hmv’s and drove to a fob. At the fob I was forced to put all my gear back on having a 40 pound Plate crushing down on it and was told to ground gide the vehicle to park. I was so medicated I had no clue were I was eventually the truck command was frustrated he just drove pass me and parked. When I find them he told his guys to not talk to me like I was trash for not being able to stay and train. Eventually I was given a ripped cot to sleep on after a few minutes of hazing about how I have no respect for the uniform for leaving my guys in the field to train while i was on “vacation”so i was not seen by the doctor that night because he was sleeping. To be fair the hazing stopped once they seen how bad the infection was. The next day I went in to the see a doctor and was told I had mrsa and for the next several days I underwent getting cut open and they would squeeze the infection until I didn’t have enough strength to fight the pain it was causing.

About a year later when I was in Iraq I had an infection near my belly button I wasn’t told anything of it just that it was a cyst the size of a dime. It was removed.
A couple months later after returning home during winter I was getting sick like I have never been sick before and then an infection on my arm popped up ,when I got it looked at the next day I was told it was mrsa. I explained that I had it before and they took samples from the infection and my nostrils. It took a few days to get the test back. During that time I had a reaction to the medication I was given, my forearm where the infection was had swollen twice it’s original size. I rushed to one of my friends next door and had him take me to the hospital. There I was told that I had bronchitis and that my bandages had something to do with swelling. I was given a steroid shot and was taken home by my squad leader (aka kinda like my first line boss). The next day I went back to the doctor and was told I have been carrying Mrsa through my sinuses and that’s how i got the infection. Since then I’ve never felt the same I get sick every time the temperature changes every season it’s exhausting. The only thing I’ve had the VA do about it is make me take a survey but I feel I’m probably not filling out properly. I hope there is nothing permanently wrong with me but if there is something I should be concerned about please let me know. I hope this story helps or at least shows that people are not a lone when it comes to fighting mrsa.

Kylie -15, Texas

It was winter break of my sophomore year. i woke up to a zit on my lower back. My dad tried to pop it but it wouldn’t budge, which i would find out later that was a big mistake. it kept growing and growing and Christmas Day i could not walk so i decided to go to the ER. I had told my mom it was a spider bite so when we told the doctor he completely agreed with me. He cut the wound open and sent me on my way. After a day i still could barely walk and the next morning i was having trouble breathing. So i went again to the ER and i had developed an abscess. Which the doctor had also tested me for MRSA. The test came back positive. I was put on multiple antibiotics and painkillers because everyday my parents had to drain pus and blood out of my back. It lasted for a total of 3 weeks and it was healing. I went to my normal doctor and she said it now had to heal from inside out so she packed it 6 inches deep into my back. After that healed i forsure thought it was over. Boy was i wrong. about 2 months later i have another cyst on my back and the MRSA has returned. I’m still fighting this battle today and i will keep fighting until its completely gone forever

Michael

Hi, I have a mother right now in very bad condition. It seemed like it happened overnight but she had pain in her back for maybe a week and after 4 visits to the er, the last visit when never came back from it now she is in the icu and in an induced coma they say she has mrsa in her blood and she is sepsis. They say it has caused her to have a mild stroke also they say she hasa small amount of vegetation in her heart. I just hope want her my mother Michele dukes in whoever may be reading this. It hurts my heart to see her in this state and I can’t do anything so hopefully some prayers can. THANKS

Barbara -75

I contracted mrsa in a respiratory hospital where my husband passed away of lung cancer. he was there for 9 weeks and i was with him every day but two (had cold symptoms) and many nights, sleeping in the convertible chair. i was constantly told that it was a dirty place, but i had no idea with what. it was an old TB HOSPITAL which will be significant later. in april 2009 gene passed and i felt ill with the feeling of fire ants in the right side rib area. no doctor had heard of such a thing and in October of 2009 the pain was so bad i got a lift to the emergency room of my local hospital. i was given morphine and during 10 days given every test known to man, I think they gave me anti-biotic to treat h-pilori although my stomach was not hurting. the pain in my right rib area subsided and although not feeling well did not have the dreadful pain either—until January of 2011. in that month i started to see double images was very dizzy and then the pain in the center of my back got me into the hospital. by the way the eye doctor said the double images were because of a palsy of the eye nerve on the left side. no treatment eas possible. this emergency visit, they found a very resistent bacteria and gave me intravenous anti-biotic for a week (double vision ended) and sent me home with pills. On April 30, 2011 i was back in the emergency room with unbelievable pain in center of back. i woke up on may 1, having had my t-5-t10 cleaned of MRSA ABCESS which had been compressing my spinal cord. i became acquainted with the pain specialist doctor and two weeks later was transferred to a nursing facility unable to stand. IN SIX WEEKS i was back at the hospital to have MRSA INCUBATING BUBBLES scraped from my right side and back ribs and a coating built by my body in defense ripped from my right lung(doc’s phrase) i had pain management with morphine and alternating overlapping norco 10 until i was sent to the nursing home on a saturday and given only Tylenol because their pharmacy didn’t deliver until Sunday evening!!!!!!!!!!!! i would have expired with a less strong heart. i didn’t realize i could have gone back to the hospital and called medicare. i could hardly breathe. six weeks later i was back at the ER WITH ANOTHER DREADFUL PAIN IN BACK. they sent me to a teaching hospital where i was given 11 titanium cages on my vertibrae because the MRSA had reduced my bones to fracturing thinness in t5-t10. six more weeks in nursing and i went home with my son to an apartment (ground floor). i had to sell my house. five years later i still use a walker outdoors and can finally lay down flat. i’m healthy, but have joined the ranks of the disabled. i volunteer at the library one or two days a week and am in training to aid petitioners for change. org. I’ve even had a romance , but he passed of a longstanding illness. I’m 75 and still learning.

Bonnie

Kylie -15

Britney -29, TN

This all started at the end of March of 2016. I worked as a janitor at a local factory. I cleaned bathrooms and took out trash, always wearing gloves. I washed my hands constantly. My doctors told me that my immune system was down because I kept getting colds and so forth but when your taking care of four young children and your husband works third shift seven days a week it is really hard to find time to take care of myself. One day while at work I got sick at my stomach. I didn’t go home instead I finished my shift. That night I ended up with fever, took Tylenol and went to bed. I woke up at three am that night with a fever of 104 and uncontrollable chills. I went to my doctor and he gave me antibiotics. The next few days after that I barely remember. I kept the fever and chills but also had developed severe stomach pain and a headache. My doctor called in a pain medicine which did not touch any of the pain I was in. When my husband got home later the next day he said that I was incoherent and hallucinating. He checked my temperature and it was a little over 104. He called my grandfather and they had to carry me to the vehicle to take me to the hospital. I got to the hospital and they checked me in, they got me back right away and thought I had pancreatitis and gall bladder problems until I could not breathe on my own anymore. The discovered that I had staph MRSA in my nose, pancreas, lungs, bladder, and bloodstream. I do not remember any of that time until I woke up with a breathing tube down my throat and a pic line in the artery in my neck. I was terrified and ended up jerking the breathing tube out luckily I didn’t damage my throat.

For the next three weeks I was isolated in ICU and put on two different antibiotics . I was on a breathing mask until they drained my lungs of fluid. They then noticed my heart rate was up and they did a TEE and discovered that I had vegetation on my tricuspid valve in my heart. They then put me on two more antibiotics. I became allergic to the Vancomycin, so they switched it. There was only so many antibiotics they could use to touch the infection because I am allergic to penicillin and anything with ‘cillin in it. I ended up with a heart cath done and got the good news that the vegetation on my heart was not compromising the function of the valve but if the antibiotics didn’t get rid of the vegetation that I would have to have open heart surgery. I was devastated. They finally let me go to a normal room without so many machines or nurses soon after that. They did the proper tests to make sure I couldn’t spread the infection but I still had to stay in the hospital for three more weeks to receive antibiotics and have tons of chest x rays and body scans done. At the end of that three weeks they did more blood cultures and they came back negative. I was relieved but I was not home free yet. They let me know right away that I would have to recieve IV antibiotics and by mouth antibiotics from home for the next six weeks. So I went home with a pic line in my arm and with the knowledge that I still had six weeks. I got through it and just went to my last check up with the infectious disease doctor. They checked my lungs and heart all clear. Then they did blood cultures again and I am still negative but live in fear that it will come back.

Regan -17, Oklahoma

I first came down with MRSA when I was 15, my freshman year at the beginning of the school year. It was on the side of my knee, and I was at the doctor 4 days out of the week because of it. I had no idea what it was. It started out as a small red itchy bump, very tender, then it got bigger. It turned yellow, purple, and white. On the 4th day I went to the doctor, they lanced the wound and let it drain and put me on the first antibiotic. I am allergic to the antibiotic but because of how serious MRSA can be, I still had to take it. Now I’m 17, almost 18, and have had MRSA 16 times in the past 2 years. All of the boils have been on my face besides 2 of them. I’ve had one on the side of my knee, and one on the joint in the back of my knee. All the other 14 boils have popped up on my face. The doctors in Oklahoma don’t know what to do anymore and I’m already on the second medication. The next resort is putting a pump in my stomach to have medicine pumped through throughout the day. I have a spot growing in my eyebrow right now, and all they’ve done is give me a topical antibiotic that has done nothing but make the boil become more irritated and tight. I hate living in fear that someday, one of these boils is going to erode through my frontal bone and infect my brain and that’s it for me. I wouldn’t wish this pain, or living in fear on anyone. I pray for everyone who has suffered or is suffering from this horrible disease.

Henry -58, TN

I had an aortic bypass surgery in 2004 because of blockage, they ran an artificial vein down the center of my body, down to my groin. I was doing well, recovered from the surgery and then suddenly 3 years later I began to be sick again. I don’t know how it happens but I began to have very high fevers, chills so strong I would shake the chair I was sitting in. When the doctor finally got me into the hospital for exploratory surgery he found my gut was filled with this mess! I was life flight end to Vanderbilt Hospital in Nashville. They told my wife I probably would not make it thru the surgery! They found a quart of MRSA in my gut, drained it, keep me unconscious for a week, with my belly open to help me recover. They had to pull out all the original bypass veins because they were the source of the MRSA & run new ones down my body! It was a long road back, lots of antibiotics thru ports and shots and! But I got thru it.
Then in 2010 I began to feel bad again, my man made artery became clogged and the Vanderbilt doctors admitted me again and cleaned the veins out (they did this like 4 times in the years between my first encounter with MRSA). After the “clean out”, early the next morning I had a stroke (oh, btw, it was on my 60th birthday)! The doctors said the only way I could survive was to remove a portion of my skull so my brain could swell. They did that surgery and I began to recover. I had to wait about 12 wks before they would attempt to put my skull back. They finally did and within 2 wks the MRSAa was BACK! They had to remove the skull again! We waited another 10-12 weeks and they tried to put an artificial skull they had made on my head. Nope! Not even a week later it was infected also so it had to be removed! I refuse to let they do surgery on me anymore. I cannot go thru that again! Do I look strange, yes, a third of my brain is gone, part of skull but the MRSAa is either gone or dormant…. I will settle for that!

Kayti -24, Mississippi

I first got MRSA when I was 19. I had just given birth to my first son via c-section. The hospital stay was great. I came home with my bundle of joy happy as ever. My incision hurt pretty bad but I figured it was because I didn’t like taking the pain meds and I would only take Alieve. After a week I walked outside and the most unbearable pain hit me. Thinking maybe I just shouldn’t be walking outside so much I sat down and started shivering. I covered up and my feet were freezing. We checked my temp and it was 103. Went to the ER and was told it was bronchitis. Came home for the weekend and then I went to my OBGYN. He took tweezers and took out one stitch and all u heard was gushing and the smell was horrible. He rushed me to the hospital across the street. Here I am with a child barely over a week old. They ran test. They did MRI. Come to find out it was MRSA staph. I was in the hospital for a week on antibiotics. I finally get released and I have wound care to go to. Plus home health that come out 3 times a week. Having to pack the incision and unpack the incision. That went on for 4 months. Finally got over it but still have regular staph flair ups at least 3 times a year.

Maria -48, Ohio

I have a spinal cord stimulator from Medtronic, I got MRSA from a dirty instrument my Doctor at the time used on me from another patient, many of us at his surgery room got it as well at the Metro Health Medical Center W. 150 Street pain clinic in Cleveland, I had surgery back in 2009 to replace my battery, at the moment of my procedure the Dr. used the dirty instrument, when I was about to come out of my anesthesia, I heard one Nurse ask the other, why is Ayala back? All I heard the Nurse respond was that the Dr. used a dirty instrument in her last procedure. There for my RSD/CRPS, which is now CRPS, speed full body, I burn severely all mornings and nights, if it wasn’t for him giving me this horrible infection I would have been living almost a normal life, ever since my life has changed, I can’t no longer do what I was able to do for myself and family. I just want justice to be made for this Doctor, if it wasn’t for the State of Ohio that I contacted at the Hospital, I will not be writing my story here. Be safe everyone and May God watch over all of us International. Hope my Story can help many out there to avoid getting MRSA.

Fred- 56, Michigan

I had a total knee replacement in 2007 at 56 years old. I recovered fully and returned to officiating high school and college basketball. Two years post-op, I contracted MRSA in that knee. Without any warning one day my knee became sore and within a few hours my temp soared to 104. That afternoon I went to the ER and was diagnosed with MRSA. To this day I have no idea how I became infected but I learned that once the infection compromises a person’s immune system it is bound to travel to any artificial metal or plastic object inside that individual. The next morning my original surgeon cleaned the titanium knee replacement, by scraping out the infection and replacing the plastic parts. Five days later, while still in the hospital the infection returned. The doctor performed the same operation again. I began IV antibiotic treatment (Rifampin and Vancomycin) through a port and returned home but the infection quickly came back. This time the doctor removed the knee entirely and put in a cement spacer. During the next eighteen months that same doctor went in, cleaned the joint and replaced the spacer seven (7) times. Each operation was followed by 4-6 weeks of IV antibiotic treatment. I had several serious discussions with my doctor about permanently fusing my knee or amputating it above the knee. He was dedicated, I was stubborn and we decided together that we’d continue with the treatment. It was very difficult on me my wife and my very dedicated doctor. However, two years after my artificial knee was originally removed, my doctor successfully replaced it. It has been about six years since re-installation and I’m back to being very active with no problems at all. I’ve even had my other knee replaced several years ago with no issues to report. Incidentally my infectious disease doctor recommended that I stay on a daily antibiotic as a precaution but after five years of doing that I have stopped. He now says that my risk of MRSA recurrence is no higher than that of any normal person.

What that incredibly miserable 18 months has taught me about MRSA is this… In even the most severe cases, it is my belief that MRSA can be beat. Together with a capable doctor and the right antibiotic, a determined patient should give it every chance to clear up before deciding to take the drastic step of a knee fusion or amputation. I realize that every situation is different and in patients with a complicated medical history or other types of illness perhaps amputation becomes the best choice. In my case however I came within days of giving up but persistence and prayer can won out in the end.

Andrea, 21, Las Vegas, NV

Tabby – TX

My life was changed in November 2014. My daughter and I were by the water fountain at the community center park. All of a sudden red ants started attacking us from the ground. There was no mound, they came from flat ground. My daughter had 50-60 bits and I had about 10 bites. She is closer to the ground. I cleaned her wounds and took her to the doctor, not even thing about me. She was fine, but a few days after I had a little pain at the site of the bite. It was a pin dot size. I cleaned it but thought nothing of it. By the net day it grew to a dime size and more painful. I cleaned it and but ointment on it. Buy the 3 day, It hurt walk and it had more then tripled. I went to the doctor and was given an antibiotic injection and oral antibiotics. I was also given topical antibiotics. The next day, it had taken over the top half of my thigh and I could barely walk. I went to the ER and was hospitalized for 4 days on IV antibiotics. To complicate thing more, I have chronic pancreatitis and had an attach in the hospital. After I was released, I was on 2 antibiotics for a total of 21 days. 6 months after first infection, my daughter was diagnosed with a staph infection. I took care of her (used gloves when changing bandages and cleaning, frequent hand Washing). A week after that, I came down with a staph infection again. Did the whole protocol . It has only been about 6 weeks and I am once again battling yet another infection. The first infection they cultured after I was released from the hospital and did a nasal culture. It showed MSSA and no staph in nose. They do not drain my abscesses , they just give me antibiotics and let it open up on its own. So no cultures done since the first infection, to see if it may be MRSA.

Susan

We recently returned from a vacation trip in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. I believe I contracted MRSA on vacation. I shaved everyday and swam in the pool and ocean daily. I had tiny razor nicks below my right knee. I wasn’t concerned when one became a tiny painful, felt it was pretty normal.
We came home and the area became very angry looking, knee was stiff, shin hurt, pin began to travel up my knee. I cleaned wound with peroxide and antibiotic cream. Went to doctor on Saturday, drained the abscess. Doctor was surprised at depth of wound and the amount of pus extracted. 1350 milligrams of clindamycine a day for 10 days. Repacked wound on following Monday. Foot swelled like crazy on Thursday, emergency room visit for lymphoma in that leg. 5 more days of clindamycine, finally on the mend.

Pat 63 yrs. -Texas

1/5/15, I did not feel well,101 fever with nausea and body aches. I was out of town for New Years weekend. It felt like the flu and the media was saying the flu shots may have been at risk of of being less effective for 2014 season.

1/8/15 delirious 104.4 temperature hallucinating, telling my wife it was just the flu not to worry, but she saved my life by getting our friends that lived close by to carry me and load me in the truck, because I was to weak disoriented, and hallucinating. The emergency room in San Antonio confirmed that I did not have the flu, and I would get immediate admittance. They told us 2 days later that if we had waited until daylight 6 hours later I would have probably died. The pain by the time I was being admitted from the abscesses on my colon, and lungs was tremendous. My heart was in Afib, and my white blood count was up to 41,000 and the doctors still were not comfortable I would live. I was ordered not to get out of bed (ha-ha) as if I could, I could barely even move my arms and legs and was still hallucinating for more than a week. They told me that I was so far gone that any movement could burn energy that I did not have. The doctors said it was MRSA of the blood, drug resistant and not responding well to Vancomycin. The days went by, I could not get hungry or eat and did not care. I lost 50 lbs. then developed severe edema just laying there the 40 days I was hospitalized. After 2 weeks the World Health Organization was brought in and their help with the antibiotic cocktail slowly tuned things around. I spent 11 days in the rehab hospital where after 2 days I became anemic with 101.2 fever, was moved to intensive care then 3 days later back to rehab. After release to home health care on 2/18/15, I was in a in a wheel chair, on oxygen and on 25 prescriptions and physical therapy to learn to walk, balance and function again including dealing with mental and memory problems. I finally returned to work 7/8/15. I am not 100% yet, and have stamina and memory issues.

Jess- 16 USA

I’ve had MRSA for a little over a year. I am 16 and got it for a military camp I went to a year earlier. I’ve had it hard with MRSA I’ve done all I can to get out of this pattern, but its not easy to win this battle. I get it the worst on my thighs to the point it’s hard to walk and move. I wouldn’t wish this on anybody. Last year my sophomore year of high school I missed a round 88 days of school thanks to MRSA. I thought for awhile MRSA would hold me back from my future in the Army which I still fear that a lot, but I choose to try and stay positive although its very hard and most days I feel alone. There has to be some hope. I haven’t had MRSA for about 2 months till this time around. I’ve taken garlic baths, garlic pills and lysine pills; I also have to clean my sheets twice a week and make sure all my clothes are clean. I true to remain hopeful. One day there will be a cure.

Josi – 28 -LA

My son got staphylococcus aureus from daycare with folliculitis. Since he is a twin I tried not to transfer it from one to the other. In the meantime, I transferred the staph to myself in the form of a large boil on the right side of my face. I began taking bactrim and the medicine worked and healed the boil. About 15 days later, I had an ingrown hair on my right breast in the form of a pustule. I went to an urgent clinic and was given another round of bactrim. The spot was marked and I was told if it doesn’t get better in 3-4 days or goes outside the lines I was then to go to the local ER. I waited about 10 hours and the infection spread through half of my breast and the spot become indurated. I went to the local ER with 103 fever and rapid heart rate. I was admitted on a Thursday night and began vancomycin and clindamycin treatments immediately. On the following Monday, I underwent an incision and drainage of the abscess. The wound cultures returned MRSA. On Tuesday, the packing was removed and I was discharged on Wednesday. On Thursday around noon, I began running fever again. I called the surgeon Friday morning and was told to go to the local ER. I went to my primary physician and then they sent me to the ER. I went to local ER and was then admitted for more IV antibiotics. I received antibiotics for two more days. I am still trying to get my strength back and getting rid of the staph in my home. I think there needs to be more education about how powerful MRSA is and how it can spread.

Mark – 58 Nashville, TN

MRSA is something I’d never heard of when I got hit by it two months ago. It started out as an itchy rash on both of my shins, eventually both shins began to seep and my legs began to swell. My doctor prescribed an antibiotic which seemed to do the job, however two days later the seeping was back. The doctor then prescribed Cipro 750mg, after about seven days of that I stopped urinating. I told the doctor about this but it seemed to fall on deaf ears; over the next two weeks I gained 30 pounds of water weight. I couldn’t walk 50 ft. without having to stop and catch my breath – simple tasks like taking out the garbage and showering became a chore. So I scheduled another doctor’s appointment – that morning I woke up and notice a distinct loss of balance and everything was very bright. When I got to the doctor’s office my blood pressure was 82/40 and I was advised to go to the hospital immediately.

I got to Vanderbilt hospital in a state of septic shock; they put an emergency tunnel catheter in my chest for dialysis purposes and a Foley catheter in my urethra. I spent the next four days in intensive care attached to a giant machine that did continuous dialysis; my kidneys had failed completely. Five days after that I was discharged from Vanderbilt after having run up $121,406 worth of charges, I’m hoping to only have to pay $255 of that after insurance. The best news is that both kidneys have “woken up” and are processing urine. Monday will be my first day back at work in two months, my biggest fear is that I will get MRSA/acute cellulitis again.

Nichole, 29, Iowa

I know I was the first, but if there has since been another I would like to know, so if you could please post this I would appreciate it. Thank you in advance.

It is a very long and convoluted story how it started, but with the help of your site, I think I can definitely trace some of it back as many as 14 years. I have trouble finding a point that is without a doubt, the beginning, I just know that I was losing my mobility very slowly, and the pain was slowly becoming more and more intense. It would flare up. and get stronger the more I seemed to try to find ways to fight it with different drugs. Doctors, specialists, tests. None were finding anything, and a lot of thee doctors gave me different diagnoses from rheumatoid arthritis to possible Fabrys’ disease. Then I had one of those one in a million chances of having an MRI ordered, and at first it presented as a benign tumor on my brain stem. At the time it was thought that couldn’t possibly be what was causing my problems, so it was ignored.Then in September of 2013 I thought I was experiencing the worst flu of my life. But when I no longer had the fluid left for tears, my mother made the executive decision of taking me to the ER. Since I also couldn’t walk or raise my eyes out of the lower left hand corner, she also had to help me to the car. At the ER the “benign tumor” that I was first told was unrelated had shown itself to not be a tumor at all. Not only did I now have what they were then calling a staph infection, but it had “flared” and now, apparently, there was a layer of pus covering my brain. I was transferred to the larger University hospital, about 2 hours away, by ambulance that night. The next day the neurosurgeon opened my skull and cleaned off the pus but found that my mastoid and cochlear bones were completely rotted out. So those got removed, and yes; I’m both deaf on my left side and have completely lost my left inner ear so I can no longer walk nor balance.

I started physical therapy, and was there for a total of 5 days. The entire time I was complaining of pressure in my head, being unable to fully extend my arms, and light sensitivity – before I lapsed into a coma and had to be air lifted back to University of Iowa. There they had to put me on a ventilator because I could no longer breath on my own. MRI scans showed the abscess was back, and larger than before. That was the first time that MRSA was mentioned. You see, I was very prone to ear infections as a child. And my mother, as a single parent, was very worried about this, so I often found myself in the doctor’s office or taking an antibiotic But now I was grown and apparently my body had been “walling off” this MRSA infection for a very long time. My chances of survival were next to nothing. So much so that the neurosurgeon said ‘let me think about this’.But in the end they cleaned out the abscess and pumped the gap left in my brain full of 4 different antibiotics. They told my mother, as my “next of kin” that it was unlikely that I would wake up, and if I did I would need a machine to do my breathing for me. And while I did wake up, and need no machine for breathing, I was connected to more wires and tubes than I could count, ended up with MRSA-related meningitis, a shunt, and more pain than I had ever experienced. My whole right side was numb, the left side of my face was, and still is paralyzed, I couldn’t see, I couldn’t speak, and I couldn’t even lift my own head. Slowly, things have improved. It has taken a further 3 surgeries to remove more tissue in my brain but I am hoping this nightmare is over soon. I’ve lost one ear, one eye, one hand, and my ability to walk. I don’t have much else to give. The last I checked I was the only person to have MRSA of the brainstem and survive. In a way I hope I still am the only person, I’d never wish this on anyone.

Gary, 58, Texas

He is a MRSA survivor. I will begin by saying, my daughter and I are extremely thankful every day to still have my husband/father with us!!! He was diagnosed with MRSA May 22nd 2015!
He started to get very sick on May 15, 2015. We thought It was food poisoning, but boy were we wrong!!. So that week more and more symptoms were popping up, becoming paralyzed, fever, SERVERE neck pain and cold sweats. I rushed him to the clinic and they simply told us it was a slipped disk in his neck. After running the normal test that they all do, blood, CT Scans, vital signs etc.. We were told to go to PT and start massaging that neck out to get some pain relief.

So we did all we were told to do, until that FRIDAY!! On May 22nd 2015 he became paralyzed from the waist down. I rushed him to the ER, and he had 105 fever and very little oxygen. He was submitted immediately to the hospital, and the NIGHTMARE BEGAN!!!

He was completely septic , both blood and in the urine! We had emergency surgery on the tip of the spine to remove an abscess in the neck and was put in ICU for the next 4 days. He spent 32 days in the hospital and then 2 weeks in house rehab. We were on antibiotics “NAPFCILIN” for 62 days with the pic line and over 14 meds. I was told he was very, very sick and to pray. Till this day the doctors don’t know how he pulled through, but he did!. He lost all of his motor skills, had to learn how to walk and do basic everyday functions that we take for granted.

This is a man who never called in sick, never took vacation. We were blessed that he had all of this sick time and vacation time built up. He was out of work for 4 months!!!!. Till this day he is doing to therapy 3 days a week to regain his strength that he once had.

We continue to have to draw blood monthly till February 2016 to make sure this does not come back. (I DREAD THIS EVEYTIME CAUSE THE POKE HIM!!!!). I only fear and would love to know, HOW WE CAN PREVENT THIS FROM COMING BACK!! But, as the doctors tell us, we won’t know!!! We don’t know where he contracted it from. We think it’s from his knee being drained (gout flare up) a week before he fell ill.

I pray for all who have gone through this nightmare!!

Christopher, 32, NY

I contracted MRSA in late June 2011. I had gone to meet up with my best friend at his place. During the visit my lip began to throb. I was thoroughly convinced I had been bitten by a mosquito (which has happened to me before, weird I know). The next morning, the “bite” seemed to be growing. Not to an alarming size but enough for me to think it was an allergic reaction to the bite. 7 days and 12 ER visits later I finally was diagnosed correctly and scheduled for an excision the day after. The doctors had no clue what was wrong with me; other than noting the tennis sized protrusion attached to my bottom lip. Meanwhile, the infection was leaking fluid into my respiratory system, the lowered oxygen levels caused me to lose consciousness several times. The pain was the greatest I’ve ever felt. If it weren’t for a keen intern who guessed correctly I most likely would have succumbed to MRSA.

Just like my uninformed doctors I did not know much of my illness and figured after the antibiotics were done I would be back to normal. I had no idea that the recovery would be so hard. I weighed 210 that July by September I had lost 40 lbs. That was the least of my worries. That September, I had just enrolled in a top graduate school. It would not last long. My body began to fall apart as the semester progressed. First I tore a ligament in my ankle. Then it was a torn meniscus. All while doing normal day to day activity. Needless to say I was unable to finish my schooling. Finally, four years later I’m now feeling able to get up and go. Luckily, my parents are kind and I’ve had a place to stay. But, I’m not sure what would have become of me if my situation was otherwise.

P.S. Thank you for doing this. It feels like this isn’t a real thing until you hear about some athlete with it and then it fades away once they’re returned. Writing this was so cathartic for me. I needed this more than you could ever know. Thank you.

Craig

June 2012, I had a TKR on my left leg. The surgery went fine. I was recovering great. I then slipped and fell and had to have patella reconstruction surgery. Things quickly went down hill from there. Sept, 2012, I had the surgery. About 7-10 days later I had blood clots in my left leg and in my lungs. To the hospital/rehab for about 6 weeks. When I was released, within 2 weeks or less, I had a blood infection. Back to the hospital. 5 days or so later, I am released. The infection hooked on to my prosthetic and that had to come out. that surgery was Feb, 2013. I went on IV’s and in May, 2013 they put another knee prosthetic in my left leg. Within 3 months I was infected again. An I&D was performed and back on IV’s. Within another 3 months, I was infected again. Again, another I&D was done (I believe that was Dec,2013). And, of course another round of IV’s. Feb, 2014, a carbuncle showed up, It started to drain and the Ortho said to wait. In March, 2014, he said it has to come out now. so, another I&D and another round of IV’s. This time the hole where the I&D was located was to large and had to have a wound Vac. I moved to FL in July, 2014. The Ortho here wanted to see what was going on, and there appeared to be an infection, so he did an I&D. There was an infection (MRSA, and it has been MRSA) and another round of IV’s. This Ortho only wanted to amputate and I said no. After going to him for several months, nothing was happening and things just ‘felt’ wrong. That Ortho did not take any X-Ray’s at that time and I went to another Ortho. The infection was spreading and the prosthetic was becoming loose. In Jan, 2015, the new Ortho did a resection of the knew – took out the knee and put in spacers. He felt the bone was strong enough to hold the spacers. Another round of IV’s. in less than 2 months I was infected again. This time the Ortho took all the hardware out and another round of IV’s. That was in Feb, 2015. By March I was infected again and another round of IV’s. By May, I was infected again, and yes, another round of IV’s. By September, 2015 I was infected again and the Ortho did another I&D, and really scraped the bone off and another round of IV’s began. I finally decided if this is going to be cured, I must do the work myself. I called around. I called this Network, spoke to a nice person who pointed me to Phage Therapy and Bacteriophage (she was nice enough to spell it for me). I tried to get in, but they turned me down. I have been searching all over to no avail – yet. I did locate where RPI (in Troy, NY) has developed a coating to put on the prosthetic which kills MRSA, but the FDA is slowing down that progress.
Anyway, that is my story so far. I keep looking for something that will cure this thing – I ask if anyone knows of anything anywhere that I may go or that I may call to find out something new, it would be most appreciative.

Robin

My boyfriend and I both got MRSA although he got it much worse than I did and had to go through the abcess, draining, pain, wound care, oral & iv antibiotics with hospital stay, then washing everything and hibicleanse, etc. We both work in healthcare & take precautions so not sure exactly how it started. Anyway, he took 2 months off of work and the wound is healed, and started back about a month ago, but he is so depleted he has to come home and sleep for almost 16 hours every day just to make it back to work again. We have been trying to figure out how to help him get his energy back including high quality probiotics and supplements, diet, etc. But so far it doesn’t seem to be helping too much. He is too tired to exercise or go for walks, since all he can do is muster up enough energy to get up to try to eat something healthy. I sent the survivor stories to his doctor since he didn’t seem to have any awareness how long the repercussions of this can be for people, or have any idea how to help him now since infection gone and sound healed.

Ana – 22- Texas

I’m a normal 22 year old college student from Texas who was living my normal day to day life when one day I woke up with a fever. I first went to the student health clinic and was told I had a virus which would go away in 24 hours. Once the fever returned and would not go away I went to an emergency clinic and was told I had H1N1. The following day I could no longer breathe and went to the ER at the hospital and was told I had pneumonia they kept me over night only to be little rushed to the ICU the following morning. My heart rate was at 147 and above, with elevated blood pressure, and a fever. The nurse came in and told me if my heart gave out did I give them permission to shock my heart, OF COURSE I’m only 22 years old. It was at that moment I realized something bigger than a flu was going on. That night they tested me for MRSA… and after they transferred me to the Austin hospital that night my results came back positive I had Sepsis and MRSA in my lungs. I was than sedated on a ventilator for 21 days and given every type of antibiotic they could give me. Once they started tested me they found out I didn’t have h1n1 but para-influenza a totally different type of flu. About a week later I coughed in my sleep and my right lung clasped I was put on two breathing tubes that day. I was also not producing blood and had to be given 5 pints during my transfusion… My last hurdle was my kidneys. When you are very ill your kidneys will shut down to save them selves or “get mad” as my kidney doctor told me. I ended up gaining 70lbs of fluid in 5 days which is a lot for a 5’0 118 lb girl. I was put on dialysis and thankfully the fluid went away and my kidneys started functioning. My story is different as is everyone’s. I woke up in no pain but MRSA changed my life and almost took it. Doctors still aren’t sure how I got MRSA either from a pimple I had or a bug bite. I was in the hospital for 32 days plus 7 days in rehab to learn how to walk again. This is a serious illness that we need to make everyone aware of. I’m thankful that God and advanced medical technology saved my life but not everyone is so lucky and this all happened October 2015. ** the doctors told me if I would have been any younger or older or over weight I would not be here today .

Juniper – 1 Year Old

We had a typical everyday beautiful giggly three month old blonde hair, blue eyes, baby girl. She was absolutely beautiful and seen only the good in everything. She was the most giggly smiley baby you could imagine. At three months old, one terrible night turned into our worst nightmare. After crying all night in a painful scream, we made an emergency doctors appointment. While sitting in the waiting room with Juniper, you could see how ill she truly felt. Before her doctor could ever call us back, our poor little princess had broken out in a temperate of 104.5 and began seizing up. This is where it all began.
Three hospitals later, Juniper had been sedated so she would no longer have to feel the pain. They had just found out what that she had MRSA and staff infection in 70% of her blood. They had put a breathing tube in, and feeding tube. As we were sitting in the NICU her doctor came to speak to us. We were told that her case was simply out of their hands, and they weren’t sure they would be able to keep her stable for more then a few more hours. She was immediately flown to STL Children’s hospital, and from their to Ranken Jordan. Within a week she was out of the NICU and recovering well with the help of her PIC line they had placed. Juniper had a rare case of MRSA, and it is a true blessing she is still here with us today. Along with the staff, she had MRSA on her spine in three different places, and on the back of her skull. Prayers truly do work. Three months later the little princess that everyone referred too as the “smiley baby” was finally coming home. She recently celebrated her first birthday, and runs everywhere!

Caroline, 12

Over the summer of 2012, I had discovered a cut in the center of my foot and ignored it before going to a water park. When jumping into the water, my nose had become clogged with water which is very assumable to have plenty of bacteria in it. I didn’t feel any different until two days after and my foot started turning black, and my friend’s dad assumed it was a recluse spider bite and he instructed us to go to the urgent care clinic. I had to have multiple needles shoved into my foot in order just to numb it, then followed by a doctor removing the infection and taking a biopsy. Soon, we found out I had developed MRSA, and I was told to go visit my regular doctor twice a week to get my dressing changed. A week later at my appointment, my doctor then sent me straight to a hospital, where I was treated for a week with antibiotics through an IV, and taken bone marrow out to prevent the infection spreading Osteomyelitis. I was informed that if I went to a visit a doctor 12 hours later than I did, like we were planning, I would have had no salvageable parts of my foot.

Kevin

A few weeks ago I was refused a nasal swab from my g.p and that stresses to me the national cover up of this evolving problem in my country and beyond. I spoke to a woman in the Irish MRSA Reference Laboratory recently and told her my story and stressed the importance of my neglect and how I acquired EMRSA 16 in this hospital. She informed me that 95% of the CAMRSA isolates in my country are in fact EMRSA 16. This problem is mentally getting the better of me knowing I have EMRSA 16 and that I have a broken tip of a scalpel blade in my stomach and have founded knowledge that as long as this metal is in my body it will provide a harbor point for the bacteria to reside. Please post my story.

Marcia

My husband got MRSA on his 4th total knee revision. We have been fighting it since 2012 and he nearly died of MRSA sepsis then. He has had to more recurrences and now has A/K amputation. I am a nurse and would like more training and education to help fight MRSA in my community and our hospitals. Are there any major education programs coming up that I could attend? The info on your site is great. Thank you.

Ken – Texas, 59

56 yr old male while in the hospital having my third hernia repair having been there 3 days the nursing staff entered my room fully covered to then inform me that I had MRSA to be given my first round of antibiotics to be released 7 days later to heal from the hernia to return to work 3 weeks later to then wake up one Sunday morning with a pimple on my lower stomach thinking it was nothing to waken the next morning with a knot the size of a golf ball in the worse pain that I had ever had. Went to the clinic thinking that I bad a boil to be told that it was not and that there was nothing that they could do to be told I needed to go to the ER once there was told that I would have to go to surgery to have the abscess removed and since then I have had to have 4 surgeries lost two jobs and been denied for ssi this has ruined my life and no one seems to care Lost in Texas.

Ken, 60

Toward the end of Oct. 2014 without any warning my lower back began to ache….I have had back problems and a couple of back surgeries, and had just returned from a pretty long road trip so I just kinda blew it off and sat around with a heating pad most of the day. Let me add at this time that I am a Respiratory Therapist working in an acute care hospital setting.. At bed time it seemed to be getting worse with some swelling. The next morning after a restless night I could hardly move. The pain was horrible and I could tell I had a fever….I live alone so I called my daughter ( a nurse) to come over…She immediately took me to an urgent care center. At that point I just wanted something to tone down the horrible pain…..They did the usual…..lab work, xray and ct of lower back….my temp at that time was 105. White blood count 35,000. Ct showed an abscess inside my lower back, which was now really swollen. Blood cultures were pending so they decided to admit me to the University Hospital. I wasn’t thinking anything like MRSA at all, although I work in a hospital I try to practice universal precautions with good hand hygiene . In the middle of the night my blood pressure plumeted, my heart rate increased and my temp would not come down….I was transferred into an isolation room and told that I was septic with MRSA being the organism. Several days went by that I can hardly remember… I had several MRI’s, a Transesophageal Echo, a Thoracentesis, and a PICC line inserted. My temp would not stay down and my white blood cell count remained high….Along with being diagnosed with MRSA sepsis I had the lower back abscess, MRSA Pneumonia, and Septic Pulmonary Embolism. After 16 days in the hospital I went home with a PICC line ( for 2 months of vancomycin ), Oxygen and visits to an OPAT clinic weekly and home health nurse visits. This all came on so quickly!!!!! I started to feel a bit better after about 4 months and went back to work, slowly working myself back to full time. After 7 months I am still not 100%, I seem to be tired all the time and have some difficulty with my breathing. From what I have been told and read is that folks often have relapses and that is probably my biggest fear now………….to everyone please stay safe and well

Rebecca

I contracted MRSA in July 2012. Surgery was on July 4, 2012 at Clear Lake Hospital in Texas. It’s almost been 3 years for my recovery. They removed 19x16x4 of my buttocks, all of my butt area has healed except for the tailbone area. I have been very blessed with my recovery. The human body is amazing.

Ann – Fort Worth, 54

In 2010 worked in ER of a small hospital. Even though I wasn’t a caregiver, I came into contact with prediagnosed patients. Contracted pneumonia was hospitalized and 2 days later told I had MRSA. WHAT A BLOW! Knew what MRSA was, but had no idea the suffering, aching I would have to endure. Dr said I must be transferred to Fort Worth for surgery, that ended with tubes in my side. No appetite at all lost 40 lbs in 2 weeks. The infection Dr was wonderful. I became resistant to everything but, a combination of levaquin & zoyox finally worked. Lost 1/3 of my right lung. The worst of it all was a month in quarantine and away from family and then 3 weeks in rehab. My strength and stamina are not the same. But I’m Alive!

Laurel

In 2008, my oldest daughter and I went to Mexico. An hour before the plane landed in Mexico, my right ankle began to swell and was very painful. By the time the plane landed, the pain was so severe that I couldn’t bear any weight on my right ankle. I spent the next 8 days in my hortel room, crying, screaming, (because the pain was unbearable) and throwing up. I never got my toe in the ocean. We had no idea what it was .When my daughter and I got home, she took me directly to the ER of a hospital close to my home. I must have looked pretty bad because they waived me thru customs.

I don’t remember much once I got to the ER. By the time that I got to the hospital my entire body was septic, and almost died. I developed diabetes as a result of the MRSA, and had to get two shots a day in my stomach. The diabetes resolved during the second week in the hospital. I was in the hospital for 2 weeks. During that time I had 3 surgeries on my right ankle. The doctor told my family that if he coudn’t get all of the infection out with the third surgery, he would have to amputate my right leg. Fortunately he didn’t have to do that. I was sent home with a pic line for about 6 weeks, and was out of work for 3 months.
I have experienced cognitive deficits since I contracted MRSA. I used to run about 50 miles a week, but I can’t run because I had no muscle memory, and still don’t. This has been very difficult to deal with. I have chronic pain in my right ankle. I have contrated MRSA 5 times since 2008. Fortunately I know what to look for, and my doctor has been willing to work with me, and sqeeze me in to be tested, to ensure that we are on top of the infection.

I couple of years ago I was in the hospital. When I was admitted, I told the staff about my experience with MRSA, and asked them to test me. They did and the test came back negative. I asked them to test me again on the day that I was discharged. The hospital staff never contacted me to let me know that the test was positive for MRSA. I found out a couple of weeks later when I had a doctors apapointment for unrelated health issues, the the test was positive. I was furious, because everytime I contract MRSA, it takes a little more out of me, and longer to heal from it.

Elba – Missouri, 36

The doctors are not sure when it started. In April 2015, I came down and was diagnosed with Influenza type b. A day or two later it had developed into pneumonia in my upper right lobe of my right lung. Went back to Urgent Care and they had a CT scan done on me and noticed a mass on/in my lung, and automatically they thought it was TB. For three weeks they had me going through hell, as the doctor called the state health department on me regarding that I may have an infectious disease. I kept telling them that I did not have TB and was never around anyone that has/had TB.

Finally they performed a bronchoscopy and the pulmonary doctor put me on a 6 week course of Clindamycin, as I am allergic to penicillin and most other forms of it as well. I am only into my second day of taking the antibiotics prescribed and did notice within the first night after taking the first dose that it was causing me to cough up whatever was being drained inside my lung from the infection. They are thinking that I received it as Community acquired, even though I have been in the hospital to have a perforated ulcer emergency surgery in 2009 and then had a inguinal hernia repaired in October 2014, so it could also have been contracted from the hospital. But being on 1800 mg of Clindamycin should hopefully do the trick and kill off the bacteria for me to be free of the issue.

Dick

My injury occurred October 10, 2012. I was working as a mechanic. I was asked to move an auto transport. These are the units designed to have a vehicle completely off the road, all on the trailer. 2,100 lbs empty. I was to use a manual trailer moving device.

I fell off the device from only about 18″ up, but when I hit the ground with my left leg, it bent towards my other leg. I suffered massive damage, including three snapped ligaments, several torn tendons, a fracture, and all sorts of torn up meniscus.

After an MRI, I was to have two surgeries to repair. However, during the first surgery, I contracted the MRSA. 5 days after op number one, the leg was a balloon, rainbow colored, and horribly painful. Friday am I had a cultrure, but Monday am I got a call where they said “this is bad”. By noon on monday I was scheduled for surgery to clean it out. I spent 5 days in the hospital, and the infectious disease doctor that supervised my recovery said my CRP levels were in the “risk of stroke” category.

After 6 total surgeries, two months of Vanomycin, and many trips to the wound care center, I have a knee that has been so badly eaten up that my knee is stunningly wobbly. No further repairs are possible, so its a brace for life. Plus, the long Vanc regimen damaged my hearing, so I wear hearing aids now.

This mrsa stuff is serious… spread the word…

Kristy Seymour

I just wanted to thank you for staying on top of such an important cause and fighting the good fight to all those who have been affected (and infected) with MRSA. I’m at work so gotta run but I am always so appreciative of your e-mail updates and the hard work you clearly do to raise awareness and hopefully the means to an end of MRSA. I hope someday nobody will have to deal with this awful and nasty infection. You are amazing!

Melissa , 46

I contracted MRSA due to caring for my Husband’s MRSA. Yes, I have been in the healthcare field. Yes, I wore personal protective gear. Yes, I washed my hands and used sanitizer afterward. I’m not sure HOW I became infected. My Husband and I battled this for over a year! FINALLY, I we can say we have been MRSA free for 1 year!

Gloria – Nebraska, 49

I suffered a chemical exposure while at work. The chemical broke my skin and since I work in the public school system it was quite easy for MRSA me to come in contact with MRSA. However up until I became infected I did not know about the superbug. I have been living with it for a little over a year now. I did file a workers compensation claim which was denied. As a result I was harassed at work and subsequently fired. I do have a case pending. The chemical was contaminated and expired and should not have been being used. Since I have lost my job I also lost my insurance. I keep getting more sores and at the same time my immune system has been broken down and I catch anything and everything that comes my way. I have a pain in my lower back that was never there before and I have to go to the bathroom a lot more than I ever did before. I am concerned that MRSA is in my blood and could be infecting my internal organs however since I have no insurance I am unable to get medical attention. I live in Nebraska and that is one of the states they did not revise their Medicaid plan. I did get unemployment and I have tried to find another job but with sores on your body and even on my face it is very very hard to get hired by anybody and it is even harder to find the confidence to try. I have never been so tired before in my life. I don’t know what or how to get past this without proper medical treatment. But I keep moving on and I am trying.

Kevin – Ireland

2003 I was pinned by 9 tonnes of concrete and my pelvis was fractured in 12 places in London. My urethra was also severed in two and I had a supra pubic catheter in place in my stomach. I was 22 years of age and I started to make a quick and delighted recovery and the nurses were happy with my progress. After a few weeks going against the estimated time of 6-8 weeks time frame before I would weight bear on my legs I managed to get out of bed and start my rehabilitation. After a few days of movement I suddenly developed a small half ping pong ball size lump where my left thigh meets my buttocks. I started to feel unwell quite instantly and was told by the nurses it was nothing to worry about. Unfortunately for the next 7-9 days I was being bypassed by the doctors in the morning who were checking in on the more elderly patients who were after knee and hip replacements. For whatever reason my lump grew from half the size of a ping pong ball to the size of my fist on my leg.

Eventually I was ushered home out of the hospital still with an open wound above my pubic bone and returned home to my family in what I can stately say a disgusting condition. The District Nurse came to families home and came to clean and repack the open wound….she expressed how angry it looked but never mentioned the potential of MRSA. In Ireland it was not the done thing to swab routinely for MRSA for patients and as we all know now it’s no coincidence that the existence of such support groups are evidently formed around the period of 2003-2005. The arrival and mutation of such virulent strains of MRSA globally between the years 1999-2005 is predominantly the reason for this and my heart and soul goes out to each and every person who has invasively been infected with this horrendous infection. Unfortunately after experiencing just sheer an utter lack of care and acknowledgment of the existence of this bacteria in my body….seven weeks after this ordeal I went under the knife again to try and repair my severed urethra. This op failed and I was brought in again for more invasive surgery just 2 weeks later. After this operation still not knowing anything about MRSA or of the symptoms I was breaking out in sore spots and boils on my legs and there was a pungent smell. My operation was a success and I returned to Ireland and on my return I was told I was MRSA positive. What’s that I said sitting across from my GP who could not look me in the eye. Ah it’s nothing to worry about he said. I had been treated to some degree because I felt relatively well after the operation, alot better than i did for the previous year and a half when i was been poisoned with the wrong antibiotics but now in hindsight is just disturbing after recently receiving back my medical records and discovering that on my return to Ireland after my last op in 2005 in London my local hospital secretly swabbed me for mrsa around my supra pubic catheter and of course I was tested positive. Here is the part that is crushing me and dangerously effecting my mental health and renal health at this present moment is that on the discovery that I was positive because of the legalities of the situation on when I actually got the infection and subsequent wrong treatment that my own country decided not to follow up treat me or swab me again for this just to cover up another countries neglect and trail of lies. It is absolutely heart breaking and I have now announced to my own Minister of Health of the emergence of a CAMRSA outbreak that is an evident overlap of a HAMRSA that has creeped into my family home and people I’ve had close contact with because of conditioning a patient who was close to being killed by sheer neglect lack of hygiene and lies. I have an active MRSA bloodstream infection and thoroughly understand the danger of potential bloodstream and central nervous system from catheter site infection and no one in no country or in the UK will admit that I got it in the first hospital and was left to die from it. This story I hope helps some MRSA survivors to understand that they are not alone and hope and pray for the future of the Medical World and general well being of the human race. God Bless ye all.

Taylor – Tennessee, 17

It started when I was 16 I started getting these bumps on my legs, arms, and stomach. Over a year later I am still getting these MRSA bumps, I have had it about 13 times, it comes back just about every month. They have had to cut into it just about everytime and I have been admited for it 3 times all times they had me either on vanco or clendamiasin. I tried to see an infectious disease doctor but they said MRSA had become so common over the last 10 years that it was a waste of time. The last time I had it they cut into it about 3 separate times and it got about 2 inches wide and 2 inches deep. I got out of the hospital 2 weeks ago and the hole is still not healed and still draining puss. Hopefully they can find out how to stop this soon.

Gigi – Illinois, 6

My child contracted MRSA on a family vacation trip to Florida in 2014. It started as a small pimple on the upper thigh and then a full blown boil with draining pus. It was caught in time and there was 2 rounds of different antibiotics given, and washes with Hibiclens. Thought we got rid of it but it unexpectedly came back same exact spot in 2015!
I didn’t want to keep giving my child multiple treatments with antibiotics and I knew of a burn center that was testing a topical product called Nuvaderm to treat MRSA because I guess burn victims are very susceptible to MRSA. We tried it. I put it on overnight and in the morning the “starting pimple” and redness around it were gone! It was recommended to use it 7 days straight so we did. 3 months later it is still gone. I do think the MRSA is still in Gigi’s system and I periodically do antibacterial soap and Hibiclens washes but I keep the Nuvaderm in the medicine cabinet for the first signs of an outbreak.

Natalie – California, 14

It started when I was 11. In November 2011, I had gone to the doctor with a case of strep throat. I had been on antibiotics and then I started getting a severe rash on my skin. They had told me that it was the start of acne, but then it began to flare up and fester across my face. That is when they figured out it was MRSA. I had deep sores that would last for months and are still scars today. I took about 8 rounds of antibiotics throughout the first two years. I was constantly getting bullied at school for having a face that looked like rotting flesh. They had no idea what I was going through. Numerous times I would go to the hospital when things started getting closer to my eyes or brain. Every other day I would have a bleach bath. Constant sanitation of the house. Parents worrying about my health and if I would live. I had it all over my body. The worst was my face and arms. Festering sores that looked like some horrible disease from the 16th century and the pain was unbelievable. Antibiotics and creams did almost nothing. There were so many points where I was afraid I was going to die. We tried everything. After about 3 years things got a little better. I didn’t have the festering sores and everything seemed normal. But November 2013 came around and I was back in the hospital. I was prescribed antibiotics again this time for the 10th time. Then by about January it dissipated. Life seemed normal. But now I am still dealing with it yet again. My cuts never heal. Just a tiny nick from a pencil has left a large mark. My hands, arms, and face have many scars across them. But hopefully things will get better. Life is just constantly lived in fear, however hope and help are great motivators. I am really happy I am still alive and going strong, lets just hope it stays that way and pray for everyone else’s health.

Dave

I am great full to find your website. Since contracting mrsa during surgery in July of 2013 as well as 5 additional infections and a total of six and 5 additional surgeries during the balance of 12 months ending in July of 2014. My wife journaled all that was happening throughout this time and even now with continued health care and surgery plans now for Feb. 2015, to finish what this hospital did to me. 1 Doctor told me during multiple stays at the bed and breakfast with perks like isolation, that means you don’t get any help when you push the button for help oh hell the dishes would even pile up. But he told me that he needed to get me stable enough to get out of the hospital before they kill me. 1 great Doctor. I spent 52 days in the hospital and 34 consecutive. I was on Vanco for 6 months. Everybody but me knew I was in a fight for my life I guess had I knew I may be dead now.

Allison – Orlando, FL, 33

It all started approximately a year and a half to a year ago. It was a fight to get a doctor to listen to me and believe me that something was seriously wrong. I started at my primary care level and eventually spent many visits in the ER begging and pleading, as well as my husband asking for someone to just listen to us. It was a fight and finally April 15th 2014 there was MRSA in my Blood culture. I was sent home from another emergency room after spending all night there, then another emergency room they kept trying to send me home and tell me to seek a psych. then I was admitted, they tried to send me home with the directions to see psychiatrist. Finally my husband, the nurses as well as the pastor begged the hospitalist to look more into what was going on and at that point an infectious disease, psychiatrist and neurologist was called in to see me. That was the first time that MRSA was finally mentioned. It took 3 stays in that hospital, still being sent home too soon as well as 1 consultation with that infectious disease doctor in their office and they finally discharged me from the hospital on july 25th 2014. I had fresh sores that morning, my eye was swollen closed, I asked them why would they not just use common sense and keep me until the infection was out of my blood. I went to my psychiatrist who was standing behind me the whole time, though the infectious disease doctor would not contact, and my psychiatrist told me to seek a hospital system other than the “Florida Hospital” who monopolizes the entire area. I then went to a small hospital in St. Cloud and spent 7 days there. Before I left I was off the antibiotics, I was treated and released without a mention of needing a psychiatrist. I am now being seen for peripheral neuropathy. I am in a wheel chair and unable to use my legs as I had been before. I will undergo an ENG on the 3rd of October to determine the amount of damage that has been done due to the MRSA in my system for so long. I live in chronic pain, though I have no relief from a doctor who will treat my pain management unless I receive “spinal blocking”. I suffer from tremors and live life hiding in my house. I am willing to tell my story. I am still healing from the exterior wounds and I have pretty good picture documentation and letters to the hospitals to complain about negative treatment as well as being told this was all in my head. Blessings to you and what you stand for!

John – California, 53

I felt a poke on my right hip and butt area I looked around but there was no sharp objects around.i went home and showered I noticed a little bump it wasn’t red about the size of a mosquito bite I fell asleep and woke up 6 hours later the bump was the size of my fist and I felt weak.i went back to sleep and woke almost 24 hrs later the area was the size of my hand and no family members would answer for me I fell back to sleep woke up with a 104 fever and a ton of drainage I called a good friend from my local fire dept he is a paramedic so he and his partner stopped by to check on me lucky for me he knew where I kept a spare key. He called for an ambulance code 3 I was delirious and could barely make out that it was my friend. When we arrived at the hospital the doctor took one look and put me in isolation they put a pick line i.v. in me it goes in your left bicep to just above the heart valve.

Being a veteran put things into a spin the doctor called the VA hosp I went to and one hour they would say they had a bed and call back saying the bed was gone. The local Dr was treating me aggressively with liquid antibiotics then my blood pressure kept falling down to 87 over 55.The Dr called the VA back the next day telling them I needed emergency surgery and it was in my blood stream the VA hosp finally said ok. When i was in surgery they cut the infection out leaving a 5 in long by 1 1/2 in wide by 2 1/2 to 3 in deep wound that had to be left open to drain 3 mos of a home nurse scrubbing a cleaning was enough but a strange side affect occurred my muscles atrophied quickly and 9 months later I’m still fighting to get my strength back thank god for my friend at the fire dept and an aggressive Dr at my local hosp and my eye sight has worsened I get tested regularly and no signs of mrsa.

Lillian “Misty” – Chicago, IL, 45

In 2007 I was in a severe car accident which left me with breaks to my ribs, my neck, my back, my tailbone, my right leg, my pelvis and my skull. I also suffered a collapsed lung. I died three times before I ever made it to the hospital.

The Doctors wanted to cut off my right leg due to damage but my husband refused. After over 150 stitches and numerous surgeries I was moved to a long term care facility where they started physical therapy. Two days into the therapy I kept telling the Doctors it felt like fluid was moving within my leg and I was in excruciating pain. My family could smell a decaying scent coming from my leg and my fever rose to almost 106° but the Doctors wouldn’t listen. My brain was literally cooking. That night i awoke to my leg blowing apart. Sepsis had set in and my potassium levels showed I was heading into toxic shock and my kidneys were failing. I suffered a heart attack and was moved back to ICU.

They told me the MRSA bacterium had set into my leg and entered my bloodstream. In my leg there was a hole so big you could put your hand into my leg under the knee and have it come out by my ankle. They used a vaccum pump or negative pressure therapy on my leg where they basically stuffed the whole with sponges and seal it with a tube in it to suck out fluids and dead tissue after they cut all of the gangrenous tissue out. Then every couple days they rip it out and redo it.

I was out on heavy duty antibiotics which it turns out I was allergic to. I developed a reaction called TENS where basically I turned purple and my fever went up to 104.6° and then I went into a coma. I was in a coma for days. When I came out I went through severe itching and the outer layer of my skin all over my body came off leaving a sun burned like effect.

After months in the hospital of intensive therapy i learned to walk again and was able to return home with a nurse coming to my house from then on. Even though I am missing a third of my right leg I understand I was extremely lucky to have survived.

I thought the worst was behind me but i was wrong. Sadly, I am now colonized with MRSA and have spread it to my family. My lymph nodes swell constantly and I develop MRSA sores within them and huge boils all over my body that must be lanced, drained and packed. I have had numerous surgeries and sadly so have my children. It seems we are susceptible. Being disabled I find medicaid and Medicare do not pay for MRSA treatment supplies such as the creams and soaps to treat the disease nor the bandages.

Maryellen – CT, 58

In April 2014 I got mrsa bilateral pneumonia and sepsis. My daughter had just gotten married and about 4 days after her wedding I became very sick. I was having a very hard time breathing my oxygen level was 83 when the ambulance arrived they took me to a small hospital and everyday I was there I became sicker. After being there for 5 days on the 5th day I was put on a ventilator my body was giving up. Vancomyacin was not working my husband and family had me transferred to yale nh hospital where they put me on telavancin while on the ventilator for 5 days and I started to get better and was finally taken out of icu to a regular room for a few more days till I was discharged from the hospital. If I stayed at the first hospital I would not be a survivor because they said there was nothing else they could do for me so my family would have just watched me die. All hospital need to be able to have the knowledge to treat these kinds of infections. I ended up in the hospital for 13 days 9 in icu had a picc line so I could remain on the telavancin for 30 days at home. I have never been so sick it is almost 3 months and I am almost back to myself but it was a very scarey time in my life. When I went to my follow up visit the doctor told me I survived because of telavacin and that I escaped the clutches of death. I believe if it was not for my family and friends power of prayer and the great doctors I would not be here. I am on the road to recovery.

Angunae’ – Indiana, 20

I was diagnosed with m.r.s.a. or (MRSA) in Oct. 2007; there was a major out break at my school and a lot of students caught general staff infections; however (3) others; {{One died}} and myself were diagnosed with MRSA. I remember thinking how unfair it was; that I had MRSA. I kept thinking to myself and questioning GOD “Why” what did I do?? It hurt so bad; the pain was immeasurable. Having my skin drained all throughout my body; taking bleach baths, washing in hibiclens, bandages, surgical tape, creams, constant doctors visits… It was the worst Sweet 16 ever. I remember being terrified that I would touch something and get someone I cared about sick… or touch myself and bring more pain; or worse being isolated from the world. When things finally cleared up; and I had got into the routine of things my doctor gave me a list of do’s and don’ts for my first year of dealing with MRSA… she told me that even if it went away I would still have it. I could keep it under control and lesson my break outs to almost never if I followed instructions and took specific care precautions when it came to my skin. Almost a whole year past and I didn’t have a single break out. I researched online that MRSA is temporary and goes away after treatment. Despite what may doctor said I WAS VERY HAPPY to find that out; it gave me hope.

In 2009 I had a break out after a close death in the family. THE DOCTOR SAID IT WAS BECAUSE OF STRESS. But I thought MRSA went away after treatment..?? I guess idk what to believe..? Long story short it cleared up once again.. and this year I had another breakout…?? Back then when I thought about it I’d cry… and I just wanted to shut down. I couldn’t stand the pain that came with it and I hated when doctors had no answer..The fact that communities lack to spread awareness about MRSA and just treat as if it’s something so minor and meaningless sucks, because a lot of people have lost their lives or have to deal with the pain and break outs on regular basis. I’m so grateful, God has now allowed this condition to become a plat form to help others. MRSA is a serious problem; Over the years I’ve had practice so taking care of me has become routine. Although MRSA takes a lot out of me I refuse to let it control my life. I’ve been standing 4years strong as a survivor, however many aren’t that lucky. I just wish one day sooner than later people would start putting more care and research into curing and treating mrsa like they do everything else..instead of putting it on the back shelf and most of all people (like my old mindset) will wake some mornings feeling more than just; ok…

Joan – Whittier, CA, 63

On May 5th I woke up after a restless night. I went to work and started with chills. Chills so bad my entire body was shaking. I left work and went to my gynecologists office. I had just had a shot of Prolea, for osteoporosis, the week before. She said if any strange happened to call or come in. She thought I had a UTI and did a urine test that was negative, but I was running a fever. I went home and after a few hour I was spinning. Not dizzy, spinning and I could hardly walk. My husband took me to the ER. They ruled out a stroke and thought I had a UTI and started antibiotics. They admitted me. Long story short I kept getting worse. They did a scan and found an abbess in my liver. They drained it. It was MRSA. Luckily they had already put me on Levaquin, then Flavin, and then added Vancomycin. I was in the hospital for 19 days. Later they discovered my colon was ready to blow, so I had surgery.

My problem now is I can’t seem to get my strength back. I feel exhausted all the time. My doctor keeps running tests to see if anything turns up.

Emily – Conyers, Ga, 15

I was 10 years old when i got MRSA. But the beginning of my story started when i was 8. I was playing baseball with my best friend at the time. I was behind her picking up balls and she swung the bat and it hit me on my head by my eye. I ended up getting 6 stitches on the edge of my eyebrow. But what no one picked up on was a hairline fracture from my jaw to my upper cheek bone. It slowly got worse and no one was aware of it. It eventually gave me painful migraines from the time i was 6-10 but they got indescribably worse from 8-10.

Three months after i started middle school on the 21st of October i went to the dentist. My teeth had been causing me lots of pain. It was my first time at this new dentist office. All they said was that it was my wisdom teeth coming in. But the next morning the left side of my face was completely swollen. Turns out i got MRSA in my hairline fracture and it was deteriorating all of the bone. My mom got me to the hospital right in time. I was scared of the thought of going into surgery, i was 10. No one really told me what was going on, my mom and dad just cried, a lot. I was told that if i had gone into surgery a minute later i would’ve lost my eye. When i woken up i was so happy. When i was taken to my room and found my mom it was obvious she was crying for a long time. When she told me not to freak out and walked me to the mirror i was as nervous as I’ve ever been. They cut into my gums to drain the infection two of my adult teeth fell out. The first time i looked into that mirror i didn’t realize my life would change forever. There was nothing but gums and stitches in the place where two of my teeth should’ve been. The plastic surgeon who did my surgery made me a flipper 2 months later. It gave me a smile that i wasn’t afraid to hide. I’ve always felt so upset that this part of me is gone. Yet slowly I’ve realized that its such a blessing that God let me live. It could’ve turned out much worse. I’m so grateful for my support system, my family and friends.

Christy – 34

January 2014 I went to the emergency room sick with what I knew was the flu. I also expressed to the doctors that I may have had pneumonia because I had been having a little back pain.. and knew it was coming from my lung. They did an x-ray and sure enough sent me home on an antibiotic for my “slight pneumonia” , a urinary track infection, and the flu. That same day the same hospital gave me a call saying another doctor that had came in later wanted me to come back and start me on fluids for dehydration because my heart rate was so high. Ok.. Went back in stayed over night. Went home and everyday after that my body was in so much pain that I couldn’t even sleep. Four days went by and i called the emergency room and told the nurse I was just there four days ago and I felt really really bad and asked her what i should do. She said for me to go see my primary physician. Well, I don’t have a primary physician. The next day day 5 after leaving that hospital is such a blurr. All I remember is sitting on my couch my husband getting ready to leave for work and I’m debating on telling him I need to go back to the hospital. I also told him I wanted to go to a different hospital. Thank God I did. Upon arriving right after they took my blood pressure, temp, and oxygen level, I was put in a wheel chair and taken back immediately. After the xray the pulmonologist came in with this scared look on his face telling me I was very very sick. He tells me I have to get put on a vent right away. And that’s pretty much all I remember. I woke up 3 weeks later by the grace of God. Learning not only did I have pneumonia but somehow came in contact with MRSA. After my surgery my family was told I was deathly ill. I truly believe in my heart God had led me to that hospital. And I am very blessed with family and friends who believe in the power of prayer.

Luci – Washington State, 38

On the day after thanksgiving 2010, my arm was hurting a lot.. went to hospital they only gave me pain meds.. but didn’t work.. so I went to the dr.. that did my arm surgery. .he admitted me to the hospital, and did surgery on my elbow.. he said he cleaned out my elbow.. he wasn’t sure if I had staph or mrsa.. but was isolcated and found out I had mrsa.. I was taking antibiotics pills and iv threw a pick line.. in that month I got pregnant.. it was so stressful.. cause I was seeing the pregnancy dr. and my regular dr. And a disease specialist also.. and also I was have seizures from the antibiotics treatments.. for me now I very careful of my soundings.. and go to the dr.. regularly.. that was the most awful disease to have.. u really don’t know until you go the dr… plus I’ve had family member treat me different.. cause of the disease.. and ppl treat you like you’re nothing.. thank you.

Steve – Texas

My first hospital experience. June 2014. Was working on a Friday and I started to not feel good. Thought I was getting a sinus infection. Went to bed about 7:00 PM. Stayed in bed Saturday and decided Saturday night to go to clinic first thing in morning if I didn’t feel better. Sunday morning went to clinic and got medication for sinus infection. By 4:00PM I felt so bad I told my wife to take me to Baylor downtown. It took me an 1/2 hour just to get in the car and when I got there they had to lift me out of the car. I’m 5’6″ and 160 lbs. not a mussel in my body would work and the worst headache of my life started. After 4 hours waiting I got into ICU. They knew exactly what it was and hammered me with morphine. Third day it got into my eyes and 4 days later I transferred to Presbyterian Dallas for laser surgery. Two weeks of hospital in isolation, one near death experience, pick line and 8 weeks antibiotics and I’m still alive.

MRSA leftovers; Slight headaches off and on, almost blind in one eye after 2 Laser Surgeries, a never ending fear that it will return and a Thank You, Lord attitude. Lesson learned; if you have a boil on your elbow or anywhere else, head for the emergency room to have it cleaned, even if you live in Texas and get bit by everything. Don’t think it’s just another everyday spider bite.

Daryl – Pittsburgh, PA

In February of 2010, I woke up with my eye swollen shut and a bump on my forehead that hurt like crazy. I had just moved from my hometown near Pittsburgh to a very small town 25 miles outside the city. I had picked a new primary care physician but had not visited him as of that date. Being that my eye was swollen shut and my vision blurred, I decided to call and make an appointment. They refused to allow me to see a doctor because I had not had an “initial visit” and said I could only meet with a nurse. After examining me she determined that what I had was shingles. Two days later I was in excruciating pain, half of my face was swollen including my lips and my tongue was numb. I drove myself to the local emergency room and was immediately ushered into triage. As soon as the nurse entered the room, she looked at me with amazement and said “oh my goodness, you mean you haven’t been to see a doctor?” I told her what had happened when I went to the doctor’s office and she asked me if they had swabbed the wound and cultured it.

After only two days on the Bactrim there really was no improvement. I called the doctors office, told them that I had been to the emergency room and asked to have an appointment to see the doctor. Again they refused! As sick as I was, I drove to the doctor’s office, walked up to the reception desk and said that I needed to see a doctor. The receptionist looked up at me with horror and said “you need to go to the emergency room”. I was also told that all of the medications that I was currently taking were correct and given an appointment for the following week. During my visit with the infectious disease doctor I was given an ointment to put up my nose every day for the next two weeks to kill any residual germ then maybe lingering. He advised me that he did not believe that I was a carrier and that I had randomly picked up the germ… it’s everywhere. He told me that if I wasn’t already, I probably would become OCD. He was right… it scares the heck out of you! I’ve been lucky and never had another recurrence of MRSA. I have become a fanatic about washing my hands!

It took me about a month to even be able to venture out of the house and almost a year to feel normal. I would strongly recommend that anybody who experiences MRSA should see a doctor that specializes in Infectious Diseases. It’s probably the best thing that I could have done!

Rebecca

My name is Rebecca. I first contracted Mrsa while being in the hospital following a car wreck in 2011. It became so severe that it became a need for surgery a month later. My head was shaved, and I honestly can’t remember a month before my surgery. They knew I had Mrsa before I was released from the hospital, but I guess they figured the antibiotics I was on would take care of it. I had to go back everyday for ten days to get them. Then, a month later, my Mom and brother relized I was getting worse, not better. I went into the hospital again, after which they called me in an emergency to get me back asap. I then had the fist-sized glob sucked outta my brain. It was the first time I woked up that I felt ok, almost human. Then I started to realize that I had memory issues. I couldn’t remember to save my life the name of our 7th planet, Uranus. Since then, I’ve had some even more serious memory issues. It has now been 3 years since my surgery.

Sandra

My 18 year old daughter, Sarah has MRSA and it has been such a painful experience – especially when she has these outbreaks. We think she got MRSA the summer of 2011 (she was15 years old – school track camping trip – bad spider bite on her chest) – after that bite and the infection on her chest – we have been in and out of the Urgentcare every 4 months. She recently developed it again and to see the pain she has to endure and the lesions on her body is very hard….but I must be strong for my daughter. She was also hospitalized a year ago because it developed in her heal. Soon…. she will be off to college in the next 2 1/2 weeks and we are so concerned about what will happen… she will be a hour away… but when she developes MRSA it is fast and we know that she has to be on the antibiotics immediately. So I guess what I’m trying to say… I’m glad to see this Organization exist and I sure hope they find a cure. Thank you and I hope more people will help support MRSA. Please keep us informed so we can help fight this.

Priscilla, 63

I had hospital acquired respiratory MRSA for a nursing home where I had worked. I do naturals so I did not show symptoms like other people, but the suffering–I don’t have to tell you, was horrific for over a year. It was colonized in the sinuses, behind the eardrum and brain. The medical professionals blew me off and an infections disease doctor mocked and insulted me. An Internal doc had me on the plain doxy regimen which gave me time to use naturals against it, but finally I gave up the fight, quit everything and decided it was easier to die. I had killed off the MRSA entirely in every location, but it came back as a ravenous L-Form in the brain. I now had meningitis. Before becoming totally incapacitated and dying I decided to do one thing–call a major Midwest law firm and start a wrongful death lawsuit for my daughter to finish. The RN on intake said that it doesn’t fit their criteria, but told me of a naturopathic doctor who healed her of terminal cancer. He put me on a Rife machine much stronger than you can buy. It immediately began killing–the bacteria actually run from it, I could feel it. I went home healed. I thank my God continually for the events that led up to that meeting. Love and Hope to all who suffer from this horrific pathogen.

Karyn

My story is not one of survival; but a story of a sudden full blown MRSA life changing tragedy. My mom suddenly became acutely ill as if she had a stroke except without paralysis on Easter morning. She had chills and fever and was not in her right mindset half in and half out of the chair. She didn’t acknowledge the phone ringing or her little dog frantically jumping on her. By June 20th she was dead. The initial attack raged through her body damaging organs etc. She went to hospital where gowning up etc was mandatory and from there a nursing home until rehabilitated and no longer on I.V.’s. At the nursing home nobody used gowns or antiseptic and there was no quarantine!! On June 19th she was taken to the ER due to her acting belligerent and hallucinating severely. The next night she died around 9. They could never bring her back. I never really heard of MRSA before this but now I’ll never forget it. Thank you for raising awareness to this horrible and very sudden deadly sickness!!

Linda

I am so glad I found your site. I am a MRSA survivor. They have been misdiagnosing me since I contracted it by getting a bikini wax in 2011. No antibiotics would work. I was at hospital on IV antibiotics for 10 days. 10 weeks of Clindimycin with not much reprive I resorted to naturalpathic. MANUKA HONEY. has extended my life. Unfortanetly 2 other people in the same hospital contracted the same strain and 1 died the other lost his leg. Mine has gone untreated it has now killed a my left femur bone and collapesed both hips and now into the brain stem and wreaked my heart. I am still here. No Doctors will listen to me. It has caused many other complications for me over the years. But I am still here. I notice on all my health records it does not say MRSA it was nurse that told me and they found it in my lungs last year and I survived. I eat aaaaalottttt of blended greens spinich is my best friend along blended with apple juice mint green peppers parsely and ginger root. I make them myself in a regular blender and make enough for the week and then I take a break. If a boil presents I use gauze and douse it with Manuka honey. I also eat 2 table spoons a day. I have so much more to say. I have done so much research about Infections and Viruses and how they affect our body. My motto is Never Give up Never Loose Hope and Warrior on.

Erica

I got HA-MRSA from the hospital during an outpatient surgery in 2007. My doctor ignored my complaints of burning and pain in my. Instead he accused me of just wanting pain pills. After 2 weeks black stuff started to leak out of my cast. I spent weeks in the hospital, had 3 surgeries, tons of medications, and was treated like a piece of trash by my doctor and the nurses. They even left my wound vac in for 5 days. It started to grow into my leg. I now have a bunch of health issues from all of this. I lost my job, my house, my body, my life. I just now got insurance thanks to the new healthcare from the president but it is still expensive. I had to move in with my parents so they could help take care of me and my child. I have missed so much with my daughter and I’m so angry and depressed. I can’t find a doctor that understands what happened to me and why I still feel sick a lot. I still get fevers, body aches, headaches, UTI, and fatigue. I need help if anyone knows of a doctor that can help me in Brevard county FL. I went from being a normal healthy athlete to a sick, weak, person. I don’t trust most doctors because most of them only want your money and not to help you. Plus they either don’t understand HA-MRSA or they don’t believe any of your problems. My family has been great but they really don’t understand either. So to be able to talk to other people that have been thru what I’m going thru and would understand would help me a lot. Thank you.

Maryellen – Connecticut, 58

In April 2014 I got MRSA bilateral pneumonia and sepsis. My daughter had just gotten married and about 4 days after her wedding I became very sick. I was having a very hard time breathing my oxygen level was 83 when the ambulance arrived they took me to a small hospital and every day I was there I became sicker. After being there for 5 days on the 5th day I was put on a ventilator my body was giving up. Vancomycin was not working my husband and family had me transferred to Yale NH hospital where they put me on telavancin while on the ventilator for 5 days and I started to get better and was finally taken out of ICU to a regular room for a few more days till I was discharged from the hospital. If I stayed at the first hospital I would not be a survivor because they said there was nothing else they could do for me so my family would have just watched me die. All hospitals need to be able to have the knowledge to treat these kinds of infections. I ended up in the hospital for 13 days 9 in ICU had a picc line so I could remain on the telavancin for 30 days at home. I have never been so sick it is almost 3 months and I am almost back to myself but it was a very scary time in my life. When I went to my follow up visit the doctor told me I survived because of telavacin and that I escaped the clutches of death. I believe if it was not for my family and friend’s power of prayer and the great doctors I would not be here. I am on the road to recovery.

Wesley

The last week of May in 2014, my boyfriend of three years began complaining about back and shoulder pain. We went to the local dr office and they believed it was muscle spasms so they treated him and let him go. Two days later they called back saying something was wrong with his blood counts and he needed to go to the ER Now. So off we went only to be told he had spasms & nothing was wrong with his blood. Long story short we went back to the hospital 2 more times because the pain got worse & the 4th time he was transfered to a bigger hospital. He had a spinal abscess that was MRSA positive and it had to be drained. He had an incision from his hairline to his shoulder blades down his spine. He was placed in the NICU (neuro intensive care) because during the 4th hospital visit he began to have numbness in his legs. He had two masses on his lungs drained also & he’s currently paralyzed from his chest down. He’s been in the hospital a month & his muscles have become so weak that he cannot even lift his head. He has gross motor skills in his arms but cannot grip things with his hands. He cannot sit up by himself or anything. He has 6 weeks of rehab coming up & every time I think about this it makes me mad because the doctors who drew blood the first doctors visit knew something was wrong but the ER told him twice that he was fine. If they had caught it when we went to the ER the first time (before paralysis began) I don’t believe he would be in the state he’s currently in. Doctors say he may never walk again, and for a 23 year old to be told that … Is devastating. He’s depressed and scared but I have faith in God & I am just thankful he’s alive. Doctors didn’t know if he would make it or not when he first got here because he became septic.. He was so close to having septic shock but thank God they started the antibiotics when they did. I’ve been by his side every day since & it breaks my heart to see him suffer so badly. MRSA is very serious and there definitely needs to be more awareness!

Stephanie – Oregon, 25

I has my first occurrence of MRSA in Feb 2014, and counting the current one 6 re-occurrences. Most have required hospitalization and surgery to drain. I am also trained in the medical field so the medical team that takes care of my infections (including the Center for Disease Control) have delegated most of the care to me at home. I have a few questions really. Is there any resources you know of to help with medical supplies, just sterile bandages, tape, gloves, those kinds of things? I am also a single mother of two, one of which is disabled, and a full time college student so funds are very tight but i hesitate to continue care with sub-par medical equipment. Also, my current infection is less than 1/8″ from on eye on my right temple. I have been forced to wait for treatment again have been draining myself but I came across what I would call “heads” in the infections today. I am unsure of what they are and can not get any of my medical professionals to respond. Are there any resources for possibly getting answers like identifying what these maybe? The way the insurance is set up here, the ER works, and how the doctors work, it is nearly impossible to be seen before your 72 hours or more into the infection. For sanitary and proper treatment of 6 infection sites in about 5 months, the cost has been astronomical and it has literally been coming down to buying either milk or Q-tips and gloves type situations. Any help you can provide would be amazing. Thank you and have a wonderful day!!

Robert

I was 32 when I was in a accident on the side of the highway that involved a 18 wheeler. I was okay all the way up to when I needed a skin graph done on my knee. I left the clinic and 2 days later I had a pain and a sickness that was unbearable. I was lucky to have survived the accident and now I was fighting for my life from MRSA. I was administered a picc line and survived. Now I am here today scared for my life again because in 2 days I am getting a knee replacement t the original infected site.

Sterling

When I was 16 I had an ATV accident that left a gaping hole in my ankle. I poured a bottle of rubbing alcohol and some peroxide into the wound and ran water into the wound for several minutes to clean out the dirt. I was left with a hole about the size of a golf ball. It was an uneven wound and was told it couldn’t be sewn shut and would need packed, the doctor came in and said it tested positive for MRSA staph and needed amputation I was skeptical , being 16 I refused to give up my leg . I was given as little as two weeks to live if it moved through my blood to my brain. I was given vancomycin intravenously, two weeks later I was given the same diagnosis. I told the doctor I was still set on keeping the leg and going to fight . Bandages changed 3 times a day starting with 3 feet of gauze on day one. About 50 days later it was healed closed but very tender. The scar was purple I massaged it for about a year daily with coco butter and this helped elasticity. I know I am lucky to have my leg and hope more stories like mine can be heard.

Shawana

In 2013 I was diagnosed with MRSA. I never have been given much information about it and only can assume I contracted the bacteria from the hospital that put a port in my chest for chemotherapy. I ended up feeling so sick and having a fast heart rate I went to the Doctors. I was given an IV sent home, and told to call if I felt worse. I think through the night my fever was so high I was hallucinating and shaking so badly it felt like a seizure. Once I finally made it to the hospital my blood pressure was so low I kept falling asleep and was asked what type of drugs I was on. Three days later I was diagnosed with MRSA and pneumonia and told the port was the source of the infection and it must be removed right away and I was also septic. I was treated so badly,I never want to go through that again. The whole time I was sick if my Doctor’s had listened to me it might not have been as bad but, I had to be nearly dead for anyone to do anything about it. I was hospitalized about two weeks and sent home on vancomyacin for 30 days. No one even told me to watch my children that I could spread it or anything. I am still not even sure if there is a risk it could ever come back…

Judie – Georgia, 57 years old

I’m from Calhoun GA. I contracted MRSA in October 2013 when I went in for a spinal fusion. At first, I had no idea why my incision was draining so much and when I called the doctor’s office they said it was normal. We had to change the bandage 3 to 4 times a day. The first week I was home I became deathly ill for a couple of days. I thought it was because of all the drugs I was on, but now I’m not so sure. I was not diagnosed with MRSA until my stitches were removed, and my whole back opened up. All the tissue inside was grey and dead. I was admitted back to the hospital the first week in November, and I received IV antibiotics and pain meds. When I went home, I was given oral antibiotics, and my hubby changed my open wound, twice a day, using Mesalts to pull any dead tissue from it. It had to heal from the bottom up. Slowly it did, and by December, I was doing PT, and on my way to recovery, I thought.

I have pain in my hip and leg that is horrible. I have to walk with a walker and I can’t do anything because of the pain. We don’t know where that is coming from. I have spent my time learning about the drugs I’m on and about MRSA. Because antibiotics kill all the bacteria in your body, I take probiotics every day, along with vitamin C and D. I’m eating 4 to 5 garlic cloves a day, and will start using raw honey. I am terribly anemic so I also eat a lot of foods that have iron in them, including black strap molasses. I am going to do everything natural I can to fight this bacteria, and let the doctors do what they need to do as well.

I have read the stories on this site, and I thank everyone for sharing. I pray we all get through this.

Michelle

I am a wife and a mother of 3 daughters. I was working three jobs at the time when my life changed so drastically. My story began in Oct. 2011 when I developed a boil on my left elbow. I was told to go home and put a warm compress on it and let it burst open and then clean it, put Neosporin on it and keep it covered and dry. Changing it very often. I did all of this and it went away and had no more problems. On Nov. 30, 2011, I was going to work and by the time I got to my car, the pain in my back started. I thought that I had just pulled something stepping out of the house and turning to shut the door. Took some Tylenol and went on to work. The next few days I used icy hot and a heating pad. The pain got worse because it hurt to sit or even stand for a bit. I went in to see my doctor because I needed something stronger for pain. He gave to Vicodin and told me to try that because he felt like it was just a pulled muscle. I came home and within 2 days I could not move my legs and the pain was so bad, that it hurt to even move. My husband called the ambulance to come get me. I remember leaving my house and being put in the ambulance, but that is all until a month or so later. They told my husband and kids that I had a staph infection, but wasn’t sure what kind. Later that same day they told them that I had MRSA. It started from the place on my elbow, got into my bloodstream and then went straight to my spine, causing an abscess from my 8th to 11th vertebrae and then covering my whole back. They had me in isolation, gave me a pic line, and I was on about 8 different medicines also. They had me so out of it because of the pain. Well to make a long story short. I was in the hospital from Dec. 2011 until Jan.2012, then I went over to the rehab unit at the hospital from Jan. 2012 until I got to come home the end of Feb. 2012. My results to having MRSA is that I am now paralyzed from waist down, in a wheelchair, incontinence (also have to do in and out caths to empty my bladder fully) and have to go into the hospital every 3 months to have bladder stints exchanged, and have problems with severe swelling in my calves, ankles, & feet. I also experience my feet hurting like they are frost bit and ice cold, but when you actually touch them they are warm. I stay very cold all the time. MRSA has taken a lot away from me and my family. They have to help me with almost everything. What makes it even harder is because I am a Bariatric patient. My mom found an article about your organization in a magazine and was telling me about it. I would love to know if there are others out there that have experienced anything or is going through the same thing as me. I think it is wonderful that you are bringing awareness about this infection and how it can affect your life. May GOD bless each and everyone of the people and families that MRSA has touched.

Karen- 52 Washington State

When I was in my late 30′s or 40′s I started getting pain full ear infections and was told i had staph infection. I cant even remember the first time i had my first out break or where on my body it was. now I have a bad habit of touching my face and I start to get tiny pimples around my mouth then I get little spots on my face and on my back, in my ears, and this time in my mouth. I’ve had an infectious dr a few years back but I’ve never fully understood this disease I am a clean person I am just concerned with my frame of mind right now because i feel like my life is over and in a way I can say I don’t want to live with this and I am scared to death, I’ve just never felt this awful about myself and i am afraid of what these thoughts are going to do to me. Thanks for listening to me.

David

Tauranga, New Zealand. I attended my local hospital for a very quick and “simple” rectal biopsy to check for prostate cancer. I was only in for about 30 minutes, but the procedure involves using an instrument pushed through the wall of the bowel several times to take cells from the prostate in several different places. The attendant nurse afterwards warned me to be wary of getting an infection from the procedure, and described the symptoms that should bring me back to hospital urgently for attention. By the following day I was vomiting and felt atrocious, so my wife took me to the Emergency Department as I was unable to drive myself. As has been described by others on this website, the hospital staff did not indicate that this was a serious matter, although later I was advised that overnight I was close to death. The hospital neither warned my wife or myself of this possibility, nor did anyone contact my wife overnight to come for what might have been a last visit with me, nor said anything to her anytime afterward. During my recuperation in the isolation ward, my wife had to remind staff to gown and glove up – doctors and nurses were attending me without any precautions, then moving on to the next patient to possibly infect someone else. After I left hospital, my wife contacted the local Member of Parliament to ask that he push the hospital to take greater precautions against infection, and the hospital were resistant to this approach, refusing to accept any responsibility for my MRSA infection, saying that the bug lives in the bowel of some people, and I must have been one. outside of a hospital-induced infection would be rare. The hospital staff did not warn me that the MRSA can be a permanent condition, and until I read the story of another MRSA survivor on this website, I was unaware that a  I am, with trepidation, about to have further surgery as a result of the radical prostatectomy I underwent shortly after the rectal biopsy I am now to be discharged home for my wife to monitor me as soon as I can possibly leave the hospital immediately after surgery that night. I am left feeling like a leper, and confused and appalled that I was never advised of my infectious state by the hospital that infected me, leaving me to possibly infect others unknowingly. I have not been tested to check whether I am currently infectious, but it seems that once infected, I will remain on the NID database indefinitely. (In New Zealand a law was passed many years ago to stop people having the right to sue for recompense.)

 Lynn – Janesville, WI

I got a boil like sore on the side of my nose. It is dusty at work and I sneeze a lot. I didn’t notice a pattern till several years later after getting it again. At first I was told it was nothing. That was hard to believe. My nose suddenly became swollen and it looked as if I would have no problem landing a part in the circus if it came to town. Yes, it is amazing how big my nose became. I went to the doctors who didn’t know what was happening to me in 2007. One said it was a cold sore even though I have never had one in my life and other doctors were clueless. The MRSA was incredibly hard to deal with and work at TSA wasn’t so easy to deal with either. Eventually, I would get my FMLA so they couldn’t harass me but it was like I was willing this to happen or that because I was overweight it was inevitable which wasn’t the case at all. I too was worried about losing my job. My daughter is a senior this year and all she has had to deal with for the last several years was an ill mother and father who hasn’t been there.(By his choice of course.) Missing work, scrapping by and this last hospital bill was $22,000 dollars. It is devastating and my heart goes out to all of you that have had MRSA. This is difficult to deal with and you are all very brave and inspiring. I read them all.

—–

This is absolutely terrifying. One day I’m fine and two days later I have enormous boils and excruciating pain. I’m told I have a heavy growth MRSA infection. I’ve never heard of this. Then I’m told I’m a carrier. But, don’t worry, it’s not a big deal. Really?! It sure felt like a big deal when you sliced into either side of my vagina. I wasn’t in the hospital. I didn’t hurt myself. My doc said I caused it by shaving and that I should stop. No one explained what I had or what being colonized meant, but everyone sure plays it down to be no biggie for a young healthy person. When I search the Internet all the information is contradictory. Some sights say it’s just an resistant bacteria and required no special care aside from good hygiene. Other sights are noting mortality statistics and saying I shouldn’t be around people while I have an active infection. I have a 10 yr old daughter that I am now terrified I’ll infect, but the docs say she’s at no special risk. What the hell is the truth? Can I really pass it to sexual partners as long as I’m a carrier? All these stories, they all have reoccurrences. Is this my life now? My boyfriend already disappeared and no family or friends come around. This can’t possibly be true?! Why is so hard to find out the real facts? It’s crazy, I’m so scared, and I just want to understand. Is this going to be a chronic condition possibly for the ready of my life?

Cynthia

I remember getting sick, feeling almost like I had the flu, weak and achy all over. The next memory I had was a month later waking up from a coma, I had look around to realize I was in a hospital.  Over the next few days doctors had explained why I was in a hospital and what happened I was critical I’ll with mrsa meningitus and had a stroke. As many can imagine its a lot to process. This was actually the beginning of my road to somewhat recovery.  My right side wasn’t working. I couldn’t grab cups hold anything walk or move. I was truly scared, all those little things I could do before easily were all a huge challenge now.  I endured physical therapy occupational therapy and eventually learned how to shower, use the bathroom and walk with a walker and wheelchair.  Most of you might think I am in my golden years, I was 38 and disabled. Its now two years after I endured all of this, my life has slowed down, I really thank god I survived and also learned to appreciate all the little things in life I wasn’t able to. I am so grateful to have survived.

Derek

I got MRSA this year 2013 it started February 2013 with a severe Broken ankle to an infection in the wound with MRSA, 8 surgery’s later for reconstructive surgery to my ankle after removal of infected tissue and muscle. was on Vancomycin for a long time. I am now walking in October 2013 now in physical therapy to be able to get ankle to move properly. I still don’t walk great and foot hurts a lot. I have also lost my job while this was taking place. this has changed my life in many way’s and I am glad there is a site like this to make people aware of how serious MRSA is.

Scott

In early July 2013, I was admitted to a local hospital overnight for an addisonian crisis. The following morning my IV had to be replaced. Within 3 days I developed abscesses along the same vein line as the iv. I had had abscesses before, not uncommon in type 1 diabetics. I am already resistant to Keflex as a result. However, these wounds would not heal, after multiple drainings, (right down to the bone in my right arm) by Mid August the infection was so bad that my entire arm was red and painful to move or carry items. I went to an Urgent care clinic, who prescribed yet another dose of coaxacyllin, and said I would be fine, but an MRSA swab was done after I stated It started after a hospital visit. I disagreed with the outlook and prescription, as I’d already gone through 3 doses of amoxicillin type drugs with no result. Whatever it was, it was obviously rapidly spreading, as my entire arm was red and swollen, and worsening by the hour, with increased pain.

A visit to the local hospital that same day resulted in treatment for adrenal issues, and one dose of iv antibiotics. At the time, I had been taking almost five times my regular cortisol dose, as my body does not produce the steroids to deal with bodily stress. Due to a communication error, i never received the 3 subsequent doses of iv antibiotics I was supposed to receive.

I received a call back from clinic stating my MRSA test was positive. I was given a large dose of clindamycin. Two weeks later, the wounds still hadn’t healed, I was given a dose of tetracycline.

By mid September I was vomiting, unable to keep food, water, or even my medication down. An ambulance call brought me to the same hospital that gave me the MRSA. After six days of being stabilized, I was diagnosed with C-difficile and began treatment. During my initial stay there, I had warned staff to keep me in isolation, due to the MRSA, but sadly many didn’t even pay attention, not even doctors or food staff were taking proper precautions.

Currently, I still have a positive flag/warning for both MRSA and C.Diff on my medical file that pop’s up on 911 calls. As I have not been told I am clear of these infections. It certainly made for an interesting few months.

Ria, 64 AL-USA (visiting from the Netherlands)

My fiancé’s mother lived in a nursing home where MRSA was apparently fairly common. They certainly were not at all surprised when she ended up hospitalized with it, at least twice. She would have pneumonia off and on, all the time. We finally got fed up and moved her to a new nursing home. Sadly, she continued to get ill with a variety of health issues, including MRSA. She was stabilized and was released back into her new nursing home and seemed to be doing fine.

After about a week we received a call that she had been found unresponsive. After several grueling days in the hospital, she passed away. She likely had a heart attack when they found her in her room.

My own mother flew in from Europe, for the funeral. She never actually came in contact with my fiancé’s mother, aside from seeing her at the viewing (no contact made). She stayed for three weeks, enjoying some time with me and my boys. We had a great time reconnecting and we spoke about our final wishes, having been so touched by the loss of my mother-in-law who had no will in place.

As her visit was coming to an end, she became ill. My mother had COPD for years and stubbornly continued to smoke, after trying to quit so many times. It was a few days before she would be leaving. We had been swimming and that evening she went to bed early, not feeling well. The next day she stayed in bed as well, coughing (something we had become used to with her COPD) with a mild fever. I gave her some Tylenol. That evening her fever and coughing got worse. I rushed her to the ER where her blood oxygen level was 74.

They confirmed my suspicion for pneumonia and gave her some antibiotics and breathing treatment. I stayed with her and told her she would probably be going home soon. The doctor told me they wanted to keep her for observation. I went home for a few hours of sleep and returned later that day. She couldn’t talk very well because she had a breathing mask on. She had some issues understanding what was going on, since her English was poor. So I spoke to the nurse and she said they had a little trouble keeping her blood oxygen up, so they put her on some more breathing treatment. My mom understood and told me to go home, get some rest, she’d be fine.

That night I got a call that she was being intubated and moved to MICU, so her lungs could heal. A few days and she would be fine. The next morning I found out she had MRSA (although they called it ‘a stapph infection’, to make it sounds less bad). Over the next days her condition became more and more serious. By the time they started to awaken her from her induced coma she did not wake up. Her brain had stopped functioning. The MRSA had destroyed her lungs, heart, kidneys and brain. In less than a week time I lost my mother, I never got to say goodbye. We had been gardening and swimming only the weekend before, and now she was dead.

It is still surreal to me. And I am still furious at the hospital. I do not feel like they took the proper precautions. I saw housekeeping empty her trash in her ‘contact isolation’ room with BARE HANDS. I have no idea where she got MRSA, if she got it from me or my fiancé (since we did have contact with his mother) or if she got it from the hospital. She died in the MICU, the same MICU my mother-in-law had been in only weeks before. We both lost our moms only a month apart.

It’s really hard at times. My boys have no grandparents left. They loved my mother, even though she could only visit every other year or so. It happened so incredibly fast.

MRSA is awful and ignored in the US. My mother’s body was flown back to Europe and was kept behind glass at the funeral! The doctors didn’t even want me to come to Europe, afraid I would bring MRSA with me. The US is so lax about it, it’s sickening.

Erica

In 2007 I noticed a tiny pustule on my right knee, like an ingrown hair, so I squeezed it, it popped, I rubbed it with alcohol and called it a day. The next morning it had doubled in size, so again I cleaned all the puss out alcohol, Neosporin. Band-aid. That afternoon it started to ache, so I again tried to clean the puss, but now it was larger, swollen to about quarter size and copious amounts of pus. That evening it was throbbing, the size of a golfball…I went to the ER they cleaned it wrapped it sent me home. Very early the next morning around 2 am, I woke in such extreme pain and felt feverish, back to the ER. This time the Dr. Lanced it open and aggressively dug the pus from deep with in my knee…sooo painful, the culture revealed MRSA..the wound was packed and drain wicking left out. After 4 different antibiotics and a week of packing wicking and compressing it healed. Now Su.ce that time I have had MRSA 3 more times (caught very early) and staff twice. It never seems ti go away! Now I am going through treatments for breast cancer….Grrr! That’s my MRSA story.

Peggy

I contracted MRSA when in the hospital for knee replacement. At first the MRSA was throughout my blood stream,. I was first hospitalized fir nine weeks because I caught viral pneumonia in both lungs as well. I died twice and was recessatated, but due to huge amounts of steroids used for My lungs became diabetic, lost all my peripheral vision, and could hardy function. After one year the MRSA decided to settle in my kidneys, which really scared me because due to cancer I had to have my bladder removed. I was also very scared because my father caught MRSA in the hospital during routine shoulder surgery. His settled in his kidneys right away and after two years he had to go on dialysis, which he did for three years and then we list him to complete kidney failure. Needless to say I live with that fear because without a bladder it is hard to tell if you have a kidney infection until you get a fever. The intervenious antibiotics are so hard on your kidneys, and almost nothing works orally. Besides with all this treatment of antibiotics I worry about them not working for anything in my future.So I decided to read everything I could get my hands on and kept seeing unprocessed honey used to treat MRSA. A great deal if research is buying dine in the UK and New Zealand. Drug companies don’t rule like in the states, and the UK uses many natural remedies. I had nothing to loose the numbers in my kidneys were at 75,000, and you get close to dialysis at 100,000. I figured I had nothing to loose, honey is natures antibiotic for many diseases and was still viable in Kin Tuts pyramid. I changed nothing else in my diet for six weeks, I still ate yogurt every day and took probiotics, the only thing I added was the recommended dose of three teaspoons of honey each day. I drink mine in an herbal tea, but you can put it on toast or biscuits or however you choose. But it has to be every day. In six weeks I went from 75,000 to 10,000, My doctor was elated and now gives the first book I read out to any of her patients. Now my MRSA has colonized in my kidneys which means they are nit active at the present time. I still suffer from frequent kidneys infections but they don’t know if that could be from not having a bladder. All I know is that we as patients have to be advocates for ourselves and realize that chemicals may not be the complete answer. Read everything you can and desire with your doctor what you can try. I am diabetic and because honey is processed differently than refined sugars, my numbers have gone down there also. I an now researching this novella black seed which is healing many diseases. I think our cures our out there and truly believe many can be natural products. How long can we take antibiotics before we become immune to them. I hope this helps fellow sufferers and honey is used on external MRSA as well. It’s certainly worth a try. I wish all of those suffering from this disease we never expected to get all my hopes for your recovery. I will be more than happy to answer any questions on my treatment you may have. The only warning on using honey is it can’t be used on babies. Best wishes and remember attitude is everything. We can beat this I know we can but it will take hard work and cooperation from people like us who have this disease.

Marissa, 18

When I was 15, I developed an infection on my nose. It nearly tripled in size, and it was later determined to be MRSA. It has been 3 years now of 8 antibiotics and several trips to the ER.

MRSA has damaged so many things in my life. My body is covered in ugly scars, it caused meningitis that landed me in the hospital for a month, and I have had to call into work countless times from the pain. Since my first outbreak, not a day has gone by that I haven’t had a sore. The agony of them often keeps me up at night. I am thankful I found this website…it gives me hope that it will one day get a little easier to cope with.

Ryan, 15

In 2006, our Son, Ryan was an outstanding athlete with a fantastic and fun future ahead of him. At 15, there was already talk of baseball scholarship, and possibly more. That all changed in April when, while practicing indoors for the upcoming baseball season, he started to feel some soreness in his right hip area. Within a week, he was unable to walk without crutches, and both his Dr. and local hospital emergency room were unable to determine the cause of the pain, ending up with a diagnosis of a possible muscle pull. After a consultation with an Orthopedic Surgeon, he was referred to the Pediatric Oncology Dept. at the University of Michigan for an evaluation. For the first time, blood work was ordered, and the following day he was admitted for a biopsy due to an incredibly high white blood cell count, which told physicians that there was a dangerous infection of some sort that had taken up residence in his body, which was confirmed by the biopsy of both hip and lower back areas of concern. This was the first day we heard the term MRSA. His life was about to change forever, but at that point, we expected that he’d be back on the baseball field shortly.

Ryan spent the next 4 weeks at Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor while the Drs. searched for the right combination of antibiotics to deal with the MRSA that had taken control of his body. Six surgeries, 5 blood transfusions, a MRSA infected blood clot, and many drug reactions later, he was released from the hospital MRSA free, having lost about 30% of his body weight, but with a major problem that was not found until his 30 day followup visit to the hospital. While it was thought that the MRSA was confined to his hip and lower back soft tissue areas, a routine pelvis x-ray disclosed that the infection had ALSO decimated the hip joint itself. The head of his femur, as well as his acetabulum, were totally chewed up by the infection, leaving his right leg nearly 3 inches shorter than the left. An x-ray in late March showed nothing abnormal.

Ryan spent the next 15 months on crutches, while Physicians waited to make sure that total hip replacement was his only acceptable option. They were reluctant to do a total hip on a patient so young, knowing that he’d need many more hip replacements throughout his life. In August 2007, Ryan got his new hip, with instant relief from the pain he’d endured over the past 15 months. While he was far more comfortable, his main asset, his speed, was gone. He was able to play football, hockey and baseball again his Senior year, but he was no longer the star athlete he’d been before MRSA.

What made this whole situation even more curious, was that there was never anything external that would point to the MRSA’s entry point. Everything was internal, and although we appreciate the fact that the Drs. and hospital staff saved his life, we wonder if the results might have been different if they had known the infection had also invaded the hip joint itself earlier in the process.

Constance, 63, from Utah

March 26, 2013 I could not lift my left leg. Felt like 2,000 pounds of cement. I guess I panicked, ambulance came and I came to in the ICU. I had MRSA which had shut down my kidneys, anemia, pulmonary hypotension, pneumonia, cellulitis right above my replaced knee and collapsed leg veins so legs are black. Spent 12 days in ICU, not expected to live and family was called in. After 12 days there went to medical rehab for 2 months and I was bedridden almost 24/7 for 2 and a half months. Am home, but have had to learn to stand and walk and am still to this day too weak to stand much. Went to the store for the first time in 5 months last week – in a wheelchair. Left with no hair and a giant pannus on my left side abdomen. I don’t think I will ever be the same. I have depression after all it did to me. It took everything from me.

Dee Dee, 52- WI, USA

Like many mothers who are consumed with raising two young children, I rarely think about coming in contact with potentially life threatening bacteria. Little did I know that the first six months of 2005 would have me fighting for my life and leave me permanently scarred.

It all began quite simply and was really nothing that anyone was alarmed about. While driving home from visiting family in Atlanta over Thanksgiving, I developed a boil on my backside. I had never had one before, and it was quickly becoming painful to even sit. I had to make a trip to my primary care physician for a routine exam anyway, so as part of the exam I asked her to evaluate the boil. She decided to lance it to aid in draining and relieve the pressure, which had become quite painful. She put me on an antibiotic to make sure that I didn’t get an infection. Over the course of the next couple weeks, the site began to heal, and neither my husband

The outcome was grim at best. I would at the very least have a sizable area of my inner knee removed with the possibility of losing my leg. The worst case was that I could become septic from the infection and die. The anxiety and fear was tremendous. I called my husband and tried my best to tell him what was happening but couldn’t get it out over the tears. The surgeon took the phone and told him how serious the infection was and to get to the hospital as quickly as possible.

Before the surgery, I had a bone scan to determine if the infection had spread into the bones. Fortunately, there was no evidence of the spreading, but we really wouldn’t know until I went under the knife. What a horrible feeling of not knowing. Only a few weeks before, I had been in good health and more concerned with my children’s colds. Certainly, the prospect of losing my leg had never occurred to me.

By the time the surgery was over, I had a 19 square centimeter area about 2 inches deep of soft tissue removed from the inner side of my knee. The excavation of tissue went all the way to the muscle. It could have been worse, but I was going to have to endure the most painful experiences of my life as the wound was changed daily to remove the dead tissue. The wound had to be checked for any negative changes that would indicate the surgery had not successfully removed all the infection. I had these twice-a-day changes for a week before I finally had a skin graft to close the wound. Once the graft was completed, I was released and put on intravenous vancomycin.

Over the next two months, I had a host of complications slowing my recovery and further threatening my health. I developed blood clots from the lack of mobility and resistance to the vancomycin. Tests showed that even though we were highly conscious of hygiene, the bacteria remained on my skin and in the wound. I developed blisters on my belly that were likely the result of the same bacteria being introduced through injections to prevent the blood clots. This landed me in the ICU but fortunately no surgery was required this time!

It took months of physical therapy to regain the mobility and strength in my leg. Now, I have little feeling in the knee area or the lower leg from the damage done to the nerves. I am always fearful of the slightest cut. I know that my options for treatment are slim at best should the infection ever present itself again. Now in 2013 i have recently found boils and blisters on my breast and left leg. The doctors think that it is MRSA, but we are not sure if it truly is. I always hope that no one will ever have to face this disease. I thank you all for your prayers for a safe future.

Nicole 36 yrs old Baltimore MD

My MRSA story began when I banged my knee on a coffee table. I was in debilitating pain 2 days later and went to the hospital. They drained “fluid” from my knee and sent me home.I had some short term relief but a few days later I had a 104 fever so I went back. They took an X-ray and told me I had an infection in my kneecap. 1 month of in hospital IV antibiotics and 3 surgeries later I was no better off. I asked my mom to take me to another hospital because I thought I was going to die. I’m glad I did.

At the next hospital they to me the infection was never in my kneecap. It was actually in the femur above the knee and now in my bloodstream. They operated and gave me IV Vancomyicin.A month later I got better and went home, but the infection came back more aggressive. It was actually eating away my femur. I slip of a 4 inch step and my femur shattered. I was sent to Baltimore’s Shock Trauma where they tried for almost 6 months to get rid of the MRSA but my body was becoming immune to the antibiotics. So the only course was to amputate above the knee. This saved my life.

Amber 37 – California

Thank you for putting this organization together.

I am 37 years old and have VRSA which includes Voncomycin Resistant Coaglase Negative Staph and Vanco Resistant Staph Aureus in the last 2 years. At one time I hade 50 + impetigo boils all over my body. The dr’s gasped when they saw it. I am a clean person but have no immune system due to taking constant antibiotics throughout my life….BIG MISTAKE.

I have been close to death twice.

My mother being a hospice nurse, was negligent and unloving and never helped me get to a dr or hospital. Her advice, of course was to take all and every antibiotic according to the dr’s notes when I all I needed was a culture to be taken.

My life has fallen apart…i can’t visit with anyone because of giving this to someone, I am homeless, hurting, hopeless at times and don’t have the ability to go back to work and/or attend Paul Mitchell Cosmetology School cause the risk involved with infecting others. My kidneys were given too much work to do and the right one failed.

My health insurance (by the county of Riverside, California) offers little help and it takes months to see the dr. Ask for a specialist like a dermatologist and they’ll laugh at you.  Despite this debilitating disease and loss of public recognition, the healthcare system hasn’t done enough to make sure everything is sanitized properly. I’ve seen it every time I go.

With that said… my life was saved by one friend who so lovingly took me in and helped. She and I both know that if stress comes up at anytime, i break out all over again. This time around though, I CAN NOT WEAR LATEX, BANDAIDS or ANYTHING STICKY to cover over the wound. I break out with welts.

Steven

My name is Steven jobs in 2006 September 22nd after starting my freshman year in high school I was shot in the head the head with head a nine millimeter handgun I had lied in the floor for a while before being attended to and have contracted MRSA after several stays in my hospital it had taken its toll on me spent years in rehab attended school half a day in the hospital for three months most of which in ICU I represented the Gifford story there are many people trying to write my story because its a combination of a 14 year old stealing his brother’s hand gun because it was not locked up like it should have been me a striving semi Christian coming “face to face with god” beating the odds relearning to walk twice eat and even talk.

MRSA wise I’ve been “obsessed” with getting my lip pierced since age 10 and theirs obvious question with my MRSA history and I surly would be ok with this to be edited and shared

Cliff

My beautiful son Cliff survived MRSA pneumonia 3 years ago. He was 26 then. He had been sick for a couple of weeks, with 4 doctor visits, and 4 “diagnoses” like mono and bronchitis. He called mid-morning, and said he was in such pain, could I drive him to the emergency room? Sure. His pain was from the trigeminal nerve, up his neck, across his head and face. He also had a terrible cough, but we went to the ER due to the pain. We bagged up at least 20 meds he’s been given in the previous two weeks. When we got to the ER in our small town, the triage nurse skipped detailing the meds, and had a doc see him immediately. He had 103F fever (which he ran for the next 5 days, sometimes 104-105F) and after an X Ray, the staff brought in a giant hepa filter, which sounded like a jet engine. We were told that he had bronchiectasis, with 1000 holes in his right lung. (At the time, we thought this was a bad diagnosis. It is, but it is likely evidence of damage from many bouts of bronchitis and pneumonias throughout his life. Bronchiectisis results in cavities in the bronchi and lungs of the patient where fluid and ultimately pus can collect). Cliff was put in “isolation” on a medical floor, not in ICU, and started on IV meds for pain and antibiotics. At one point, he was on 11 IV antibiotics. It was 3 days before we were told that he had MRSA pneumonia. The staff was afraid to come into the room. He bled freely rom every needle-stick due to meds. He filled the disposable bags he coughed into with green goo and blood. This was constant for 7 days, literally 24/7. He had a nose bleed with every coughing spell. He had c diff – so coughing, pus- and blood-filled bags of horror, massive diarrhea, bleeding from needle sticks, all while on a pain pump which failed on day 3. (Corrected after 8 hours of no morphine delivery). Not one staff member washed their hands in all the days we were there. The sink was blocked by other equipment. The staff who dared to come in the room mainly came in to pray for him. We had to call for help when he had diarrhea in the bed, puked in bed, had bleeding from multiple sights when on the toilet, multiple bags filled with pus and blood to be taken away. He hallucinated, but he possibly wasn’t really aware how dire his situation was. After vancomycin was finally started, his fever fell, the cough improved, and after 10 days of O2, IVs, 24/7 family in the room, the staff mentioned that perhaps the family should wear masks. Like his family hadn’t been coughed on, puked on, bled on, or cleaned up diarrhea. When his temp returned to normal, he was given a bath. That’s right – 10 days in, someone noticed him. He was put in a wheel chair. The nurses lined the halls and did the “tomahawk chop” and he went home. We thought this mattered. (Home with linezolid. Insurance is critical with this drug.) He was home 5 days, and got worse each day, until he had the collapsed lung. Back to the hospital, chest tube insertion, isolation, and another week on IV vanc, with crazy ups and downs like a cardiac scare. When he finally went home, he’s been fired from his job for being absent, and was unable to drive for another 2 months. He lost 30 pounds, at 6′, going from 190 to 160 in 2 weeks. (He’s never regained the weight.) He suffered pleural pain acutely for a year, and periodically since. (He can’t lift anything over his shoulders due to pleural pain, 3 years later.) His employer hired him back. After being back to work 3 months, his 23 year old wife said she didn’t want to be married to anyone who was sick. People think MRSA is just another illness. It is life altering, and one must question the care patients receive when the medical staff iis afraid of contracting this. No normal person can think that they will be in a hospital praying, “Dear Lord, help my child.”. Or that they’ll say to their beloved child, “I will count the seconds until you can press the pain pump again. 3-2-1.” And that turns out to be bunk, since the pump wasn’t working, Or that a single nurse will bathe this helpless grown man on her knees when she realizes that no one else even noticed after many days. As a mother, I was afraid to “raise hell”. How much worse could it get if you complain? My beloved son (almost 30) is left with PTSD – he is frozen with fear when he gets a cough. There’s virtually nothing to advise what his future holds. His pulmonologist recommends that he have immunoglobulin therapy. The immunologist makes this very confusing. My son is afraid. He lost his job, and he lost his marriage. So many of the stories are about MRSA skin infections and MRSA blood infections. Please, share your survival stories of MRSA pneumonia. Breathing is fundamental. MRSA pneumonia is horrifying, and we would be comforted by others who survived this.

David

I first got MRSA in 2005. I had a bump on my buttocks that got infected, which turn into gangaren that settled in my groin. After surgery, I found out that I had MRSA infection. I developed pneumonia. Then I proceeded to stay a four nursing homes, where I often became septic, then hospitalized. I am still a MRSA victim. But, with Gods help and his Blessings I have remained free of complications. In 2007, I was told that I would lose my right leg, above the knee. NOT!! I still have my leg, and intend to pass this world with both my legs, arms, feet and toes. Thank you for this forum. I pray for each MRSA victim. The quality of you life is for you to make the best of the issues, you face each day.

Samantha, 24, NC

I was taken to the hospital on my 22nd birthday with a leg that had swollen to twice it’s size and a night full of vomiting and dizziness. I passed out a few times at the hospital while the nurses tried to hook me up to an IV and even lost consciousness while on the phone with my father who had called to wish me a happy birthday.

I was taken to the emergency room and they ran lots of blood work on me. One doctor wanted to run an EKG on my heart and I was lucid enough to say no because while my knowledge of medicine is limited, I know that loss of consciousness and nausea are NOT caused by a problem with the heart. My leg is at this point killing me. My dad (who lived 3.5 hours away) arrived while I was waiting for a room on the bed floor. My doctor and his team of medical students checked in on me and gave me lots of medicine, though they didn’t ever tell me exactly what was going on, and I was under the impression that I would be released that day. I stayed in the hospital for three days.

They finally told me WHAT it was, but were still pretty non-commital about how serious it was, which led to my impression that everything was fine and I was confused why I needed to stay overnight. It turns out I almost lost my leg. I’m glad they didn’t tell me.

When they let me go home, I still could not let my leg hang vertical for more than a minute or two without it swelling and becoming terribly painful. Honestly, during the worst of it, I have to say it is the worst pain I have ever experienced; I can’t even imagine childbirth being this bad. The slightest touch was horrific.

Two years later, I still have trouble with swelling in that leg, especially on planes. I’ve noticed that it is still just slightly thicker than my non-MRSA leg, and it is more prone to shin splints.

It was a year before my parents told me the full details of how close I got to losing my leg. The day they told me, I signed up for a half marathon because to heck with you, MRSA. I’m still going to run.

Bethany 16- Austin

Watch Bethany’s video and she tells her story about CA-MRSA and her fundraising for MRSA Survivors Network on CrowdRise.com She is the “MRSA Youth Champion” for 2013. Be inspired!!! Help make a difference!!!

Carly

My baby Carly had a tough start to life. She was born 9 weeks early, yet had a pretty uneventful, “grower/feeder” experience with no medical concerns during her 7 week nicu stay. A week before her discharge a formula additive was added onto her feeding regimen which precipitated some increased colic and gassiness, but little was made of it and we were sent on our merry way home with our perfect little angel. Within a week however everything fell apart as our daughter was suddenly hospitalized in very critical condition from necrotic bowel related to thickener. Carly underwent multiple surgeries and procedures and tenuously hung onto her life in very serious shape. We were devastated. Carly almost died on several occasions because the aggressive levels of her blood thinners left her vulnerable to hemorrhaging to death,which nearly occurred. A nose bleed then led to full flooding of her lungs with 75% of her blood volume, essentially drowning her in her own blood. She was intubated and seeming to be improving until she started to have thick secretions and was having trouble breathing with the machine. We were reassured it was okay, but in fact it was MRSA tracheitis preventing Carly from being able to effectively breath and oxygenate. This was the first of a 2.5 year string of MRSA complications, hospitalizations and surgeries to attempt to regain control and hopefully eradicate this aggressive infection. While Carly’s initial medical issues including her failed intestines, failed/clotted central feeding lines and severe bleeding to keep lines patent seemed among the most pressing issues, the MRSA became yet another obstacle and complication to Carly’s health and recovery. Since her discharge home at 8 months Carly has returned for mrsa treatment 4 more times and has experienced many more skin infections besides these. We have seen ways in which hygiene practices are flawed and protocols that need change as cohorting all mrsa cases together presumes they are all the same strain of mrsa. The only thing worse then having mrsa is being doubly infected with yet another, unrelated strain of mrsa. And even if the strains are the same it doubles the chance of reinfection in a child already struggling with abx resistant issues. It is akin to transfusing an hiv positive patient with unscreened blood because “he already has HIV anyway.” It is both medically irrational and totally unethical.

Julia -50, Eustis, FL

My mother was complaining of neck pain, and she started to have delusional thoughts. She woke me up at 5am to sing me happy birthday, when it wasn’t even close to my birthday. I thought she was losing her mind, honestly. But on 12-02-12 she was rushed to the local hospital & released the next day with a sprained neck, and prescriptions for tramadol and a muscle relaxer, which by the way can be fatal if taken together! Tramadol shouldn’t be prescribed if you have a history of drug abuse or depression, which she has (and the hospital has record of that). After being discharged, symptoms worsened. On 12-06-12 she was rushed to the local hospital again, hours later they transferred her to a hospital over an hour a way. They found out she had a serious infection in her neck. It took three long days of my mother being in an induced coma, hooked up to a catheter, and an oral feeding tube, for them to find an affective antibiotic. This was pure torture, she was facing death & I could only watch. She couldn’t speak, or move. It was announced that the infection was MRSA, which had then spread to her brain stem. She had to have two surgeries to reduce the size of the infection, they cut away bone from her neck, gave her a temporary tracheostomy, and had to move the feeding tube into her stomach so her throat could heal. To me, my mother looked dead already. She couldn’t talk for over two weeks.

They’ve removed the trach and she can now talk, she’s healing up and is expected to be home in 2 weeks!! But docs say she’ll never be the same physically ): we won’t be able to play tennis, or bike ride together anymore. My life changed drastically, I never planned for my mother to be hospitalized for 2 months. I took her for granted.. I’m only 17 and I had to watch my mom suffer through this.. if only I had been aware of the effects of MRSA.

MARGE – 65 – California

I had my first outbreak of MRSA 6 years ago in 2007 at the age of 59. It was summer and I had been sleeping with light covers I got what I thought was a spider bite on my lower back. A trip to the doctor’s office revealed that it was MRSA. I took the antibiotics and it healed, at least I thought it did. In 2011 I fell and broke my hip and found out that the hospital had listed me as a MRSA patient. It entitled me to a private room and gloves and gowns for my family when they visited. My recovery developed complications that caused me to be in a nursing home for 6 weeks and laid up at home for several weeks. During this time I had a picc line and received slow drip antibiotics twice a day for eight weeks. My husband assisted by connecting the medicine to the picc line twice a day. I had several appointments with the infectious disease doctor who also placed me on oral antibiotics. The infection cleared and I got better, at least I thought I did.

My current out break is ongoing. This time I got what looked like a boil on my chin. I am still on antibiotics. This condition makes me feel like a leper. I can’t tell anyone outside the family about my condition, but there is big white bandage covering the sore like a big light bulb on my face. I isolate from the world and stay locked up inside the house. I am afraid that I will never be free of this. I am glad that I found your website it is a greatly needed resource.

Indira, Edwardsville, Illinois

I believe I was infected from a Pedicure. A bit after the pedicure I noticed a dreadful pain near what I thought was an ingrown hair on my leg. It continued to increase in size and pain. I went to a clinic on a Saturday because I could not endure the pain any longer. The nurse there quickly told me she thought it was MRSA. She gave me an antibiotic and told me to go to hospital if the size increased. Due to the fact that I do not have insurance I waited in agony until Monday morning and visited my own doctor. By Monday it had begun to weep and the pain was vicious. My Doctor was fabulous. I saw him every other day until the boil was a bit improved.

I have since had some type of sore about every 6 weeks or so over the last 18 months. My children have each had 2 sores and been treated. My mother moved in after my father died and she has had an outbreak. I finally found that Washington University in St. Louis had a treatment for MRSA. We have done the treatment twice. My children and mother are negative but I still get it about every 6 weeks. My husband has never had MRSA but did have Cellulitis. The last time I notice a great depression. We wondered if it was a side effect of the antibiotics or just frustration with the disease. I think it is a bit like having leprosy. Anyone who knows that you have it fears you and anything you touch. Often your friends and Family avoid you. You begin to get depressed but you completely understand why the avoid you. You do not want anyone to have to deal with this horrible disease. I have a great faith in God and He sustains me through the difficult time. I will give God all the glory and consider it an honor to pray for you all as you too struggle with this disease.

Deb, Boston

January of 2012 I was diagnosed with cellulitis on my lower back it started out as a small bump and within 3 days covered most of my back. My Dr. Decided to lance it and biopsy it and it turned out to be MRSA. Oxys didn’t take the pain away and I had 2 feet of packing out in and needed to go to the Dr to have it changed every day the first week then every few days for 3 weeks. Almost a year to the day I had a bump on my upper thigh and of course it was MRSA but this just needed an incision and healed on its own. Now I have another sore on the top of my buttocks which I’ll be going to have taken care of tomorrow. They can’t figure out why I keep breaking out since I don’t work in the health care profession or go to the gym.

Donna, 37, New York

My ordeal began after a trip to Florida. I had just showered and was getting dressed when I felt something bite me on my upper butt cheek. (Yes, I know funny). I rubbed the area for a minute and the pain went away. I continued to get dressed and go about my day. The pain came back and was getting worse as the day went on. That evening I was changing my sheets and spotted the body of a Brown Recluse spider that must have been a stole away in my luggage. I ignored the pain the best I could popping Advil by the handful. The next day I went to the ER spider in bag and it was confirmed that I had been bitten. They gave me a cocktail of antibiotics and a pain killer, both shots. They then sent me home with more pain meds and more antibiotics. Now I should tell you that when they examined me in the er I was in someone’s office because there was no bays open. Three days later I couldn’t walk, had 103 fever and was in so much pain I wanted to die. I was rushed back to the doctor where although she had no bedside manor sent me right away to the surgeon. They cut into me where I had been bitten and removed all the dead tissue from the necrosis from the spider bite. They did a biopsy of the tissue and pus and confirmed MRSA. Needless to say I had numerous surgeries to remove all the dead tissue but also my boyfriend had to change the packing 4 to 5 times a day. Many, many weeks of pain and antibiotics and I was “cured” I live in fear everyday that MRSA will rear its ugly head once again.

AJ, 47, Oregon, USA

During the fall of 2008, I found what I thought to be an insect bite on my breast. There’s a great website actually called BadSpiderBites.com, and I posted my story on their MRSA page, once the docs figured out what it was. I can only conclude it came from an unsanitary stethoscope at a health checkup the week before–why else would something like that crop up in that location? Months later, I had a Pap smear exam, and VOILA! Painful abscesses in the genital region.

I’m currently dealing w/ several in the peri-anal region which I just had lanced. (The alternative was constant shifting in my chair & walking carefully, feeling like I am smuggling 2 painful grapes in my underwear). These were cultured first as peptostreptococcus, and I was put on doxycycline. Then another test came back as MRSA (which I suspected) and I’m back on bactrim. Per my doc, I am actually getting checked by a colorectal surgeon in 2 days. Gotta love the “gift that keeps giving.” THANK YOU FOR LISTENING!

Trish – Baltimore

I was born in 1962 and had an identical twin sister. In 1988 (age 26) my twin suffered a stroke at my home 2 hours after my son was buried. My son was born with hypo plastic left heart syndrome (left side of heart never developed) surgery fixed the heart but complications from liver and kidney failure killed him. Anyway back to my twin. She suffered a stroke and Drs never determined the cause. In 2004 (age 44) I suffered a stroke. I was hospitalized for 1 week for extensive testing. After extensive testing, it was determined my stroke was due to hole in my heart (PFO). The Drs performed a PFO closure. (Small screen to block the hole) I had some brain damage to the memory part of my brain due to the stroke. In 1999, I gave birth to my third child who was born with a conventional birth defect. (Cleft lip). She had several surgeries to correct the nose and lip. She is wearing braces now and her teeth are finally getting straight. In July 2011 my husband, 50 yrs old, suddenly died from a massive heart attack. In September 2011 (3 months later) I began feeling ill with a major headache, high fever of 104, diarrhea, very confused, combative, and throwing up. I was rushed to ER and was diagnosed with bacterial meningitis and MRSA. Immediately IV antibiotics were administered. I was now in a coma, on a feeding tube and breathing machine (trachea), etc… Ten days passed and my fever remained at 104 and the bloodstream infection was getting worse. I now had severe edema, my kidneys and liver were failing, and my vitals signs were off the charts. After two weeks in intensive care my condition was getting worse and the Drs told my two children ages 13 and 22 to prepare for another funeral. Imagine, my girls just lost their father 3 months ago and now their mother. The Drs decided to transfer me to another hospital to see if the Chief Dr of infectious disease could help. The infection was in my bloodstream and my entire body was septic. The infection was resistant to antibiotics. Chief of infectious disease tried over 10 different antibiotics and cocktails but to no a avail. Many Drs. statewide were now involved in my case. After many repeated CT scans and test a wavy growth was found on my PFO closure. The infection was in my heart and my entire bloodstream. I didn’t have long to live so the decision was made to operate (open heart surgery) to remove the PFO closure(screen). The Drs had very little hope that I would even survive surgery. I don’t give up easily and this would be no exception. After surgery, my vital signs were slowly improving and my temperature was going down but I was not out of the woods yet. It took a variety of several antibiotics combined (cocktail) for six more weeks for the infection to subside. I started losing my hair and I got a UTI from so many antibiotics! I spent another month in acute rehab facility to learn how to walk and talk again. The Drs. are amazed that I do not have significant brain damage. I am still in rehab and getting stronger everyday. I still have elevated white cell count and creatin levels (kidney) to name a few of of my lingering ailments. On the bright side, the Chief Dr of infectious disease did a 44 page slide show presentation of my case to a conference room filled with Drs and I was the guest speaker. I have a copy of the presentation if anyone would like to read it. I even saw slides of my heart surgery. Lastly and most importantly, I am concerned that many more deadly infections are becoming resistant to antibiotics. Best of luck to you all.

Priscilla

I went to the hospital and though I had appendicitis. The Nurse touched my port and I told her she needed to wear gloves, she said it would be ok. I started to have pain in my port and it was really red and they sent me home. Went back to the ER and was admitted in the hospital with MRSA sepsis and renal failure.

Brenda – 48

My nightmare with MRSA Pneumonia started in May of 2012. I don’t remember details of its beginning or what happened to me other than I felt this incredulous fatigue and mass chaos in my mind. I couldn’t remember things, didn’t know what date or day it was and NOTHING was making any sense to me. Mass confusion is all I remember. I didn’t have a fever, or cough, or any of the symptoms that would have alerted me or anyone to consider that I had Pneumonia. I was confused and I was extremely weak and not able to walk without falling down. But, after a few Dr. appts. my family Dr did a chest x-ray and said that I was “very, very ill”. I went to his office 7 days a week for 2 solid months for antibiotic shots. My breathing became more difficult and finally he told me to go to the ER. I did and was admitted with bilateral bacterial pneumonia which turned out to be MRSA Pneumonia. I am allergic to Cipro and Vancomycin so the hospitalists ordered cocktails of other IV drugs and oral antibiotics. That was the beginning of what has become my worst nightmare. MRSA has left me a different person…a dependent and scared person and one who does not remember things like I once did. I love my family and friends but I am constantly avoiding them because I do not want to infect them. I have had numerous recurring episodes of MRSA Pneumonia and been in the hospital several different times with it. It seems to quiet down for a few weeks and then it is back and again I am sick. I feel isolated and alone with this illness. I do not think you can understand what it does to you unless you have had it. I will never be the person that I was before MRSA. My life will never be the same as it was before MRSA. I had expected to be well again. Now I expect to die. I am just trying to hang on long enough to see my kids out of college and living independent and successful lives. I am all they have since their father died. I am all they have…and that isn’t much anymore.

Letty

Thanks for promoting and advocating for MRSA awareness, prevention and treatment. I am a survivor who struggles everyday with the memories and daily self care.I am a social worker in NYC who has been working with chronic street homeless for the past 9 years. On June, 2011 while at work I felt numbness and redness in my forehead and eye. I informed my supervisor of my unusual symptoms. However, she minimized and did not let me leave early from work. Two days later I had a boil and went to emergency room. At that time it was hot and the doctors at the emergency thought that it was a heat boil. I was given antibiotics and went to my doctor who proceeded to remove the abscess.

Then after that I started experiencing abscesses every month. On September 2011, I was hospitalized for a abscess in my eye ( left area near eyebrow). I was hospitalized for a week and treated with Vancomycin and Morphine for the pain. At the time I was not aware that I had MRSA. The hospital discharged and the abscess was removed in a eye clinic. I received wound care and antibiotics for two weeks and half. After the abscess was removed I requested a culture and I was MRSA positive.I did not had any follow up and was not guided in how to treat MRSA. I was just given antibiotics.

I relapsed for four more months. My doctor continued prescribing me antibiotics. I was so hopeless and did not understand what was going on with me. I did a google search and find out that probably I was colonized with MRSA. So I searched for an specialist at the NY Presbyterian Hospital. I scheduled an appointment and was seen in January, 2012. I was right I had the bacteria colonized in my nose. The specialist prescribed Mupirocin 2% and antibiotics as well Hybiclens.

After all those months with continued antibiotics I developed gastritis and also I experienced urine tract infections. At work I spoke with my supervisor and requested information on how to request work compensation. I was told that If apply I would be limited to work and my salary was going to be reduced. So I did not apply for work compensation because I am single mom and I couldn’t afford a reduction in my salary. I couldn’t I needed to pay my daughter’s school tuition and my mortgage.

I became financially unstable due to my medical expenses and preventive precautions. I got rid off all my towels, sheets, comforters and clothing. I became obsessed and paranoid with the bacteria. I started experiencing nightmares and my self esteem drop down. I decided to seek psychotherapy to remove my fears of getting an abscess and having more scars. I needed to lift my self esteem and be confident that I was not going to become depressed with all these continued antibiotic treatment. My skin has been able to heal and my scars are not that visible. However, I feel wounded because I struggle for about a year with a bacteria and was not given support by the medical care settings and by the social services agency I worked for.

As a social worker I had to advocate for myself and seek my own resources but it’s frustrating to see how there is no conscious in how to support people with MRSA. How I became exposed? Well, I recall working with a chronic hoarder for 6 months. He collected perishable foods and stored them in his kitchen cabinets and closets. I reported his behavior and continued working with him. However, I am not sure if I became MRSA positive after being exposed to the strong smell of garbage. Probably I colonized the bacteria earlier because I have worked in different homeless shelters for the past 9 years. The answer in how I became MRSA positive is still unclear for me.

Now its 7 months that I left the shelter and I work in a supportive housing setting for people with medical conditions. My skin is not the same I experience small abscesses which I treat with hot compresses of water and bacitracin. I take every morning the necessary steps to prevent from getting the bacteria again. When I do home visits to clients I use mupirocin in my nose and I wear a small mask in my face for precaution. My supervisor is very supportive and he allows me to wear a mask. It has become a ritual for me to continue protecting myself against MRSA. In the morning I shower with Hybiclens solution and then I continue using mupirocin in my nose everyday. I can’t stop using it despite my doctor’s recommendations because for him I am MRSA free.However, after what I experienced I can’t stop the precautions.

I still feel wounded…wounded inside and outside…I had a total of 12 abscesses…and this is my story as a MRSA survivor.

Charlotte

My daughter Charlotte was 8 months old when she was hospitalized with a MRSA infection in her leg. When we arrived at the hospital, she did not have a fever, less than two hours later her temperature was almost 104. She was given antibiotics and fever reducers immediately. After three days of not responding well to the antibiotics, she was transferred to a different hospital where they performed surgery on her leg to remove as much puss from the infection as possible. After the surgery she began responding to the antibiotics and we were released a few days later. She gets biweekly bleach baths to prevent the MRSA from coming back. When a spot appears, I put the antibiotic cream on it right away. Kids with weak immune systems, like babies with immune systems that aren’t developed yet, can get MRSA very easily from practically anywhere. The park, a high chair, a shopping cart, or one out of every three people who carry the bacteria on their skin are a threat. My baby girl had an angel on her side that day. We got her to the hospital just in time. She went 6 months without having an outbreak. Two weeks ago she went to the park and I did not give her a bleach bath when we got home. She broke out with MRSA a couple days later. I caught it right away and treated it. It’s almost gone now. I wish MRSA had more awareness so people knew what I have to do to protect my daughter from the bacteria. MRSA has totally changed our lives.

Melissa -45

My name is Melissa. I am 45 years old. I contacted mrsa 7 years ago while working at a hospital. I recently had a red bump under my arm .It never occurred to me that it would be mrsa .I thought I cut myself shaving. The very next day I began feeling tired and achy. It got worse as the day went on. The bump was bigger, red and very sore. Within hours I had a fever of 103. It was Sunday so I went to urgent care. At this point I knew It was mrsa. The DR. cut it and drained it. I was too sick to get out of bed .I work at Walmart. I did not go to work for 3 day’s. When I returned to work I was immediately written up. I explained to my assistant manager I was very sick with mrsa and also contagious. In my write up I am required to write a statement to not let it happen again. I did not know what to say other than If I get mrsa in the future I will come to work even if I am contagious. My manager and I both signed it. Of course I would never come to work knowing I was contagious. I just had to tell Walmart that I would. Walmart is sick and wrong. You may post this on your web site but do not include my email address. Thank you.

Matthew

I woke up one morning about three months ago with what looked like a pimple or ingrown hair down in my pubic region. Except whatever this was, it was very painful after a day or two it was so painful I needed help to walk and couldn’t stand very long. I went to the local E R and was sent home with a script for 10 vicoden and a script of bactrim. Two days later I was in so much pain I was crying like a baby. The bactrim wasn’t working and I had ran out of my 10 vicoden. I went to a different E R in my town. This time they rushed me in and admitted me right away. I was told my body was a having a severe infection and I was put on a morphine pump along with several IV antibiotics. They drained the abscess in my groin and lanced it in the ER. It still wasn’t getting any better so I had surgery within a few days and the surgeon put some drainage tubes in. During the surgery I stopped breathing. The Dr ended up getting me breathing again but it was the most traumatic thing for me. Just recently I had another m.r.s.a infection and have been very fatigued and on antibiotic after antibiotic. This one started in my septum/nasal area and has been healing so far without being hospitalized. Before M.R.S.A., I was an athletic 6″2 225 pretty much all muscle and now I’m weighing in at 185 and lots of muscle loss. I don’t look like the same person. I recently ran into a friend and he asked me if I was on drugs because of the way I looked. It seems there’s such a stigma with m.r.s.a Its amazing how m.r.s.a. attacked me. I’m not the same person mentally or physically as I used to be. Hope we find a cure for this disease sooner than later.

Kristin – 29, Pennsylvania

I gave birth naturally to my first child, a son, on July 25, 2012. I breastfed him for about 2 weeks when I started to get a sore left breast. In addition to the soreness, I noticed a lump in my breast that I could not massage away as you should be able to do with a case of mastitis. I have a strong family history of breast cancer, so I immediately wanted to get checked out. I called my doctor still thinking it was just mastitis, but better safe than sorry. At my appointment, the doctor agreed and put me on medication for mastitis, but after two days of taking the medicine my breast was getting much, much worse instead of better. My entire breast was rock hard and bright red. There was also a strange brown spot beginning to form. I called and returned to the doctor that day.

After being looked at again, they made an immediate appointment for me to have the lump drained and tested. This was on Friday. I had a follow-up appointment scheduled for Monday but was told to call again if things got worse. Saturday morning, the brown spot seemed to be oozing. I called the doctor’s office again and the doctor on call that weekend told me to go to the ER. When I got to the ER, they were able to get the results of the draining. MRSA. We drove to the hospital that night and again, I had to wait in an ER. I was looked at by numerous people; doctors, residents, nurses, etc. I had countless ultrasounds done on my breast by now. I ended up staying in the hospital for three nights hooked to IVs with medicine. Keep in mind, my baby boy was only 2 weeks old and an hour away. My breasts were still producing milk. I was told to wean immediately. There is very little and contradictory information regarding breastfeeding during and after a MRSA infection. (As a side note, I’ve found threads online with so many women who have experienced this exact same thing asking the same questions and getting no answers…).

I massaged my breast while on my hands and knees to get the pus completely out. I did this for hours. For days. I had to pull out of my breast two long, large clumps of pus that blocked the hole in my breast. Yes, the hole that was draining. In hindsight, I don’t know how I made it through all of this. It took a few months for the wounds to finally heal. It looked like red, raw meat for the longest time. Now, I’m left with two scars, a faint memory, and a handsome baby boy.

Rick – Michigan

I was first diagnosed in 2007 when I went to an urgent care facility with what I thought was a boil. Two days later I saw my primary doctor because it had gotten worse. He biopsied the abscess and found it to be MRSA. I was immediately hospitalized and received IV treatments of Vancomycin for 3 days. I was released from the hospital and the wounds (I ended up with 3) healed. At a follow-up visit, my doctor told me that I was cured and shouldn’t have any further issues. Well, needless to say I was back in the hospital 2 months later for 3 more days and had 2 IV bags of Vancomycin administered each day I was there. During both hospital stays I had surgical procedures done to remove the infected tissue.

I am currently battling an outbreak on my left knee that has rendered me almost unable to walk on it. Everything that I have read about side effects and mental state are true. I get very depressed when I see/feel an outbreak coming on and my family sometimes has to pay the price for my depression. I hope someday to be cured or somehow reduce the frequency of the outbreaks. Until then, I will continue to battle……

Laurie – 49, Ohio

I developed Septic MRSA after hitting my leg and getting an ulceration, the infection spread so rapidly the doctors told my mother to make arrangements, this was 2004 when MRSA was one of the most horrific killers of anyone who contracted it. My case set the standards of care through the CDC. I am now MRSA Free with a bad outcome years later. It has affected my heart forever. I am on meds to keep the PVCs under control caused by the sluggish beats my heart took during the first stages of infection, my heart, lungs and brain were full of infection that lasted for months. Now 8 years later we have come a long way, but had the proper equipment been used during a biopsy, and the disallowance of a PDA in a sterile atmosphere I wouldn’t be telling you this story. The CDC confirmed and controlled my case. I was a very sick lady. But I’m here now and please, please let others know that no matter what you do, watch what a doctor takes out of his pocket. And follow up with doctors if you suspect any infection. It could have been the death of me had a neighbor not called 911. They said I walked out the door and collapsed and went into a seizure. My fever was documented on record 106.9. 14 hours after a biopsy. It’s nothing to play with. Good luck all the way around to one and all.

Jim

My dear husband, Jim, died from MRSA Sepsis on January 15, 2011. In 2005 he had contracted MRSA after a hospital stay and had to have a picc line inserted for antibiotics. Since that time we never thought anymore about the MRSA … we just lived our lives.

In August 2010 Jim was diagnosed with myelodysplasia (pre-leukemia) and for treatment was put on immune suppression drugs. As a result of his immune system being compromised the MRSA raised its ugly head. It came to his spine and to the port in his shoulder. Our December birthdays and Christmas came and went and Jim was so sick there was no recognition of any of these.

He was in the hospital for 5 weeks with septic shock and MRSA and never recovered. We miss him terribly and know now that mrsa is deadly and hopefully research will tackle this someday.

Olivia – 8

Olivia was 4 when a mosquito bite turned into an MRSA infection she got from the South Padre Island coast where we had just finished vacationing. She took a 5 hour nap and woke up not being able to walk with extremely high fever. The bite was on her left leg just below her butt cheek. We visited the doctor for 3 consecutive days and was told it was staph although no one tests for MRSA until it was way too late. By the time they operated 5 days later, the infection was the size of a cantaloupe on the back side of a very small 4 year old leg. She was non-responsive to all medicines, her fever was rising and one medical error turned into another. After 5 days she was sent into have an extensive surgery with canals splitting into 5 different directions through her muscles. Her wound was too large to surgically close so it had to heal as an open wound. She then got e.coli from taking baths at the doctors orders and was in the hospital for 14 days. She was one of the first her age to get a wound vacuum that she kept for one month after leaving the hospital. She continued to be ill for the following year in every way after her immune system was completely destroyed as a result of MRSA.

Olivia has since returned to a normal and active 8 year old. She remembers every last bit of pain and conversation while in the hospital and she will never look at doctors the same. She is now experiencing leg pains again around the area of her surgery. We are assuming the pain is from growing and the breaking of the scar tissue but we will visit doctors again to resolve this. Olivia has been fortunate enough to not have had MRSA return and I pray the rest for you all.

Caleb – Texas

I am the mother of Caleb. His story is on your survivor page. That was 2 year ago. I want to say that today we are staph free. We are all now carriers of MRSA though. Caleb has not had an active infection in a while though. Since posting that story it was found that he has an autoimmune disorder that attacks his brain, skin, and lungs. Which is what they previously thought was eczema and could not control because his skin was literally all sores. Now he is on IVIG and also home infusions of immunoglobulins which are helping his immune system. So as long as his immune system does not attack his skin he has no breakage in it to let the MRSA take over again. So far so good. We will always have to be on the look out for it though. Caleb also has since been diagnosed with Autism. He still has a long road ahead of him but we have hope now. Thank you for your page and the support you gave to me when I so desperately needed it. I will never forget the kindness you showed to us.

Helena – So. Carolina

I am from Camden, South Carolina. I went in for a yearly check up in October and I had these bumps on my right leg and they didn’t itch. They just HURT really badly. They told me they were insect bites or fleabites. Then the bumps went to my left leg. By this time, it is about late November, and my knee on my left leg began to swell. The bump looked like a very large blister waiting to bust. These are no ordinary bumps mind you. The bumps are a deep red on the outside and they felt like they were pulling my skin into them and on the outside of the bumps the skin was taught. The center of the bump was black.

By December, they were no better but worse. Seeing as though that doctor was not helping I went to a local Dr’s Care and the doctor took one look at my knee and told me to go straight to the hospital and get put on IV antibiotics, and he would call and inform the hospital of what was going on. I was finally sent to a room and the nurse’s started asking questions about what happened.

He thought he would have to amputate my leg because it was racing up toward my hip. My parents later told me, as he was preparing them for the worst he started to cry and prayed for me.

While at Kershaw I was quarantined to my own room. I had my own plastic stethoscope, thermometer and when family and friends came to visit me they had to put on operating type gowns, gloves and masks. On December 8th, I was discharged and sent by ambulance to Palmetto Richland Memorial in Columbia. On the ride there, my temperature rose to 107 degrees. The surgeons at Richland said my leg had the cleanest debridement they have ever seen. They had to operate on me two times a day or more to do debridement. I received hyperbaric oxygen treatments (HBO). I never heard of it before so I thought I was going to watch movies LOL!! Around January 11th, they have done a full thickness skin graft. They took the skin from my right thigh. My leg looks good considering everything. It has healed considerably fast since I have been homeUpdate: The latest news is I noticed bumps about a week ago popping up on my left leg and I went to Dr’s Care on Tuesday and she said the 4 letters that I dread to hear. When she did, my heart sank. She said that they now know what it is and told me it will not get as bad as before because she knows what it is and how to treat him. Since I been home I worried that I still had it and my worst fear came true. The doctor seems to think that I came home with it and was shocked to learn that before I left the hospital they did not do a culture of my nose before I left.

Meghan – 27

I contracted MRSA after a spinal fusion in 2010. I had a low grade fever the day I was discharged and the drainage looked infected. I told the nurse this and she said I was fine. I had the surgery in Birmingham and when I was discharged I went home with my mom to Huntsville. Two days later I felt like I had the flu and still had the low-grade fever. I also was constantly shivering. My mom called the online doctor and told him what was going on and he said to just wait until I got my stitches out in 10 days and that my symptoms were “normal.” Now I realize that he should have sent me straight to the ER in Huntsville. I had had meningitis and encephalitis in 2003 and this should have been a red flag about my immune system. Four days later, my mom called my surgeon’s office and asked the nurse what to do. The nurse said I would be fine. The nurse told us to come in the next day. Again, I wish they would have sent me straight to the hospital in Huntsville. When we got down there, my surgeon was extremely worried and sent me straight to the hospital for emergency surgery and antibiotics. By the time I was finally seen, I was septic with MRSA. I had to endure another surgery and have a PICC line It was really traumatic. I never realized how lucky I was to survive until I read the urgency of treating MRSA sepsis. I just hope that people go with their instincts and go to the hospital. My doctor should have sent me straight to the hospital but he didn’t. It seems so simple now because most of my symptoms were big red flags. So, people should go with their instincts because a doctor doesn’t always have the right answers and no one cares more about your health than you.

Kristy, 27 & My daughter, Noelle, 2 – Brooklyn, New York

I delivered my daughter via C-Section on March 16, 2010. After being sent home, I was unable to stand up straight, was in excruciating pain, and hunched over. When I looked at the the scar to see how it was healing a few days later, was when i discovered something was not right. My mother (who is an R.N) immediately called my doctor. The next few months are a blur, constant ER visits, doctor visits and the horrifying news of being diagnosed with MRSA. I tested positive for it 6 times. I didn’t understand what it was, I was scared, angry, and I had my new beautiful baby to care for and I couldn’t. The pain took over, depression set in, and i was forced to take precautions around her. I changed her with gloves on, I NEVER, if you can believe it, kissed her; the fear of giving this painful ordeal to her CONSTANTLY weighed on my mind. I was assured by many different physicians who treated me, she would not contract it, if I were careful, because I didn’t have it at the time of my delivery and it was “caught early”. My last outbreak was July 11, 2010.

On July 29th 2010, 4 month old Noelle woke up what appeared to be a swelled mosquito bite. It was July, a hot summer and we took frequent night walks in her carriage (she was also colic). My worst fear was confirmed when to “ease my mind” I brought her to the pediatrician that morning just to have the “bite” checked. She’s 2 & 1/2 now, and we’ve lost count to how many outbreaks she’s had. They have become so frequent, we’re actually at the tail-end of an outbreak now. Her peditrician puts her on a regime of antibiotics, altabax ointment, warm compresses’, etc.. We’ve seen 3 specialists, and there are no answers. I thank god for her pediatrician, and their staff who are always available, our balance in their office has swelled, as our co-payments are high and frequent, but they never ask, I’m assuming they understand the pain not only she feels, but we, as parents feel. Aside from 3 outbreaks, she always tests positive for MRSA. We try now, as we always have, to do what we can to prevent it, but it’s not always in our favor, which is frustrating. I’m so HAPPY to have found this site, while looking for more information to devour on this highly underrated infection. We will support, and spread the word of this site and are so thankful to have found a place to see others are going through what we are. We pray one day, this will all be over, for me, for my daughter and for all of us.

Tamara 35 yrs old from Nebraska

I am 35 yrs old and live in Nebraska I was finally diagnosed with MRSA in my sinuses after a month long battle with doctors. It started with a simple cold then headache that didn’t go away. I made two trips to th E.R. had catscan done spinal tapp done put on pain meds and two different antibiotics. The headaches became dibilitating and I couldn’t work, I was referred to a neurologist and he said I had an infection but, wasn’t concerned about that and put me on depression meds to minimize the headaches.

I got so mad I demanded to see the E.N.T. after an M.R.I. and another catscan they finally swabbed my sinuses and it came back positive for MRSA. Now I have to watch my family and friends to make sure they don’t get it and I know I’m in for a long journey to recovery since my daughter had it 7 years ago and it took a year for her recovery and that was on her labia caused from diaper rash. I’m still miserable with the same headache it’s been just over a month and I’m just now starting treatment.

Susie- North Fla.

My story is different than most others. I was injected directly into each hip and next to my spine, the medicine was contaminated with the staph bacteria. That was March 2008, I went into septic shock and renal; failure. I almost died, I was infected and had brown abscesses all over my feet and legs, huge abscesses inside my back and hips. My joints cartilage is gone, my right shoulder has no rotator cuff, and is very painful, my hips and back are basically trash, I use a walked and sometimes my power chair, I will never work again, and am unable to completely care for myself or my husband and house, He taught me to wall again, and helped with PICC lines and meds, for the months after I finally came home. I think I am one of a few who has had this deadly bacteria injected directly into their body, After 4 1/2 years, I still am very sick woman, but God has kept me thru this, I would love to chat with others who have survived this.

Malea

I contracted MRSA my sophomore year of high school. I was in a class that was for Lifeguard/CPR certification, and the other girls and I shared a large, tile shower room, with what I realized to have been the worst thing the public school system could do, bacteria and infectious disease wise. Several weeks into the class, I noticed some large red bumps on my left shin, and as they got larger, I eventually had to go to Urgent Care as they were just so painful. The doctor cultured it, and after sitting down with my mom and I confirmed that it was MRSA. I, being only 15 and having heard stories of MRSA, began to cry out of fear. The doctor reassured me that there were antibiotics and treatments I could do for it and it would clear up in a little bit. I started taking Bactrum, but after a little while we realized I was immune to it. I tried taking Septra, but I was also immune to that. Then I was put on Clyndamiacin and it proved to work. So that cleared up, and I thought I was fine. Then it made another appearance on my left leg. I took the Clyndamiacin and within a week or so it was cleared up. Then, in the spring of my junior year, the worst outbreak occurred. I had chapped lips, and thinking nothing of it, would always pull my bottom lip into my mouth out of habit to make it less rough since it was so chapped. Well, it slowly began to swell and at first I didn’t know what to make of it. Then it got painful and bigger and bigger and so I finally had to go to the dermatologist, where my step mother works. After painfully injecting it with numbing medication, they then cut into it allowing it to drain and also take a culture, which was confirmed as MRSA. I was sent home with a prescription for Bactrum, not remembering that I am immune to it. So over the course of the next few week, it continued to grow, becoming so large and painful that I couldn’t even go to school as it became difficult to even close my mouth, and I wasn’t able to eat more than broth and water. Then, it began to spread into my jaw and gum. The pain was explosive, I would lay on the couch home alone just crying loudly for the pain to stop. Once, the pain was so bad that I couldn’t even think clearly. I accidentally took 3 Vicodin, 3 Hydrocodin, and 2 antibiotics. I ended up flat on my back on the kitchen floor unable to move. I then, out of nowhere, turned to my side and threw up, which, in the dark looked like pure blood as I had ingested a berry smoothie about an hour before but I was so loopy I couldn’t remember. I screamed the loudest screeches I ever had, calling for my step sister upstairs, who then saw the floor and me collapsed and called 911. I was taken to the ER, trying to stay awake because the pain meds were trying to knock me out. I managed to throw up enough that they didn’t need to do anything except monitor me for a little while. Though the problem of my lip was still present. Over the next several days, it became unbearable, I was taken to the dermatologist, and he said I needed to be admitted to Presbyterian Hospital immediately due to how far the MRSA had spread. I was admitted, had an IV of morphine and finally the right antibiotic given to me. Over the next several days, the infection slowed down, a doctor came in and drained the golf ball sized abscess, causing it to go down dramatically. I was finally able to eat food again, after going probably 2 weeks without anything solid. I don’t know how much weight I had lost, but I was very weak and needed help getting to the shower or bathroom or anything. Slowly, I recovered and was sent home, finally returning to school after a week and a half absence. MRSA is not fun. Please wash your hands and don’t treat it like it’s just something to be taken lightly. From my story alone, you can see how awful and dangerous MRSA is.

Teri, age 23 – TN

Hello, my name Teri and my MRSA story began shortly after I turned just 19 years old. I was in college to be a nurse and had to take a break from school to have a softball-sized tumor removed off of my right kidney. Before my infection, I had previous tumors removed from the same kidney, but this time I went to a different doctor. After the doctor had removed the tumor, he walked out of the room and told the observing resident to put a JP drainage tube in me and then sew/staple up my incision. Since the kid was a resident and the doctor had left the room, the resident didn’t do the drainage tube right. He sewed the end of the tube about 4 or 5 inches deep inside of me and 2 days later the attending nurse tried and tried to pull the drainage tube out with no luck and only damaging my tissues even more. The next day when I woke up I noticed a green substance oozing out of the wound where the tube was and even though I told them it was painful only in that area, they still released me and didn’t remove the tube until a week and a half later and when the doctor removed it, he completely sewed up the incision site. Just a few short days later, I had to be rushed to the ER because my blood had become septic and toxic due to the MRSA infection (that I had gotten from the hospital and all the doctors and nurses had ignored). After that, the doctor had to go in 6 times within 2 months to surgically clean out my wound, which was 12 inches long and each time opening up the incision little by little. For the next year, as the incision had to heal from the inside out, I had to change the dressings 3-6 times a day, using a whole large roll of gauze each time and the incision was, like I said, 12 inches long and longer than the length of my fingers. Because of the infection, the doctor removed all evidence of the infection out of my medical file so I couldn’t sue, which I tried, and I can no longer continue to go to college to be a nurse because the MRSA infection has caused me to be too much of a liability to any doctors’ office or hospital due to the potential of possibly passing it on to a patient, even though I haven’t had any other break outs in 4 years. To this day, I still have pain because he didn’t fix my kidney problems like he said would be taken care of and pain also due to all the scar tissue and of course the emotional pain of not being able to pursue my dream of becoming a nurse. So people, please, PLEASE do all the research you can before seeing any doctor before any type of surgery, especially for your children.

Jackie

I’ve had MRSA for a while now and like so many others nothing has seemed to work for me. My doctor has finally made a plan for me. It lasts for a year. I still have until March of next year until I’m done, but I haven’t had any problems since I’ve started. I hope this helps. I’m taking rifampin and clindamycin 1 capsule twice a day for five days every six weeks. That’s for eight cycles. I’m also taking diluted bleach baths twice a week for 15 minutes. And I change my clothes daily, my towel every three days, and my sheets every week. Plus vitamin C every day. I really hope this works for me and other people as well. Ask your doctor about it!

Jessica – 28 yrs old from California

My name is Jessica, I’m 28 years old from Oroville California, and coming up on my 1st anniversary of MRSA Survival. In 2009 I started noticing a weird growth on my left big toe. At first I attributed it to an ingrown toenail. I had just started attending Chico State and went to their health center to see what they could do for it. The doctors were nice and on finals week I had the first ingrown toenail removal.

The funny thing was that the toe wasn’t healing right. I kept taking care of it yet it would look okay, but still not return to normal. Then one day I was watching “Dr. G: Medical Examiner” on Demand and the first case was about an athlete who had a skin infection that turned out to be MRSA and he died from it. I was terrified, since his story started out eerily similar to mine. Unfortunately lack of funds meant not being able to get it checked out. Last September I was in Jujitsu and my uki (training partner) accidentally bumped that toe. It was agony. Sensei Ken took me off to the side of the mat and took a look at it. He peeled off the taping and bandage job I did I was embarrassed and prayed I didn’t have… MRSA.

I was diagnosed with MRSA two days later, September 23rd, 2011. Dr. Schroll took a sample of the tissue and it came back positive. I felt as if a death sentence had been placed on my shoulders. At that moment I knew how mom felt when she was diagnosed with colon cancer. Dr. Schroll went over how to stop the infection from spreading, but at the time I don’t remember what she said. I was prescribed a week’s worth of heavy antibiotics along with other medication I can’t remember at this moment. When I got home, after informing my family that did have MRSA, I cried. I took the medication as prescribed and it did help a lot.

I avoided going to the dojo until I was sure I wasn’t contagious. The last thing I wanted was for anyone of my dojo brothers and sisters to get it from me. Even though the health center staff assured me that if I kept it taped up and covered I would be fine. This past June I’ve returned to the Chico Kodenkan, the toe still hasn’t healed all the way back to normal but it doesn’t hurt and it’s looking better.

12 year old Boy – Massachusetts

12-year old son attended a week-long camp in the Berkshire Mountains in Massachusetts as part of his 7th grade science curriculum in the fall of 2011. I knew something wasn’t “right” when I picked him up after the students were dropped off after their 2 hour bus ride home upon return from Nature’s Classroom. He was listless and aggravated, and said he needed to sleep. I thought to check with the school nurse who had accompanied the students as to whether my son had complained of any illness during the stay, but she had nothing to report. My son’s fatigue was out of character. That was a red flag for me. He showered and was in a deep sleep in his bed by 5 pm. When I checked in on him at 10 pm, he was hot, and an ear thermometer showed a fever of 102, which did not budge despite Tylenol. He had started to cough, very deep and unproductive. The next morning I insisted our family doctor take lung films. It may have seemed premature, but I knew the deep, deep fatigue likely meant his blood wasn’t completely oxygenated and I suspected the start of pneumonia. And sure enough, his blood oxygen came back low. Lung XRAY showed pneumonia in his right lung, and he was prescribed an antibiotic which began to work immediately.

However, within two weeks, the pneumonia returned, and he was prescribed a second and different antibiotic, and steroids. It was during this treatment he woke with a groin infection. The infection presented as inflamed, stretched tissue, with pain he described at 5 on a scale of 1-10. I immediately drove him to the emergency room associated with our primary family doctor where he was immediately administered IV antibiotics. I knew the infections – lung and groin – were connected, but the ER staff disagreed. Somehow all of it was connected was my thought – Nature’s Classroom, two rounds of pneumonia, groin infection – and this would later be confirmed.

He was released with additional antibiotic (by mouth), with the ER IV having cleaned up the infection. But when he completed the antibiotic regimen, the groin infection returned. At this point, I secured an appointment with an Immunologist and infection control specialist. As it turned out, my son had MRSA colonization – massive and aggressive – in both nares. My sense is during his Nature’s Classroom stay where children sleep in dorms where a class has just left and another has come in (such little time for any real disinfecting) my son picked up MRSA where it took up residence in one its favorite places: The nose. MRSA entered his lungs via his respiratory process. And because MRSA in his case was on top of tissue and antibiotics work through blood, the MRSA in his nose continued to thrive as all of his antibiotics did not touch it. The groin infections were the result of him rubbing his nose or blowing his nose, not washing his hands, and later going to the bathroom.

We were able to kill off the MRSA colonization with a topical antibiotic applied like clockwork and later a bleach solution. He’s been incident free since.

The reason I am compelled to write is I want to encourage parents to follow their intuition and insist on follow-up and answers until your child’s situation makes sense. My son’s story could have had disastrous results if I didn’t insist there was a connection to the pneumonia and groin infections. I also encourage parents to be certain camps and other facilities your child may be attending have a clear, published, and thorough infection control process in place. In the case of my son’s camp, there was clearly no time in-between school visits for dorms where kids sleep on open mattresses to be sanitized properly with the next group arriving the same day.

Ellen, 2001

I shattered my ankle requiring an eternal fixture and after removal they implanted plates in my ankle. Immediately developed MRSA in bone resulting in a year and a half of massive antibiotics and 8 additional surgeries to clean out the infection. Eventually I developed a sinus in that ankle that was so embarrassing because it would drain without notice. So I wore a bandAid for years. Well, I began to take vitamin B12 about 18 months ago for energy and discovered a happy side effect, my drainage stopped and the skin around has healed and looks relatively healthy – even though it is a horrific scar. I send this to you so that you can pass it along in the event it can help someone else who suffers from that same problem.

Janet

My story started the end of May 2008, I had a minor medical procedure done. A few days later I noticed redness and pain on my stomach. I got very sick with fever, chills, very aching joints in legs, flu like symptoms and a rather large boil on my hip. I was admitted to the hospital and had it surgically drained, I was put on IV antibiotics for a week. While I was in there my swab came back positive for MRSA and was quarantined off by myself. Since then I have been battling this disease non- stop. I have been in the hospital around 28 times over the past 4 yrs. I have been through hell with these painful, scarring sores. I have had them on my legs, armpits, stomach, hips face, and bottom. I get put under and have these cut open(they are big boils). I would get them packed daily while being in the hospital. I have been on vancomycin numerous times ( which is a very hard drug on your veins) I have even developed new infections while being in the hospital. I have been to infectious disease docs. and tried many different things to get rid of this, to no avail. As I am writing this I am suffering with two painful sores. I do not want to be in the hospital anymore. I have 4 young children and a husband at home who need me. I feel guilty when I am in the hospital for over a week at a time, my children get very upset and don’t understand that I have to be away. I will continue to fight this awful, life altering disease. So I like to say that I am an “ON-GOING SURVIVOR” of MRSA.

Stephen, 31

The story is about my son Stephen who has to date survived MRSA. My nightmare began the day after Thanksgiving 2006. Stephen, then 24 yrs old was in the military and had served a year in Korea and had been deployed to Iraq several times over the course of his enlistment since 2000. His last deployment was to Iraq in 2006. He returned home in July of that year with lesions on his arms and legs that appeared to him to be ‘spider bites’. They were not healing and having grown up in Texas, he was concerned that they might be from a brown recluse, so he went to sick bay and was diagnosed with MRSA. They lanced them and gave him medications. They seemed to be healing just fine and within a few weeks all seemed to be healed, so he thought nothing more of it. However, shortly thereafter he began having stomach issues that were misdiagnosed as a result was given medication to relieve ‘Acid Reflux’. He then began having lower back pain and again was misdiagnosed and treated with muscle relaxers and cortisone injections for ‘pulled muscles’.

He continued his daily PT training, which was becoming increasingly more difficult. He was getting short winded and was tiring very easily. In September he began having ‘flu-like’ symptoms, which soon progressed into respiratory problems. Upon one of his visits home to Texas, I had noticed that his skin coloring was not good, and upon questioning him, he told me that he had been sick. I urged him to go to the doctor as I did not like what I saw. During that particular visit he had a seizure and had fallen in the bathroom against one of the cabinet doors and broke it, which he did not recall. His symptoms progressively got worse upon his return to Ft. Bragg.

The day after Thanksgiving 2006, he began vomiting profusely and could not stop. He went to the ER and was admitted into the hospital. I flew out from Texas to North Carolina to be with him and was shocked at his appearance whenever I arrived. He was very yellow and was very sick. The doctors still at this time had not determined that the MRSA had gone into his bloodstream, although they did say that for whatever reason, his kidneys were not functioning. They sent him to UNC for a kidney biopsy to see if they could determine the cause. At that time, they informed us that he would be quarantined as he tested positive for MRSA. They placed him on Dialysis. The biopsy was inconclusive. The kidneys were so far gone that they could not even determine the cause. They still did not indicate that MRSA might have been the culprit. He was hospitalized for about two weeks and then sent home to continue Dialysis as an outpatient. He was placed on sick leave with the Army, and remained on base in his home.

He continued to get worse over the following months and began having seizures that were sometimes very severe. I had returned home to Texas for a short period and his older brother stayed with him in my absence. He began having problems walking so much so that it got to the point that my older son had to lift him in and out of bed and onto the toilet. I returned shortly after hearing this and was in utter disbelief when I seen him. He looked like he had just been released from a concentration camp. Every bone in his body was protruding and he looked like death warmed over. I began calling everyone I could think of that might be able to intervene. I called Congressmen, Senators, etc. I finally got someone to take action and his Commanding Officer was sent to his house. Upon seeing his condition, he immediately took action and had him transported overnight to Walter Reed Army Medical Center in Washington, D.C.

Upon his arrival, they were aghast at his condition. After a few tests, they informed us that he was very critical. We were told that they were going to do everything that they could to help him. Over the course of the following days, he flat lined three times. The doctors informed us that he had MRSA all throughout his bloodstream and this was most likely the cause of his kidney failure. He was very septic. The MRSA had attached itself to his pelvic bone and eaten it up, had eaten holes in his lungs, caused congestive heart failure and had gone into his brain and caused Encephalitis. He also lost his hearing in one ear and partial vision in one eye. The doctors told us that he was very lucky to be alive. MRSA in the bloodstream normally attaches itself to the vital organs and most people don’t survive. They told us given his current condition they could not believe he was alive and that most likely the fact that he was a soldier, and in top physical condition at the time this happened, was most likely the reason he was alive. We were also told that he was going to have a very long road ahead if he pulled through.

The doctors began administering a cocktail of Vancomycin and Rifampin, continued daily dialysis and was given Morphine for his pain. We spent the next nine months at Walter Reed. Shortly before his release in October 2007, he was able to stand on his own for a few seconds one night in his room. Upon his release from Walter Reed, he was medically retired from the Army. We returned to Texas where he continued the cocktail of antibiotics, morphine and dialysis. He had a very strong determination and continued to take small steps toward walking again and eventually was able to do so with the use of a walking cane.

We moved to Georgia in 2009 and in early 2010 he was told that he could finally stop the antibiotics. A few months later they declared the MRSA inactive. In March of 2010 he underwent a temporary hip replacement to try and alleviate some of his pain. They continued to monitor his blood and by June of 2011 determined the MRSA still to be inactive in his body. As a result, in August of 2011, he was given a permanent hip replacement. He is now free of any pain and no longer requires Morphine or any other form of pain medication. He was informed after the surgery that all tests indicated that he was 100% free and clear of any MRSA in his body. I perceive this as a miracle as we were previously told that MRSA will always be present, it will just not always be active.

At the time of this posting, March 2012, he remains on Dialysis awaiting a kidney transplant. Testing is underway with family members and we have great encouragement that it will occur this year.

Stephen just turned 31 last week and my hope in telling our story is that people will become keenly aware of just how dangerous MRSA really is and can see the vast devastation it can cause. Stephen still has a long road ahead as MRSA has forever changed his life. He will never again be able to live a ‘normal’ life. After receiving his transplant, he will be on anti-rejection drugs the remainder of his life, which due to all the above likely will shorter than it would have been.

David

In the fall of 2009 in September it all started with what looked like an infected hair on the back of my thigh. It became very swollen and painful to the point I had trouble walking. After going home I began to have chills and body aches so my wife drove me to the hospital. After arriving at the ER I told them that I had some type of an infection and showed them my leg. The facility did nothing.. not even draw blood or do any tests or even attempt to give me any kind of relief. At this point I was in the early stages of sepsis so I had body aches and a fever and was given a RX for antibiotics and sent home basically in my opinion to die because the doctor was lazy and he was able to diagnose me in the 2 seconds he was in the room. So I went home and went to bed I woke up the next morning so I took the first dose this was around 8am. I was awoken by my wife around noonish and apparently she had been shaking me and I was unresponsive for about 3-5 minutes. My body began to hurt so bad and I began to shake and I felt so cold yet I was sweating. I knew something was very wrong as I could barely move and I was in and out of consciousness and time was moving very fast -I was confused. My wife had called for an ambulance (same ambulance I work for and probably contracted this) And then the ambulance crew got there and I remember my coworkers looking very concerned and moving me to the ambulance very fast. I was rushed to the hospital and was given what is referred to as a SEPSIS ALERT. They performed multiple tests on me including a lumbar puncture which was scary in itself. I woke up around 7pm that evening completely drenched in sweat with IV tubing and bags everywhere. I was informed by the doctor that I was lucky to be alive and that I had a fever above 104 for over 5 hours and that if I had not been found I would likely have gone into a coma and died. I was admitted to the hospital overnight and was given more antibiotics and was released the following afternoon about 24 hours after this had all began. After going home I thought I felt normal but slowly began to notice some changes and I was having trouble thinking or speaking. My doctor stated that my brain would slowly recover and that it could take a few months or longer and that I could notice some personality changes but my brain was basically rewiring itself. So this lead to some depression and due to the experience I began living life very fast, burning the candle at both ends going out with friends and trying to never miss an opportunity to do stuff. I thought that this was over and I wouldn’t have to deal with this infection again…well I was wrong I would have 8 re-occurrences in the first year alone some on my legs some on my neck and some on my butt. I was in pain and miserable and mad that nothing was working…Finally I started researching stuff and found some ideas for treatment that I suggested to my doctor, first I tried high strength antibiotics and this worked till my stomach began to not like it and I kept getting sick..I finally found Mupirocin or its generic name Bactroban which is used for the treatment and prevention of MRSA. I used this for awhile and I didn’t have an outbreak for over a year in the 2010-2011 time frame then just this March I had a double outbreak one on my leg and one on my butt both very painful. I can only hope this stops someday. I can’t take the pain anymore, I want to go back to living a happy pain free life but I know this will never happen as this thing will always live in me and occasionally rear its ugly boiled head and cause me pain and suffering.

A MRSA Survivor so far…

Radhika

August 2011. My daughter was 14 months old at the time. She was down with a fever beginning Saturday, and Monday we took her to the doctor. They told us just give her Tylenol every 4 hours and she should be fine, and to bring her back if she continues to have a fever 24 hours. Over the course of the next 24 hours she became very weak, lost her playfulness, and literally just laid around. We again took her to the doctor first thing Wednesday morning and she had a fever of 104.9 and her lymph nodes on the side of her neck seemed swollen. They immediately did a urine test with a catheter to test for any type of bacterial infection, which came negative. We were then told to admit her into the hospital right away, and as a mother hearing that, my heart just dropped and I couldn’t stop crying. The next 7 days were the most horrible days of my life. Over the course of the next 5 days she was placed on an IV; she had two MRI’s of heart and lungs on two separate occasions; she had blood drawn from her at least twice a day; twice they put her in a baby tube and did chest x-rays ; every hour and half they came and check her temperature through her bottom along with giving her high doses of Motrin and Tylenol every other hour to keep the fever down; quickly being undressed by nurses and being placed on ice packs every time her fever spiked. Seeing her crying hysterically and going through all these procedures, and 5 days later, all her test were still coming negative; doctors still had no idea what was wrong with her. That little body had had more procedures done on her than I have ever had in my whole lifetime. Her only symptom was spiking fevers of 104.9. Doctors were swaying between it being Kawasaki’s disease or Junior Rheumatoid Arthritis. After 5 days, finally a blood culture came back and doctors were able to tell us she had MRSA in her blood stream and also told us that because it was in her blood stream it was deadly. After telling us the bad news he also told us he had started her on vancomycin two days prior on a “hunch”. He explained vancomycin was the antibiotic used to treat that family of bacteria. By the following Tuesday she was showing signs of improvement; her fever was under control and her swollen lymph node went back to normal; she was sedated to put a PICC line in her, and we were fortunate to bring our daughter home that evening. We administered antibiotics through her PICC line for the two weeks. Luckily, we had a very good doctor, and who had a good “hunch”, AND a daughter who was a trooper. We survived MRSA.

Delores

My name is Delores. I was first diagnosed with MRSA in April of 2010. I knew I wasn’t feeling well and from an early age got cysts in certain areas of my body. I would normally get 1 every couple months. I awoke one morning to find HUGE cysts under both my arms, had an alarming fever and pain I could not even put into words. I had no idea what MRSA was so when the Dr told me I had the “H” strain of MRSA I had no idea what I would be dealing with. I never imagined it would control my life for almost 2 years now. I have had 7 operations, PIC lines placed 3 separate times for IV medications for over 14 weeks & numerous hospital stays. My immune system has been compromised on numerous occasions to the point I didn’t leave my home for fear of getting even sicker. People who do not understand MRSA can not begin to grasp the effect it has on you, not just physically, but also mentally & emotionally. I am lucky because I have great doctors and an amazing support system to rely on. I am still dealing with MRSA now so I don’t know if I can call myself a MRSA survivor, but I AM A MRSA FIGHTER! Thank you for having a place where we can go. It helps to know your not alone in this fight!!

Steve

I am a survivor of MRSA, back in 2007 my fiancee and I came back from a cruise, we were making wedding plans, she was a nurse and when she went back to work she got a patient positive for strep infection but no one told her about it, by Wednesday she felt sick and by Friday she was very sick. I took her to the emergency room on Saturday night but they did not pick on the fact she had MRSA at first, but by Sunday she had swollen up like a balloon and her daughters had taken her back to the hospital on Sunday, by the time they found out that she had MRSA it was too late, I had proposed to her Saturday night and 36 hours later on Monday morning she was dead, but I had no Idea what she had, so in my grief I kissed her on the lips good bye.

I myself had just completed my 3 round of antibiotics for sinusitus so it slowed down the spread of the infection, but 12 weeks to the day later I came down with it not knowing what I had, it started as a big bulls-eye on the back of my left upper thigh and continue to get worse, a local doctor who was treating me said this is out of my field, go to the ER. I did and they sliced it open and squeezed a huge mound of puss out of it, gave me stronger antibiotics and sent me home not knowing what I had, and by four days later I could not keep down even water, as I threw up even the water I drank, my mother begged me to go back to the ER, so I called a church friend to drive me to the ER that Sunday night. They keep me in a separate bay in the ER all night putting bag after bag of antibiotics into me to no avail and admitted me on Monday morning, I was by then totally out of it, in and out of my right thinking and going downhill fast, I overheard the doctors discussing surgery to cut off my left leg to save my life if it was not brought under control by the next afternoon, by then I had had eight to ten bag of IV antibiotics, and they brought in a disease specialist as a consultant and she knew immediately what I had and changed my antibiotics right away and by the next afternoon I was on the mend and she filled me in on what had happened and that I had probably picked it up from my fiancee.

For the next 13 weeks I had to do daily self infusion of the same antibiotics at home to kill it all off. I am grateful that they consulted a disease specialist or I would be dead or at least minus a leg. Now any surgery I have to have I get checked for MRSA before the surgery, I dodged death once I am not interested in doing it again, that is my story, I am fortunate to be a survivor.

Becky

My son’s illness was disclosed in a high school year book at the end of the 10th grade and his athletic stats were given to others – he is now entering 12grade-we moved and I feel he has robbed him of a future of scholarships perhaps even entering a university. He had overcome blindness in the right eye and was blindsided by this illness that a school, hospital and majority of township new about and chose a new comer to publicly display by himself! I don’t know what to do to help him. I wanted to know there was risk as the coach gave him a knee pad that others used. Policies need to be intact and people informed. Instead I feel like my family was forced to stay quiet (or other things could happen). We moved but I still fear not far enough. I pray everyday that everything my son has worked for, achieved and overcome will find a way to be happy him happy.

Brian

My twin brother died on April 26, 2011 from a “mysterious” infection. The hospital could not locate the source until one week before he died and the infection had spread through his body. I believe it was from emergency surgery he had for pneumonia on Oct. 04, 2010. The story really begins on Aug. 4, 2010 when he fell from a seizure he had at the supermarket right before he was going to get on his bike to come home. He had a seizure condition for quite a few years and was prone to have seizures but that’s another story. His fall banged him up pretty good but he survived and by Dec., 2010 he was returning to the normal person he used to be before the head injury (there was no long term damage). On October 1, 2010 he had to be taken back to the hospital though because he was weak. It turned out his lungs were filling up with fluid and emergency surgery had to be performed 3 days later. After that things were ok up until about March 2011 when he became weak again. For approximately 8 weeks he was in and out of the hospital and the doctors treated him for atrial flutter (it didn’t work or only worked for a brief period). The whole time the doctors were mystified about what was wrong with him until finally one week before he died they did a probe into his heart and found some material on one of his heart valves. They said it would require long term antibiotics to get rid of the infected piece which takes approx. 6-8 weeks. By then it was too late because the infection had spread to his blood, his kidneys were failing and his heart rate was way too high. He died the following week. The cause of death listed on the Death Certificate was endocarditis and atrial fibrillation. There was no listing of the infection which was the source of the endocarditis and the a-fib. I want to do all I can to help this organization. Please contact me. Thanks.

Jan – 55 years old

I am a 55 year old female, at the time I was very healthy, until I went in for a tattoo at a new salon in town, I contacted MRSA there, as my new tattoo got red hot and swollen my arm became very sore and pus filled areas developed. As MRSA traveled through my body I became very sick almost with flu like aches and then a large red hot area came out on my right flank, long story is I had to have surgery to remove the MRSA from inside my body, the wound measured about 4 inches deep and about 4 inches wide, many long days ahead of me with dressing changes and no paycheck to help me. My life has never been the same, a few months later I developed several blood clots in my lungs, back to the hospital for me. I found out that in my state of Pennsylvania, tattoo salons do not have to be inspected by the board of health, with such and invasive procedure being done I was shocked by the news, my hair stylist has to be board certified and her salon is inspected as well, same as the nail salons here.. I have survived this ordeal and suffer everyday with panic attacks when I have chest pain for fear of more blood clots and fear of MRSA coming back. This being said please be careful of getting a tattoo and or body piercing.

Unnamed

My twin brother died on Apr.26, 2011 from a “mysterious” infection. The hospital could not locate the source until one week before he died and the infection had spread through his body. I believe it was from emergency surgery he had for pneumonia on Oct. 04, 2010. The story really begins on Aug.4, 2010 when he fell from a seizure he had at the supermarket right before he was going to get on his bike to come home. He had a seizure condition for quite a few years and was prone to seizures but that’s another story. His fall banged him up pretty good but he survived and by Dec., 2010 he was returning to the normal person he used to be before the head injury (there was no long term damage). On Oct.1 , 2010 he had to be taken back to the hospital because he was weak. It turned out his lungs were filling up with fluid and emergency surgery had to be performed 3 days later. After that things were ok up until about March, 2011 when he became weak again. For approximately 8 weeks he was in and out of the hospital and the doctors treated him for atrial flutter (it didn’t work or only worked for a brief period). The whole time the doctors were mystified about what was wrong with him until finally one week before he died they did a probe into his heart and found some material on one of his heart valves. They said it would require long term antibiotics to get rid of the infected piece which takes approx. 6-8 weeks. By then it was too late because the infection had spread to his blood, his kidneys were failing and his heart rate was way too high. He died the following week. The cause of death listed on the Death Certificate was endocarditis and atrial fibrillation. There was no listing of the infection which was the source of the endocarditis and the a-fib. I want to do all I can to help this organization.

Zachary

I am Zachary from Cedar Rapids, Iowa.. I’m fairly happy and outgoing though there is a lot of things I do that is confusing to others I love laugh and try my best to live it up along with trying to give my advice as well as possible to others .. I love too much sometimes and was really close to a girl who ended up infecting me with MRSA. I had it first on my upper thigh and figured it would just go away. And it did. Kept going on and on and I got worse 2 years down the road I have had infections on my ankle to my calf. To my thigh side and chest-on my back and shoulders.. And of late the favorite place for them to linger is on my face. I have now had over 5 outbreaks on my face. Leaving vicious scars and though I have only tried going to the doctor several times they all go away. But now my head hurts all the time. And whenever I have a scab on my infection underneath there is a hole that you can see into about the size of a pen clicker. And it closes up when it heals. My worry is – what if every MRSA infection I have now is locked on to my brain- I can’t see it but I don’t know if my headaches are from them or lack of a good diet. So I’m done causing pain to my body, please tell me of any natural remedies I can take to flush my system out. I think I can fight this I have held on this long. Please, anyone that can help please do along with asking me for any advice or if you just need a friend to talk to- Love you all. FIGHT

Jane – 24 years old

My name is Jane from South Bend, Indiana, and I am 24 years old. I was a very sick child; and at the age of 24 months I was diagnosed with having a life threatening cystic cerebellar astrocytoma on my brain stem. After extensive brain surgery, a shunt placement surgery,and learning how to walk again, I was safe. Or so it seemed. Requiring constant check ups my family was forced to drive the three hours to Riley Children’s Hospital in Indianapolis several times a year. On one such visit at the age of seven I was sick with the flu. Running a fever of 107, I was unable to walk and needed the use a wheelchair. Having never used a wheelchair before I accidentally came into contact with the wheels several times; and after the office reflex tests I rubbed my eyes. The next morning I awoke unable to open my eyes. They had swelled significantly and sealed shut. I was hospitalized locally for a week and it was found that I had Periorbital cellulitis, caused by Staphylococcus. After long treatments of intravenous antibiotics I seemed to be all better. Around the time that I hit puberty I noticed one day what I thought to be acne on my face. I washed my face, used astringents, and special spot treatment. Nothing worked, and in fact, seemed to make it worse. It became extremely painful and over the course of a weekend it had spread across my face and chest. My family doctor finally took a culture and it came back as staphylococcus aureus, but I knew it was MRSA. The infection disappeared but then began gracing my face periodically. Going through middle and high school are hard enough, but doing it with an infection that covers your face and chest with crusty, yellow, scabs, and dissolves your skin… It was difficult, but I rarely let it effect my social life, and that was mostly based on personal shame. But I never allowed it to alter my relationships, and I was very careful never to give it to my boyfriends. Two months ago, at the age of 24, I marched into my Dr.’s office during an outbreak. Enough was enough and I have become weary of being a carrier. Having it for so long, one might think I was not longer bothered by my outbreaks. And while they are a part of my life now, I still cry and feel like a freak. My joints ache and I feel weak and lethargic all the time. I can feel the toll on my body more and more every day as I get older. I told my doctor that I would no longer host this virus and wanted a way to eradicate it. The use of nasal Mupirocin and oral Keflex three times a day for a month did nothing to kill the colonization in my sinuses and my newest culture came back positive for MRSA, I am engaged, and praying they can find a cure. If not tomorrow, then before I get married and start a family.

Teresa

It has been over 2 yrs since I had MRSA boils under my armpit. I was lethargic, had shortness of breath, heart palpatations, dizzy, unbearable leg aches, and a boil or 2 every month. After taking antibiotics the boils would come back. I put myself on a mostly alkaline diet, ate 16-20 fresh chopped garlic cloves every day (aggressive bagels and cream cheese helped to eat) I drank colloidal silver, drank turmeric in tomato juice. Used chelated maganese and magnesium, used ascorbic acid (vitamin C powder) ate lemon for alkaline value. I put 100% tea tree oil up my nose several times a day as well as directly on my boils. I bleached my bathroom after every use and did not wipe, let it soak… I initially used Hibiclens to kill all bacteria, then after a week or so used plain active yogurt as a after bath lotion….everywhere, covered my body. There were other things but these were the biggies. Clean obsessively with bleach colorfast or not. Throw away all hygiene products. Take a week or 2 off work and clean your home, your insides and your outside body. Rest when your body says rest, go to bed early. Within 1 week I was feeling better. Within 2 weeks, I felt brand new. I took lots of probiotics, yogurt and kraut. I did a 3 month detox/colon cleanse…after my home program, that I ordered online. I am MRSA free….really…no strange diet, no weird products. Normal life. MRSA is everywhere….I could get it again. But I know it will be a new infection if it happens. But I know how to kill it….I never want to go through it again, but I don’t have the hopelessness like I did. Please research these things and do something! Save you…save your friends and family and everyone you come into contact with. Please try, get out of the circle of antibiotics, MRSA, more antibiotics, more MRSA….you won’t be afraid to touch people and get them sick….You can beat it, maybe different MRSA different products, I don’t know, I’m not a doctor or scientist. But I killed my MRSA. Please look for a way to kill your MRSA. I pray for all of us.

Susan

My ex husband and i share a child together. He is a wonderful father, and I never once considered the possibility of having to raise our daughter without him in the picture.

He is a very strong healthy man, 39 at the time of the MRSA septicemia event. He lifted weights a lot and had injured a shoulder years back, and had problems off and on with inflammation there. He has a background of working in surgery and as a hospital nurse; both are places he may have been exposed to MRSA strains.
He developed increased pain in a shoulder area over a few weeks. He didn’t think much of it, as he struggled with inflammation there, and had for years. Then one Friday at work, he began feeling sluggish, exhausted, poor appetite, increasing pain in the old shoulder site, and didn’t really know WHAT was wrong. He finished working that day, went home, and wound up in the emergency room. The pain was becoming intolerable in the shoulder area, and extreme weakness and fatigue. He was also having nausea, the pain was so severe. The hospital drew lab, checked vitals at that time, but essentially just treated him for pain and sent him home, told him to go “sleep off” the pain medicine… well, if he had, he would be dead today. His mother talked him into going to HER house for observation. She said, she didn’t like that they had NO idea why he was so sick, or why his pain was so severe in the first place. Well, with each passing hour, he became more and more weak, and sick. He began having a lot of loose stool and nausea and vomiting. His mother tried to get him into her car to return him to the ER but he already had become too weak to ambulate. She called an ambulance and they rushed him to the hospital. He was in a coma before he ever made it there. The next several weeks were touch and go, the ICU doctors basically told family to share their goodbyes, as they did not expect him to survive. He was so unstable, on a ventilator, IV drips to keep his blood pressure high enough to keep him from dying. They ended up using an experimental drug, for septic shock, that was risky they said, but they felt they had nothing to lose. Prayers and the drug must have worked, he turned around and eventually has nearly made a full recovery. He did have to go back, weeks later, and have some BONE removed in that shoulder area, the site where he kept telling healthcare staff, was giving him so much pain. Turns out, the MRSA was in the shoulder BONE. It couldn’t be healed by medications, IV or otherwise, and a portion of bone eventually was just removed. To look at him today, you’d never know he was once so close to death, from MRSA. He says he still doesn’t feel he’s as strong as he once was. And he says he has some problems from time to time with focus, and memory, that he doesn’t think he had before. But overall, we are so very thankful that he lived, and most importantly, i hope that hospital emergency rooms, and doctor offices everywhere, will learn to recognize the early signs and symptoms of septicemia. Early treatment can be the difference between life and death. And we’re talking hours, and minutes here… because with septicemia, it occurs so rapidly, one only has a small window of time to recognize what one is dealing with.

Derwyn

I am a MRSA survivor from East Greenville, PA. I have been looking for an organization that raises awareness for this deadly disease. I spent about 35 days in the hospital along with 7 surgeries and left me with a scar that starts at my ankles and goes almost up to my knee. It all started in school one day, in which I felt like my leg was broken, but I hadn’t done anything that day that would have injured me. I skipped football and had no idea what to tell me coach what was wrong with me! I went home and spiked a fever of 104 and was rushed to Grandview Hospital and was placed in a small room and was truly neglected. IT WAS AWFUL. From there I was diagnosed with a broken leg, but I still insisted on the fact that I hadn’t done anything to my leg. They said it was a “hair line fracture” so they casted my leg up. Day after day my leg hurt and hurt and hurt so I told my mom we have to go to the hospital because something isn’t right. They said that adjusting to a new cast is a difficult thing to do but I knew something was wrong. The thing was my leg had continued to swell up against the cast and became unbearable. They ended up cutting off my cast and could not figure out what was wrong with me. I took test after test and finally one day the doctors took my parents outside of the room to explain the fact that I had MRSA and my parents walked into my room in tears. I was immediately rushed in for surgery. I also had pneumonia that could have killed me along with MRSA that was traveling up my leg and would have killed me within 24 hours if the doctors hadn’t discovered my illness. From there on it is quite a blur for I was hooked up to every IV possible. Oh yeah they placed me in a coma to place an IV straight into my heart. Back to the surgery it is my understanding that they had to drill a hole into my ankle bone to rid the MRSA. I don’t exactly know the process and would rather not know. I must have taken every drug prescription possible because I can’t remember much detail! What I do know, 7 surgeries really took a toll on me and I am SOOOO grateful to be alive. Check out my facebook page to see my scar it is pretty graphic. I contacted this website because I want to make a difference in peoples’ lives and hope to put an end to this deadly disease. I am looking to start a MRSA Awareness Day in Pennsylvania and raise money for this program! I thank those doctors for saving my life and God for his grace. I hope to make a difference, please send me any information that I could start a fundraiser in my school or community. THANK YOU.

Carolyn

Hi I am 33 yrs old. I have two young children ages 3 and 4, Isaiah and Madissen. I have been sick since the age of 17. I had so many tests for all the wrong reasons from being cut open 3 times to being put on drugs by psychologists. They actually tried to tell me it was in my head. It started with stomach pain and uterus pain to always feeling exhausted and in chronic pain. Dr’s have been rude and some ok. My mental state was actually declining so I struggled with depression from chronic pain and no answers. We’ll after my daughter was born she too was ill. I also had a cyst on my breast. Also one on my face which I thought was due to hormonal changes. They kept telling me Maddie was ok. II breastfed my baby and kept telling the father something was wrong. Her breathing seemed short with ongoing fever. The father left me and I met Isaiah’s dad. We’ll, he was born and the father wasn’t in his life. So all alone I battled being sick and with two sick children. Isaiah had the same thing ongoing, stomach pain gastric reflux and rashes but also chronic ear and eye sinus pain with no luck from antibiotics. So now I’m telling them I know there something wrong. Same replies- nothing is wrong. I ended up having an emergency colonoscopy and the Dr. had no answers for why my intestines presented a sore. He said he was not going to listen to my story about a bad bacteria. I thought it could be real. I saw white discharge with blood and when it came it was a horrific pain. Still no answers. My sick kids and I are on welfare- not really great. I lost most of my friends. I lost my teenage years now in my 30′s and still suffering. Last summer a big cyst appears. So it finally really shows its face. I see Dr’s again. At this point I’m sick of doctor’s but again they tell my I’m not contagious, it’s just a cyst. We’ll my new boyfriend caught it and they told him the same thing. We’ll they were so huge and painful. After it came back 3 times they test it and it comes back MRSA. My daughter get’s a cyst on her head but no one at the CHEO children’s hospital of Eastern Ontario will take a swab. I wrote letters, I begged, they told me my kids were not as sick as the kids in there are. They finally gave the test. They swabbed both kids noses telling me they don’t think it’s that. The test came back negative. I decided to go somewhere where they test the wound and voila MRSA positive. My poor child has been suffering. Ongoing rashes in vagina they say it doesn’t cause that. Lies lies lies. They tell me it’s not MRSA in my body. I saw the discharge that came out my rectum (sorry) I know the pain it causes and my left hip and my back hurt so bad also every month or so it travels through me into different areas in my body like uterus and my colon. Someone has to listen because I feel like my son and I are going to end up with sepsis, we are going to die. He stopped breathing at night when his infection is at its worst. Stomach pain is rough too. He presses up against a table to push his poo out. He shakes and his fever’s get really bad. They won’t decolonize us -why? I need some help people, before I lose my children or they lose me or both. I’m on welfare, I can’t afford even all the gauze and the diet to build immunity. Maybe my case is different maybe it mutated from being inside me for 17 yrs. Why won’t they treat and listen to us. Maddie underwent surgery last week for a giant cyst near her bum hole. It’s so painful to watch a little girl in pain. I wish I could take it away. I told them once it’s gone it will come back somewhere else they told me no. They gave me no antibiotics. Truthfully I’ve read so much now and I lived with this long enough now that I could be useful to them in recognizing the patterns and how it affects your body as a whole and not just on the skin as they say. I even thought about suicide so they can autopsy my body to save my children. I can’t leave them. I am a survivor and I will survive for my kids but I need help. I will not stop this fight, I will not back down. Don’t let those Dr’s bully you like they are doing to me. Stand your ground and don’t back down. Thank you for listening, there is so much more I have to share. Let’s win this battle. I cry everyday for everyone who suffers in this world. I pray for everyone who suffers any kind of illness. It hurts to live with pain, it hurts the heart and soul but it made me strong and aware of humanity and the pain other’s feel.

Jenna-26 years old

Today is day 31 and I still have MRSA. I am in a long distance relationship, six hours from my home (Northern Wisconsin), I ended up in an Illinois hospital for 9 days.. I then became an outpatient with a picc line in my arm for further care. I have MRSA on my head/face. One morning I felt as though someone had punched me in the eye. All day i had this feeling. I started to notice my eye becoming swollen. I did go to an ER they told me I had a food allergy (I have none that I am aware of). The next morning I had awoken to a 3/4 shut left eye very swollen and a lump on my forehead. You could see fluid all over as well. I later went back to the ER where I was then transferred and admitted to a new hospital. The first week in the hospital (my first ever hospital stay) was the worst week of my life. I did not know pain existed on levels such as this. I now have a total of five Drs. I felt as though I was on an episode of House- people scrambled to find what was wrong with me. One Dr. decided to go ahead with surgery and remove the lump on my head, only I came out of surgery with a drain in my head to flush the fluid out. Something I hope to never experience ever again. After a few days of the drain in it was taken out. Over a week after my stay I was finally told I have MRSA. I never even heard of it. I was then kept in isolation for several days and released with a picc line as an outpatient. My Dr. told me I’m young and healthy. We don’t know how I got MRSA. Unfortunately I have this living in fear feeling now. It’s not gone yet, but I’m hoping it is. I don’t ever want to experience this nightmare again. Knowing other people have it is sad to me, but I know I’m not alone.

Alysa

Two years ago I was preparing for my wedding. I had gone to a routine dermatological appointment in which I had a significant amount of open skin. A few days had past and I developed extremely painful “sores” on my lower abdomen. I thought it was just ingrown hair or something. I was feeling ill and getting smaller sores all over my body. The more concentrated they got the more scared I had become. I went into urgent care where I was harassed and told that I had to have gone to a hotel hot tub, and had folliculitis. I was given a prescription and as I was getting my prescription, my pharmacist said something that made me rethink what the first doctor had told me. I called my to-be mother in law who had previously been a nurse to discuss the diagnosis and my fears. After her talking about my symptoms in a much more serious diagnosis, things the doctor had overlooked and or ignored. I called another office to get a second opinion. As the nurse practitioner reviewed all the info and seen the spots on my body she explained what MRSA was and that she was testing me for it.

A couple days later she called me with the bad news and had me come in to see the doctor. He didn’t hesitate and got me on the table and after a seriously painful and scary list of events, lanced 3 spots. He then had me get a blood test and told me if that came back positive I needed to IMMEDIATELY come back to the hospital or a hospital (as I was supposed to have gone to my best friend’s wedding shower) to be put on IV treatment. It was thankfully not in my blood but I was told to frequently check my temperature and if I ever got a fever to go in and get checked out. It went away for a month until I got a cut on my hand. I had another abscess under my arm, and after going to the doctor while it was small, hel told me I was overreacting and to go home. A week later it was the size of a baseball and he lanced it and proved himself wrong. He then told me I had to live with this the rest of my life. Overreacting huh? I have my life ahead of me and I am working at making the best of it, but not a day goes by I don’t have to deal with it one way or another. It’s always on my mind, and as a now single person, how do I explain this to a potential mate? If I get the opportunity to have children I put them at risk not to mention if I would have to have a c- section? Every day things like being with friends, using the same toilets, shaving, working… it’s not easy especially when you have to LIVE WITH IT. – I have a lot more to say and want to be proactive in preventing this for our future.

Jan – 55 years old

I am a 55 year old female, at the time I was very healthy, untill I went in for a tattoo at a new salon in town, I contacted MRSA there, as my new tattoo got red hot and swollen my arm became very sore and pus filled areas developed. As MRSA traveled through my body I became very sick almost with flu like aches and then a large red hot area came out on my right flank, long story is I had to have surgery to remove the MRSA from inside my body, the wound measured about 4 inches deep and about 4 inches wide, many long days ahead of me with dressing changes and no paycheck to help me..My life has never been the same, a few months later I developed several blood clots in my lungs, back to the hospital for me..I found out that in my state of pennsylvania, tattoo salons do not have to be inspected by the board of health, with such and invasive procedure being done i was shocked by the news, my hair stylist has to be board certified and her salon is inspected as well, same as the nail salons here.. I have survived this ordeal and suffer everyday with panic attacks when I have chest pain for fear of more blood clots and fear of MRSA coming back. This being said please be careful of getting a tattoo and or body piercing

Frank

In September of last year I was diagnosed with MRSA it was really bad. I had it in my lungs, then it spread rapidly it went from my lungs to my blood to my heart to my organs. I died and came back and I was in a drug induced coma for 6 weeks. i was then released from the hospital in November, with what we thought as a clean bill of health, but it was not true. Three months after I was released I was back in the hospital. I now have MRSA in my hip and pelvis bones and am being treated for it as we speak. I just wanted to thank you guys for everything you do on this website it is really helpful … I wrote my story to share with people. I want to share this traumatic story with people.

Caleb 7 – Texas

My son Caleb is 7 and we began dealing with MRSA two years ago. He probably acquired it while in the hospital due to an illness. Caleb has several health conditions but severe eczema utlimately left him vulnerable to MRSA. He has had numerous hospitalizations because of it and now we are running out of answers and options. His immune system is attacking him on top of it. That leads to breakage in his skin and more MRSA infections. Now he is having to take a drug to supress his immune system in a last ditch effort to stop his immune system from attacking him. He is homebound and has to stay away from any unnessasary contact with other people. Which means no school, friends, even a trip to Wal-mart. As a mom I am heartbroken. The first time I held him I, like most moms made him a vow to protect him. I imagined the future and all he could be. What I did not imagine was a doctor telling me he could die. No mother should have to hear that. Hearing a doctor tell you MRSA can and will kill your child because they can’t fight it much longer is something no one should experience. Hearing them tell you they don’t know what to do anymore. Listening to your child cry because he has no quality of life anymore. These are all things that could be prevented! This has gotten way out of hand. How many people have to suffer before it is realized how big of a problem this is? I wish this on no one but until our healthcare system changes the likelihood is that more families will suffer. We need answers. They come in the way of government funding so we can find a solution, cure, something. Sadly we are running out of time.

Andrea, 23

I am 23 years old and in late October of last year (2010) I was told I had an infection called M.R.S.A. which led me to be in isolation for seven days and six nights. This put a toll on my relationship as well as me losing about one and a half paychecks.

It started in early October when I noticed a abscess just below my belly button which at a local hospital they lanced and drained there again causing me to be out of work and I lost another paycheck. Then in the midst of all the stress and the healing process began. With a quick check I found another abscess this time located on my groin area as I went to the same local hospital they insisted it was nothing without even really checking it out they gave me some IV medication and a prescription for some pills which my boyfriend and could not afford to pay for. So his mother had to by the medication for me and also paid for the walk-in clinic that I went to just a few days after the hospital visit. As soon as I went in the doctor took one look at my groin and said “honey I’m sorry but I think you have M.R.S.A. and I’m sending you to the hospital that I work at”. He then proceeded to give me a hug and again my boyfriend’s mother had to take me to the hospital. As I arrived I was alone with no one but nurses and doctors looking and putting needles into my body. Once they were done with the lancing on the second abscess along with a culture of my nose and wound, I was put into a room. I was alone and scared and unaware of what was really going on. My veins are extremely hard to find and once found they are even harder to use for medication and blood cultures and in this I received my very first picc line. The doctors and nurses were there by my side and all so my boyfriend. Around 2am the next day they woke me from my sleep and transported me to an isolation room and that is where I had stayed for seven days and six nights with heavy medication that gave horrible nausea.

But just recently I had another outbreak of M.R.S.A. on my inner thigh along with Urinary Tract Infection. Once again I rushed myself over to the walk-in clinic where the same doctors helped me last time where there (all the doctors who work at this clinic work at the hospital that I went to and received amazing care). They prescribed antibiotics, cream and wash where the M.R.S.A. has gone for now.

Thank you for bringing awareness to this.

Regetta

first contracted a MRSA infection in January of last year. I have fibromyalgia which weakened my immune system. I went to a emergency care center for a cut on my finger. A few days later I had a small MRSA on the finger next to it. When that healed I got a large boil on my rear end. The doctor prescribed bactrim. 3 days later the boil was bigger and more painful than ever. I went to the E.R. The emergency room doctor told me I had impressed him which wasn’t good. My large boil now had a circle of smaller boils around it, and that’s when my journey on the MRSA roller coaster started. I am resistant to bactrim, clydamicine, doxydocyline, and one other antibiotic they wanted to try. The nightmare of boils healing and new ones appearing one after another went on for months. When the doctors wanted to give me vancomycin, I drew the line. It did not make any sense to put my body through this when it only continued to get worse. I looked to alternative treatments and completely stopped listening to my doctors. I had done what they told me for ten months, and was only getting worse. I started eating raw honey and garlic because they have natural anti-bacterial and anti-viral properties. I took several other vitamins c, e, fish oil, grapeseed extract, green tea extract, and tried to reduce stress. I also stopped using the anti-bacterial soaps and taking the antibiotics. I haven’t had a MRSA since November. I did still wash my sheets daily, and use anti-bacterial cleansers in my household. I was very frustrated that the doctors never suggested anything other than more antibiotics. If nothing has worked for you, and you need something different, I hope my story helps.

Christina

On the morning of October 28th, 2010 I noticed a small lump in my left axillary. I chalked it up to perhaps an ingrown hair or infected follicle and went on about my day. Mid-day I noticed my arm beginning to swell and turm bright red nearly down to my elbow. I went to the local “urgent care” and was told it was an abcess hair follicle, the stuck a syringe into the nodule and with no drainage they sent me home. By night fall i was so deathly sick, arm swollen 4 times its normal size an a fever of 106.7 i went to the E.R. My body had begun to turn septic and shut down. For the next three days I recieved IV antibiotics until my arm finally exploded like a gunshot wound. The next month I spent going to the wound clinic, having 21.5 ft. of gauze packed into my arm and left breast. Although that wound has begun to heal, i have had 4 other areas break out in the same region. Every time I finish taking my antibiotics within three days I begin to turn septic with severe cellulitis in my left arm. My body is so tired, I await the day this ends!

Freda

I am a nurse and contracted MRSA from another hospital after an abdominal hysterectomy. I was on all the big antibiotics to cure it but it was to little to late and now it is colonized in my blood and I can no longer be a nurse after 25 years. I almost died numerous times from the infection and it has ruined my life. I am unable to find an lawyer to help me as the burden of proof is on me, even though I know when and where I got it. I have had over 25 surgeries to try and get it out of my system but it is killing me a little at a time. I will fight until I can’t anymore. If my dying from this and getting someone to take notice then I will have done what I should do. My prayers go out to everyone that must battle this.

Christina

On the morning of October 28th, 2010 I noticed a small lump in my left axillary. I chalked it up to perhaps an ingrown hair or infected follicle and went on about my day. Mid-day I noticed my arm beginning to swell and turn bright red nearly down to my elbow. I went to the local “urgent care” and was told it was an abcess hair follicle, the stuck a syringe into the nodule and with no drainage they sent me home. By night fall i was so deathly sick, arm swollen 4 times its normal size an a fever of 106.7 i went to the E.R. My body had begun to turn septic and shut down. For the next three days I received IV antibiotics until my arm finally exploded like a gunshot wound. The next month I spent going to the wound clinic, having 21.5 ft. of gauze packed into my arm and left breast. Although that wound has begun to heal, i have had 4 other areas break out in the same region. Every time I finish taking my antibiotics within three days I begin to turn septic with severe cellulitis in my left arm. My body is so tired,I await the day this ends!

Kathy

My husband died on April 27,2010 after a three year battle with mrsa septicemia. He also had it in his lungs and urine, I was his caretaker. I have not felt good since July of 2009, I have lost 25% of my lung capacity and functional capacity. My heart rate is 210 at rest and I am unable to work or push exercise due to shortness of breath. My doctors are saying I am deconditioned. Is it possible that I have picked up mrsa and they are brushing it off. I was sick all of last winter with sinus infections and ear infection. I found with my husband that no one would talk about the mrsa, it was a big secret, more than aids ever was. Thanks, Kathy

Allyson

I can hardly believe I found your website…today. A week ago I spent 5 days in the hospital with a quick spreading mrsa infection. I never saw my life pass by me so fast! I didn’t even have time to say goodbye to my three little boys who I sent off to school that morning. My new ENT physician told me it was imperative that I get myself to the ER and not wait another moment longer.

I was terrified and overwhelmed with the news. How could my simple head cold that lasted the previous 5 days turn into mrsa? Are you kidding me? I wasn’t isolated right away, which is unbelievable. My meds. turned one late Friday evening into multiple nightmares while sleeping, sudden awakening alone in my room, very high blood pressure and a panic attack.

I am home, recovering, one day at a time. My career as a school teacher is on hold. I am desperate to snuggle my children after an abrupt separation, but my better sense tells me to wait until they are tested and I have completely healed. For now, they seem to understand.

I am terribly fearful of getting another outbreak, or worse, that someone close to me could suffer one. There are no guarantees. I will spend October 1st, 2010 celebrating my life and all that I bring to my family and friendships around me. A worldwide recognition day couldn’t have come at a better time. Thank you for all your efforts, research, care and continued support.

Jodie

What a wonderful site! I’m hoping you can help me with some information. I acquired CA-MRSA February 1st 2010 after a brazilian bikini wax. The technician “double dipped”, by that I mean she used one wax stick and went from the wax pot to my skin and back to the wax pot again and again. I understand that that move is a huge no-no and cosmetology 101. My problem is the insurance company. The adjuster says she has a hard time with “my story” because I am the only client who complained of acquiring MRSA. My reply was well, maybe I’m the only one who’s skin was ripped during the procedure. I have suffered 6 boils in the bikini area and nose, with the last one the size of a tennis ball and several trips to the hospital. My goal is not to be litigious, but to be reimbursed for my out of pocket costs, missed work and perhaps most importantly, to insure that the esthetician change her lazy ways that could have (and still may) cost my life! God Bless You for your efforts to help us all!

Nava

On March 2009, I felt ill due to an unknown condition, and I had a huge bump on my inner right thigh. I went to my family doctor, and he indicated I had an abscess. He referred me to a surgeon, and he numbs my inner right thigh and drains the abscess. My thigh still would not go down, and I was hospitalized two more times with deep wounds. I maxed out all my home care visits, and I had to care for my wound myself. My thigh was better and I was released to go back to work in May 2009. I felt as though the surgeon was playing with my leg to make extra money. I contacted my insurance carrier to request a second opinion because I did not know the facts about MRSA. Today, I am grateful that God and the surgeon healed me from MRSA. I wish I knew about MRSA, and this website when I was going through my sickness.

Dayle – 58 yr old woman from Illinois

I fell and broke my leg and knee cap, with no skin broken and had surgery to put hardware in on Feb., 2005. After surgery I went to a rehab facility, and was told I had to stay for 4-6 months as the breaks were extensive. When I finally looked at my leg, there were large blisters which were oozing pus, blood and my leg was very red. I was told that this was normal by my doctor and I was in terrible pain. I was given an anti-depressant because I was so upset. I was sent home with painkillers and a visitng nurse said it looked really terrible. I went to the doctor, he took a culture and then said I had an infection and was admitted to the hopsital and had surgery that day, extensive debridements. I had three more surgeries and was assigned an ID doctor and he told me I had MRSA. I was put on vancomycin for 8 weeks with a picc line and had some of the hardware removed. All of this set me back and I lost my job. My disability ran out and my unemplyment insurance. Also my health insurance for physical therapy. I am trying to make payments for my therapy to continue. I feel depressed and angry.

Krystin – 7 yrs old

Krystin had mouth surgery in May, 2005 and 4 weeks later developed an infection, which spread to her hip, muscles and bloodstream. Krystin’s mother worked as a nurses aide in an ER and knew something was not right with her daughter and she kept complaining she was tired and hurt. She was admitted to two different hopsitals, but was not diagnosed with MRSA until she went to the third hospital. She spent 13 days in the hospital, 10 weeks on oral antibiotics and 5 weeks of physical therapy with many doctor visits. her whole summer was lost to her and her parents were left with $68,000 in medical bills and they had insurance. Her mother had to quit her job because she had to stay home and take care of her daughter. She says that she will survive this but worries about her daughter’s health and the future.

Gina

I had several surgeries on my knees and a few days later I had horrible pressure and pain. I pulled off one of the suture scabs and it srained. I went to see my ortho docotr and they prescribed antibiotics. The wound opened and drained again. I had my husband take me to the ER ans they admitted me and stayed a week and they told me I had MRSA. I cried and got really depressed. I have had to have more surgeries and hope I will heal.

Jon – 37 yrs old

I knew nothing about CA-MRSA before it introduced me to itself, now I know about it as much as I possibly care to. I had spent 8 days in the hospital and had 3 surgeries in that time. The physical and emotional toll it took me and my family was incredible.

Madeline – 7 weeks old

I lost my baby daughter, Maddy in July, 2005. I gave birth to twins and they were premature, but healthy. Maddy was the strongest of the two, but remained in the NICU for 3 weeks due to apnea. She came home and I had limited visitors. After 13 days home, she developed a cold with a runny nose and a cough. We took her to the doctor and he said it was just a cold and 27 hrs later she was barely breathing and we called 911. I performed CPR on her and when the ambulance came she was breathing on her own. At the hospital she quickly deteriorated and she was airlifted to another hospital. They thought she had pneumonia, then a cold and the results came back that she had MRSA. We had never heard of MRSA. We watched over her for 11 days and she was on a ventilator and was fighting hard to live. Each morning she had an x-ray taken of her lungs and MRSA was literally eating her lungs. We felt hopeless and watched our daughter struggle and slowly die each day. On July 22, the doctors said she only had a few hours before her entire system would shut down. We gathered around Maddy and held her as she took her final breath. This is the single most painful tragedy for the family, losing our daughter. Our son, Luke, the other twin was tested for MRSA and was positive, but he was decolonized and remains infection free.

Vince – 58 yrs old

I am a diabetic and had bi-pass surgery, came home and had pain and went to the ER and they found out that I had MRSA in my chest wound. Then the top of my left foot was black and they amputated it up to the mid-calf. It healed even thought I had a MRSA infection. A wound vac was used and then the ID doctor told me to get my affairs in order as they did not think I would make it. I spent 5.5 months in the hospital and finally came gome and ws on vanco. I recovered slowly. I got an ingown toenail and it came back positive for MRSA and it would not heal. The had to amputate 2 of my toes and then decided later to remoce half of my foot. I was in the hospital for 3 weeks this time. I am infection free now, but my life has changed dramatically.

Michael

I caught MRSA last year after a motorcycle accident when I hit a deer and had to have surgery on my head. I was told before the operation that I would have antibiotics. The next day I ws released with 5 brken ribs, a broken shoulder. A few week after the operation I developes sand dollar-size sores. Went to another hospital and told I had MRSA and ws on IV antibiotics for a week. Thank you for letting me share my story.

Sandi

I got MRSA in 2004 after hip surgery, was in the hospital for 3 days and 5 days later I was rushed back with sepsis. It has been a constant battle since: emotionally, physically, spirtually and financially. As a nurse, I feel betrayed by my own profession. I still cry every time I talk about it or have to face the fact that it will never go away. I am angry, as I’m sure everyone else is. I write a least a letter a week to SOMEONE – ANYONE who I think might listen. Anyway, I’m glad this site is established.

Larry

I contracted MRSA in a local hospital in 2005 and I was given a chance to live thru the night. I had a bleed out in a colon cancer operation. I got a transfusion and all of my vitals improved. I was in and out of a coma for 3 months. All of my organs were shutting down and dialysis was done. The MRSA infection was so bad they just washed me out and sewed me up. Apparently, there was over 500 MRSA cases at this Tucson hospital in Jan.2005.

Anthony

I have been HIV positive for 15 yrs, very healthy and never sick, but this changed in 2005. I came from the gym nd I notice a tiny red area on my leg the size of a neddle head. I woke up the next day and my leg was 10 times bigger, red, swollen and I had a buring fever. I went to the ER and spent 2 weeks there. Nothin they gave me worked and my leg was getting worse and they told me I had MRSA. I got om the right antibiotics and in a few days I was feeling better. I just wanted to write to tell you what a wonderful job you are doing in passing information for other people who do not know about this deadly infection. I was lucky, but I know others were not.

Delaina

My husband and I have been living with various levels of MRSA since 2002. The biggest obstacles have been doctors themselves. We know when we have a staph infection and doctors insist on giving us penicillin. They decline to give us the medications we know we need and most often do not culture the infection. each time it is a struggle to get the proper treatment. The doctors hate to be told what to do and we end up suffering.

Henry

I am a recent MRSA survivor. I contracted MRSA in the hospital when I had to have a kidney stone blasted. The procedure was a success but 3 days later I ran a temp and I was admitted and after many tests and 3 different antibiotics I was put on vanco. I contiune with it for 2 weeks at home. My wife is a RN and she asked the doctor if I had MRSA and he said yes. I am recovering slowly and I’m in pain.

Leanne

My daughter was born in 2005 by c-section. A week later I noticed a huge white pimple on her neck. We started to see redness and pimples on other parts of her body and she did not have a temp. She went for her 2 week check-up and she was admitted to the hospital right away and put into the neo-matal intensive care unit. She was hooked up to IV antibiotics and diagnosed with MRSA and in the hospital for 9 days. A few days later I was admitted to the hosptials with a golf-sized abscess in my right breast and they beleive I got MRSA from breast feeding. I had IV antibiotics. I release after 9 days and continued to take oral antibiotics. I worry every time my daughter scrapes her knee or gets a bug bite that she might get another MRSA infection – I don’t think that the feeling will ever go away.

Eileen – RN

I just read about your efforts to have hospitals test for MRSA and I believe that you are fighting for something that should have been instituted long ago. My daughter was 28 when she contracted MRSA and was misdiagnosed several times before she received the correct treatment. She is lucky to have survived after 3 different hospitals and 4 operations. She has permanent damage to her foot and ankle. They were going to amputate her foot, but we were able to find the right doctor who treated her effectively. I am a registered nurse and work in a hospital, where we are constantly being exposed to MRSA, VRE, C-diff, etc. I’m sure, new strains of bugs will continue to come. You are right – hand washing alone won’t stop the spread of this infection.

Sky

I think it’s wonderful that you are bringing this awful “superbug”to nat’l attention and I applaud you for your efforts. I am a veteran LPN of 25 yrs and I can tell you. I have watched this becoming increasingly worse. I have seen horrors in the realm of sanitary conditions! It has gotten so bad that I have elected to forego my career in order to stay healthy. I have chidren at home and must put their safety first.. It seems that nearly every patient that I have taken care of has MRSA. Please continue your crusade and make the public aware of this terrible problem. I thoroughly support you.

Linda – RN, BSN, CCRN, MSN

I am an ICU nurse and I wanted to comment on what a wonder thing it is to have a support grp for those with MRSA. The public needs to be aware of this “epidemic”. Getting the word out to consumers is a powerful thing, just as supporting those who have gone thru having a life threatening infection or worse, losing a loved one from a hospital-acquired infection. Thank you for caring for others who have been afflicted.

Ron

My son got MRSA 2 yrs ago when he went in for back surgery. We spent Christmas in the ER with him and he had to undergo 3 operations. He went back to the doctor who did the original surgery 2 months later as he noticed a bump and felt sick. The doctor looked at it and told him to come back in a month. If he was dying, we were to take him to the ER. We saw another doctor 2 days later ans he scheduled emergency surfery as he felt my son’s condition was critical. The problem is not only with hospitals, but with doctors and their attitudes.

Richard

I felt sick and my temp went to 104 degrees and I thought I had the flu. My scrotum was enlarged and I had a rash. I went to the ER and then was transferred to the ICU, my kidneys were failing and I had emergency surgery to releave the pressure and went into a coma. I had many debridements and was released to a nursing home and then my temp went up again and I was back in the hospital. More surgery and they had to remove the top third of my penis and then had to remove more. The doctors were able to rebuild my penis and I am infection free.

Janet – 35 yrs old

I have MRSA and have been suffering since 2000. I get 3 – 4 boils a year in size from a golf ball to a grapefruit. I am also diabetic and the doctors claim that is why I have boils. My doctor oftern chooses not to see me and calls in the script. The only reason I have pain medication is because I have a degenerative disk disease. I am unable to work and many of my relationships are strained due to being contagious. I live in fear my mother or son will get an infection. It is very depressing and often a sense of no hope. I thank you for having a place to share my story. God bless to all the survivors and their families.

Meritt – 60 yrs old

My father Meritt died of sepsis in 9/27/07. He was the greatest father anyone could ever have. He had surgery to drain fluid from his lungs and he was in the ICU and a day later he seems to be doing well, sitting up and eating. The next day he talks to us and we go back in the evening and he is in a coma and never wakes up again to talk to us. Three days later he is going to have surgery again and his gall bladder is removed and they do not find anything else. We do not leave the waiting room and he passes quickly. We receive the death certificate, which states cause of death – sepsis a term we never heard from anyone. This is so sad and it happens daily and alot of people have not heard of it. I hope my story helps someone down the road.

Roni – 53 years old

I want to thank you for everything you are doing to let America know about this deadly disease. I was diagnosed with MRSA in 2005. I had a bad case of pneumonia that ended up leaving me a paraplegic. Since then I have been on IV vancomycin at home twice and in the hospital once and had pneumonia again in March of 2008. I had surgery Aug.22 for a pressure sore on my back side and am on IV vanco. It is very scary as you never know when it will hit you again or if my family is going to get it. I’ve learned more about MRSA because of you then from my doctors and hospital. I have develped also another condition that I will have for the rest of my life, it is called bullous pemphigold. I develop blisters all over my body and they are very painful. It is a very rare disease and I am on prednisone which prevents the healing of wounds and can limit my ability to fight off infections. I feel that no matter which way I turn, I am damned for the rest of my life.

Cheryl

I got MRSA after a torn rotator cuff surgery on my left shoulder. Doctors ignored all my symptoms and I finally went to the hospital and was admitted and nearly died. I was 11 days in the hospital. Came home for 3 days then back in for 8 more days. Went home and two months later huge bumps appeared on my left shoulder and had 5 more surgeries and a 2 week stay in the hospital, 2 picc lines and very expensive antibiotics for 8 months. The past 7 months I have been infection free. I sleep more now than I ever have.

Anonymous

I had suffered TEN ( toxic epidermal necrolysis) and was in an induced coma for 3 months at Harborview Hospital in Seattle. They told me I had pneumonia 3 times but never mentioned MRSA to me or my family. I went to a naturopath who read my chart and informed me I had MRSA twice, one while in the burn unit, and once in rehab, where I had a non-infected roommate because of my picc line. The hospital apologized for not telling me about the MRSA, but says it is no big deal.

Anonymous

In October, 2001 I went to the Mayo Clinic (St. Luke’s Hospital) in Jacksonville, FL for open-heart surgery. I was told that I would be there 6 days. The surgeon punctured my stomach in two places and my stay became 5 weeks as my lungs collapsed, contracted MRSA, peritonitis, pneumonia and my gall bladder stopped working. I went home as a decrepit invalid with drainage bottles hanging from me, infected with invasive candidiasis and suffering from excruciating painful bedsores with a painful wound in my abdomen, which would not heal

Janice, 60 yrs old

In Feb., 2007 I was admitted to the hospital with MRSA and I came close to dying and still feel traumatized by it. I was diagnosed with Psoriatic Arthritis ( an auto-immune disease) 5 years ago and I was being treated with a biologic IV medication once a month and that is how I believe I contracted MRSA. My arm began to ache and went to the ER and they game me pain medication and the next day it was worse and I had flu-like symptoms and went back to the ER as the pain was increasing and moved to my shoulder and back. They did a blood culture and I went home, the next day they called me back, admitted me and put in the ICU, where I remained for 6 days. I had MRSA, pneumonia and heart failure, went on vanco and survived.

It was the most terrifying and awful experience of my life and as I processed what happened to me I thought, “Please God, don’t let me die like that”. Not being able to breathe, drowning and knowing you’re dying is horrifying and no one should have to experience this, especially when it is preventable. For two years since surviving MRSA, I’ve been in individual and group counseling, treated for depression and PTSD. I’m not over it yet and maybe never will be. I’m certainly not the same person I was.

BJ, La Quinta, CA

I was taken to the ER at JFK Hospital in indio, CA and an infection was suspected and my blood level had dropped to 70%. An IV was put in my arm in the ER and I was kept overnight. The next day i went home. Four days later I returned with a swollen right arm and was admitted, put in isolation and put on a couple of antibiotics. I was there 18 days. I was in very good health until then. This was in october of 2007. I continued the antibiotic after going home for a week. The medical bills totaled almost $100,000. I was not asked to pay a cent and asked my insurance company about it, at times weeping. They said not to worry, that I would not have to pay anything.

I would like to say that in researching MRSA after I was home that the CDC and even hospitals were not forthright about the stats, the situation and the seriousness of MRSA. They were tight lipped and authorized statements contained mis-information in and out of the government. it must not be tolerated. I wonder also, how close I came to dying? How sick was I? I got my medical records and they are brief, illegible and not at all comprehensive. The hospital kept sending administrators in to talk with me. I told them I would continue to refuse to talk to them without my attorney and insurance company representative present. They finally left me alone.

Jennifer 28 yrs old

For the past year I have been to the doctor at least a dozen times for different infections. Every time I would leave his office with a new antibiotic and be back at his office two weeks later. I was so fed up with this run-around and I had a boil on my arm. My doctor told me it was a spider bite and to keep it covered and take the antibiotics. Four days later I woke up with hives and I had my boyfriend rush me to the doctor. Finally, the doctor took a culture and it was MRSA. I was horrified, scared and angry. I was angry because I put my life in the hands of a doctor and having a disease that I know could have been fatal, it was upsetting. I understand now why I had so many infections. I hope that one day docotrs will be more cautious and aware of what they are dealing with. I have no idea how I contracted this disease, my doctor actually suggested that I might have gotten it from the doctor’s office. Scary!

Cami

In July of 2006 my 3 yr old son woke up feeling achy and with not much energy. We thought he had a cold and the next day he woke up screaming in severe pain and could not walk. We went to the hospital and by the time we got there he was going in and out of consciousness. His temp was 105.3 and he was laboring to breathe. Whatever he was battling was in his lungs, kidneys and the MRI showed spots all over his body. We spent a hirrific night listening to his screams of agony. Our 3 yr old son was telling us he was going to die. Within 2 days he was in an ICU unit in a coma and stayed that way for 3 weeks. He underwent several operations to cut out the infection from his muscles and bones. He spnt his 4th birthday in a coma. We had wonderful doctors that gave him a cocktail of antibiotics which slowly turned the tide of the infection. We spent the summer at the Children’s Hospital and the fall administering antibiotics in a picc line three time a day. He learned to walk again and build his strength. He fought hard and we are so luck we have him, so many times MRSA goes the other way. Now he is happy and a healthy 5 yr old who plays soccer, does Tae Kwon Do and loves music.

11 yr old Female

My daughter was 11 at the time ans came to me with pain on her leg the looked like a spider bite. She said it had been there for 4 days and I sent her to school. At 11:30am I received a call from the school saying my daughter was running a fever and had been sleeping. I picked her up and the spot on her ankle was twice the size. Her entire leg from the knee down was swollen three times its normal size. She had a fever of 104 and was admitted to the hospital and put on IV antibiotics. She recovered and six months later she had an area on her arm that looked like a spider bite and I took her to her doctor and again it was MRSA , but do to an early intervention she just had to take an antibiotic and have the area drained. She was screened for MRSA and was a carrier and was decolonized. My son had an area on his knee and it looked liked exzema and it tested positive for MRSA. He was put on an antibiotic and it healed. I am really thankful for this site.

Kim

My daughter was not feeling well and the next day she had a fever and complained of an ear ache. We took her to the doctor and he said no ear infection. We returned to the doctor as her pain had increased and again – no ear infection and the next day she could not hear and we went back to the doctor and then they see the ear infection. She has pale scaly hands and we go to the ER and they start an IV and then later we went home. She had yellow-greenish discharge in her pants the next day and we go back to the ER and they said for her to go to her GI appt. and the doctor did a culture of the discharge. She later had red bumps on her legs and getting more red and the red bumps now have white heads on them. The white heads disappeared, but her vaginal area is looking very red and alot of discharge. The doctor called and said that she had MRSA and started her on Bactrim. She got a rash, but the discharge stopped and her vaginal area improved and the red marks on her legs and arms improved. One year later her older sister had vagibal dischare and also had MRSA. We had everyone cultured. My biggest fear is that my little girls will be colonized through to adulthood and am petrified that infections will happen again. I know that my daughter ended up with this from the hospital.

Patti

I was in a motorcycle accident in 07 and separated my shoulder and fractured my tibia and fibula and had serious muscle and tissue damage. I was in the hospital for 3 1/2 weeks and had 11 surgeries to clean and reconstruct the muscle, implant a rod in my leg and insert pins in my shoulder. A few months later I was diagnosed with MRSA and osteo and continued treatment and the doctor said it is very hard to treat and the infection was preventing healing. Amputation might ocurr and I had 3 courses of IV antibiotics in 26 weeks and also Bactrim and told I might have to take it for the rest of my life. My wound was still open and draining and not healing. In 08 I took Allimax ( stabilized allicin) and within 3 weeks the infection began to heal. I was able then to have surgeries to remove the rod and have grafting done. I also did hyperbaric oxygen therapy in my recover plan and did 20 sessions. At the end of 2008 I stopped taking Bactrim and was just taking Allimed and my lab work came back normal. I am 11 months now MRSA free and thrilled to be walking again without any signs of infection.

Kayla – 18 yrs old

I have had MRSA four times and have been treated with multiple antibiotics for it and afte a couple of weeks they do not work. It has been a very painful and upsetting experience for me. The first time I got it it was under my arm and my doctor put gauze in to let it drain and for 20 days I had to keep pulling the gauze out and then I got it again. Then I got it on my buttocks and then by my hip. I do not wish MRSA on anyone, not even my worse enemy. I do not know where I got it from and my brother got it on his neck, my aunt got it, one of her sons got it on his hip and one of her daughters had it in her bloodstream and it was eating away at her femur and she was in the hospital for 2 1/2 weeks. She had five surgeries and was sent home on a picc-line – she is 8 yrs old. She is still healing from it. MRSA can be a very painful experience for all ages, healthy or unhealthy – anyone can get it.

June – 60 yrs old

I live in Kentucky and in 07 and broke my ankle and I had it cultured and I had MRSA. I went to my doctor and he cleaned it out and sutured it and said nothing about MRSA. I went to another doctor and he said I could lose my leg if not my life and I was placed on a picc line with antibiotics and admitted to the hospital. My temp spiked to 104 and was told my port site was infected and had to have another picc line put in. I developed sepsis and pneumonia and finally was discharged and placed on home treatment. My wound site healed, but my ankle foot and leg continued to swell and I was told I had to have the hardware removed because was MRSA was on the hardware. I continued to have swelling and it got progressively harder to walk. I had a MRI and x-ray done and the cartilage had been destroyed and I was walking on bone-on-bone. I had surgery, an open left ankle arthrosesis and then therapy. I developed a blood clot was readmitted. I am very upset that my first surgeon neglected to tell me that I had MRSA. If I had been told as soon as the culture came back, maybe all of this could have been avoided. I am slowing getting on my feet and hopefully one day I will be able to do all the things I use to be able to do. God bless all of those who have suffered like situations and a special thanks to you, Jeanine who fights for change. Hopefully, the day will come that no person will have to tolerate the ignorance of some medical professionals.

Chuck – Columbus, OH

My mother (80) went to the hospital for surgery to remove fat tissue around a hernia and she became ill after surgery. She was so white and pale all over. The next morning doctors had to redo the surgery to remove something inside her. My mother became weaker in the recovery room. Mom was to suffer for 1/1/2 yrs and then she found out she had pancreatic cancer and 8 weeks later she died. Who will be charged because my mom got MRSA? My dad has to pay all the medical expenses and bills. Her skin my her stomache never healed – it was 2-3 inches open and 10 inches long. Nurses aides came to her house 3 times a week for the entire time to change her dressings and she suffered from so much pain. Bless my mother for her pain and suffering. My dad and brothers and sisters were in pain for her. May God bless Mom to be in heaven. Love you Mom.

34 yr old female

I live in Wisconsin and suffer from Ankylosing Spondylitis that destroyed my hip bones and I needed hip replacement surgery.The first one went well and after the second surgery I had seepage in my stitches and the doctor kept telling me it was ok. Something didn’t feel right in my leg and when I took off my pants blood and pus was everywhere. I called my doctor, but he did not return my call and the next day we went to his office. My doctor sent me right to the hospital and they told me there that I had a serious infection and a 50/50 chance of surviving the surgery and I may lose my leg also. After the surgery I was screaming in pain and I had another surgery a a non-walking spacer was put in. In April 09 I had the spacer removed (different hospital) and was on a picc line for 9 weeks and told that best I could expect is to walk with a cane or limp. I am still using a wheelchair most of the time and need knee replacement surgery. I am very angry at having to deal with this disease that was given to me.

Stephanie – 28 yrs old

I am a mother of 4 boys, and I have always been healthy. In 2008 I got sick in January and every month after that I was on antibiotics, In July of 2009 I got a lump in my right thigh and had it removed. 2 days later it became infected and pus came out if it and it had to be lanced. I found out it was MRSA. Two of my boys got it and my boyfriend. I love when my doctors tell me I am exception and was told that IV drugs are the only way I have for a chance to live. I look into my boys faces and I get sad, will I ever see them graduate from high school? I am thankful that I found your web site and this gives me hope. I am getting remarried on Oct. 24th and glad I’m doing it in a month the spotlights MRSA. Thank you for letting me share with you my story.

Sara -42, Pensacola, FL

6 months ago, i almost died from a MRSA abscess in my pelvic bone. A little history is necessary, to understand the way I was treated by 2 different hospitals. I am a recovering IV drug addict, so when I woke up one morning, I was in extreme pain in my hip. Thinking I was having a sciatica flare up, I took some ibuprofen and went back to bed. After sleeping until 2pm, I got up and I could barely even walk. At 3pm, I was back in my bed, and didn't leave it again for 22 days, except for the 2 rides to the hospital in an ambulance, where I was pulled out of my room on a tarp. I only had a slight fever, but my viral signs were in the stroke /heart attack range. The hospital sent me home both times, saying I was just seeking drugs, even though I had been clean for 31/2 years at the time. So I laid in bed a total of 22 days and got sicker. I had started to pray for death. My mom is the one who saved my life. She knew I had given up and she said she could see I was about to die. She called my GP and told her what was going on, then an ambulance, since the doctor admitted me and ordered the tests before I even left the house. I had an internal MRSA abscess and ostemyelitis in my hip leg and pelvic bone. I was in the hospital for 2 months and in a physical rehab for 2 1/2 more. Learning how to walk and take care of myself again. The doctor said I got the MRSA from my past drug use. And it is able to stay in the body for years and show up anywhere. It's been 6 months and I have pain everyday still. The worst thing I have ever been through

Nicole 17 - Washington

When I was 11 I had it gotten what I thought was a spider bite under my arm pit on my left arm but it slowly started getting bigger and bigger and fluids were leaking out of it. Me and my family thought it was just an infected bug bite but one night when I was so dizzy I collapsed and couldn't move and my fever was 103, my family rushed me to emergency care where the doctors immediately put me on a stretcher to a room. I barely remember any of it, I was told more by my mom. The doctors put at least 5 IV's in me and I remember becoming slightly conscious and hearing the doctors scurry and rush as they were worried about the infection because it was right near my heart. After being given morphine I don't remember the rest. I spent the next couple weeks fixing what had turned from a bug bite to a gaping hole a little bigger then a quarter oozing all sorts of fluids. I had to get surgery done on it often to remove all the dead tissue, and bathing in alcohol to make sure I was sterilized. I almost failed my 6th grade year from it. I also got rashes of similar looking bug bites all over my body. But thankfully I fully recovered but I always have the scar to remind me. If I had waited any longer to get treated it could have spread to my heart, please, don't ignore odd looking infections!!=

Jenni, 46 from Saginaw Michigan

As I laid down for bed I got a stabbing pain in my left shoulder blade. During the night broke out with a fever. For 3 days I thought I had the flu. On Mothers Day I finally had my mom take me to E.R. after having been there twice the weekend before for stabbing pains on my left side in which the second visit I was treated for constipation and sent home. I felt great up until that Thursday night I fell ill.

I was finally admitted as my blood tests were positive for MRSA. It had infected my blood and was attempting to work its way towards my heart. It was infecting my joints and tissue. My right collar bone became a breeding ground for the bacteria causing a large cyst to devolope on my neck. While waiting for the surgeon to schedule me for surgery to remove the cyst I underwent almost every kind of test including 2 nuclear body scans that made me even more ill. In the end they drained 8ccs of fluid from the cysyt and a 7mm mass. Now lets talk about pain, not even Dilauded was relieving the pain at times, and there were moments I couldn't even move becauae of the pain in my shoulders, yes both although only one became infected. I stayed 11 days in the hospital and was sent home with a picline for antibiotic that I have to administer to myslef, along with daily woundcare for the incision. I am homebound until further notice. Its been difficult to do certain daily household tasks. I take for granted my ability to move freely without pain but In am lucky to be alive. Doctors told me if I had waited another day that I would probably have not lived to see another day.

Juli -10

She has a history of Rheumatic Fever that also had a rash. We believe she got MRSA from a stethoscope put directly on a rash without clothing or a sheet to cover the stethoscope at her doctor's office. The incubation period for MRSA is 1 to 10 days. A huge boil (larger than a 1/2 dollar) appeared over her heart area of her chest just five days after seeing her pediatrician. The pediatrician says she cleaned the stethoscope but she did not clean it in front of us. She said she cleans them in the hall but that would mean that she touches the door and then touches the stethoscope so it probably wouldn't be clean. We were home bound due to our child's non MRSA illness except for the pediatrician's office during that time period. Infection Control confirmed it was MRSA and treated it with a strong oral antibiotic and topical antibiotic on the site and up the nose too. We can't prove it but the lesson is that all stethoscopes need to be cleaned between patients and in front of the patient just like hands. There are also stethoscope covers that could possibly saves the lives of children and adults. Grateful we caught it early and that an appointment had already been set up with Infection Control for her strep infection which got us help just five days after her exposure. All patients should insist that every medical device is cleaned or comes out of a sterile package. I could not pass by this website without sharing this in hopes that it could help others. Doctors have challenging jobs and are often required to see patients in 15 minute time blocks to meet quotas which I think could set them up for not having time to clean stethoscopes. Please don't use parents' first or our last name. We live in the Midwest of the USA. Since telling friends about my daughter, I have already heard of two deaths from MRSA in people who were healthy but unlucky to not catch it in time.

Jonathon - Norman, OK 42

I am writing this in hopes that it will help me work out what I am going through. If this does not help I am not sure how I am going to get through this ordeal especially if my case turns out like so many of the others I have seen and I suffer from another attack. Mine started after I visited a few friends at a summer camp for kids. I hung out that day and drove home that afternoon and later in the day felt an enormous amount of pain in my upper inner thigh and in my right testicle. At first I thought I had pulled something while walking around camp so I ignored the small sore that appeared on my right testicle thinking it an ingrown hair and the pain in my leg was from a pulled muscle. After a week I woke up one morning writhing in horrible pain in my testicle. Thinking I had maybe a hernia or something I went in to the ER. After hours being there they diagnosed me with epididymitis and sent me home with anti-biotics and pain meds with instructions to come back in two days if things were not better. Well things got extremely worse. After about 12 hours my right testicle started swelling. By 9 AM Monday morning it was the size of a baseball, 12 PM the size of a softball, by 8 am Tuesday morning the size of a croquet ball and by the time I made it to the hospital at 11PM it was the size of a cantaloupe. Returning to the ER they determined that the testicle was infected and I was septic and required emergency surgery. They still had not diagnosed the MRSA yet. So the performed emergency surgery, cut open my testicle and stuffed it full of surgical bandage to allow for drainage. The process was extremely painful and left me horribly disfigured from swelling in the genitalia to the point where I could not use the restroom without medical assistance. The next day the surgeon realized I had MRSA and came to remove the bandage from the cavity created in my testicle during the surgery by grabbing the bandage and pulling until it all came out as he knew if the area did not drain the MRSA would spread. All the same that process was the single most painful experience of my life. I have gone through a windshield, hard broken bones re-broken and re-set and none of that made me scream and cry hysterically like that process did. After a week they decided I was clear enough to be allowed to go home but the recovery from the removal of the MRSA has left me insanely depressed and broken. I think the hardest part of this disease is the isolation. Even my wife was scared to be in the room with me. She would deny it but you could see the fear in her eyes and the way she flinched anytime I cam near her or touched her. All of my friends whom I have spent so many years loving and supporting suddenly coudlnt be bothered to even send an email, and of course my kids were told their daddy had a gross dirty disease and they couldnt let him touch them or they would get sick too. Now that I have read so many stories about the MRSA coming back it is almost more than I can bear. I do not know how I can survive another "treatment" of this disease much less the disease itself. All I can do is hope and pray it does not come back because this first episode has left me with truly traumatizing scars emotionally and physically and totally destroyed any hopes of enjoying any kind of physical intimacy with my wife in the future as even three weeks after the incident I am still in horrible pain from any kind of the faintest contact with that area of my body. Hoping

Karen 44

At the time I was 34 when I contracted MIRSA. I had gone to the hospital perfectly healthy to deliver my last child. I wanted to deliver naturally but was told I had to deliver by c section. I wasn't completely numb when the section began. I remember someone saying this will make you loopy next thing I can remember I woke up not knowing where I was or who the people were around me, especially my husband of 6 yrs. at the time I asked who the f are you? Apparently I had a fever of 106.7, my son was born in nov and i wasn't diagnosed until Feb.( hell is the only word to describe what I went through) I spent more time in the hospital being sick than at home with my newborn during that time and missed getting that crucial bonding time. The MIRSA was in my abdomen subsequently causing a hysterectomy. I have lost so much due to this illness . I have spent the last 10 yrs battling numerous infections including meningitis. I believe MIRSA is to blame however getting medical people to listen is virtually impossible. I pray for those who have gone through this illness and their families. Stay strong. I wish I had support during this time. I am still putting pieces if my life back together 10 yrs later. I wish I could understand what happened to me.

Jean

I happened upon your site and am pleased to find a survivors network for us. Surviving it is no small thing, as survivors know.

After getting the diagnosis of chronic refractory osteomyelitis (MRSA) in the bones of my right foot after trying to manage an ankle fracture which occurred 7 yrs and 11 surgical procedures previous, I was facing a Symes amputation as the bones in my foot were basically gone.

After 7 yrs & all the surgical procedures and getting nowhere except hooked on hydrocodone, I decided to make the 6 hr drive to Rochester MN to show up at the Mayo Medical Center, and it was at that time I learned how serious and rapid-traveling it is.

Against the advice of 2 surgeons, I chose hyperbaric oxygen therapy at Hennepin County's Medical Center, Minneapolis, MN.

After 40+ dives the infection was gone, and I asked to have my foot rebuilt. The surgeon at Mayo who advised against HBOT acknowledged the HBOT worked and agreed to reconstruct my foot. He did and it worked. These are 2 miraculous events. I wrote God Bless Minneapolis" a memoir of my 8 yr journey that healed my body and my soul.

I've been a frequent speaker relating my story to many medical professionals, veterans, and audiences from all walks of life.

My passion is now to share my experience in the hope it will help educate and inform. It is considered "alternative medicine."

My heart is with the veterans and I'm a tireless advocate to relieve the pain and injuries they endure as a result of protecting us.

Kayti, 24, Mississippi

I first got MRSA when I was 19. I had just given birth to my first son via c-section. The hospital stay was great. I came home with my bundle of joy happy as ever. My incision hurt pretty bad but I figured it was because I didn't like taking the pain meds and I would only take alieve. After a week I walked outside and the most unbearable pain hit me. Thinking maybe I just shouldn't be walking outside so much I sat down and started shivering. I covered up and my feet was freezing. We checked my temp and it was 103. Went to the ER and was told it was bronchitis. Came home for the weekend and then I went to my OBGYN. He took tweezers and took out one stitch and all u heard was gushing and the smell was horrible. He rushed me to the hospital across the street. Here I am with a child barely over a week old. They ran test. They did MRI. Come to find out it was MRSA staph. I was in the hospital for a week on antibiotics. I finally get released and I have wound care to go to. Plus home health that come out 3 times a week. Having to pack the incision and unpack the incision. That went on for 4 months. Finally got over it but still have regular staph flair ups a tleast 3 times a year.

DeJay 62 Delaware

DeJay is my Mother and was diagnosed with Lyme. After 17 YEARS of battling with the pain she finally found a Doctor that treated Lyme and worked. She had to get a port put in her chest to do blood transfusion's, first one got clogged. She went in on a Thursday to get the port redone. On Monday her fever spiked and she said she felt like she had the flu. That following Friday morning I found her laying on the kitchen floor, stuck because she had passed out and didn't have the strength to get up. She ended up going to the hospital then and that Monday passed away October 5, 2015. She was infected with MRSA, and passed in just over a week.

Henry, 58, TN

Then in 2010 I began to feel bad again, my man made artery became clogged and the Vanderbilt doctors admitted me again and cleaned the veins out (they did this like 4 times in the years between my first encounter with MRSA). After the "clean out", early the next morning I had a stroke (oh, btw, it was on my 60th birthday)! The doctors said the only way I could survive was to remove a portion of my skull so my brain could swell. They did that surgery and I began to recover. I had to wait about 12 wks before they would attempt to put my skull back. They finally did and within 2 wks the MRSAa was BACK! They had to remove the skull again! We waited another 10-12 weeks and they tried to put an artificial skull they had made on my head. Nope! Not even a week later it was infected also so it had to be removed! I refuse to let they do surgery on me anymore. I cannot go thru that again! Do I look strange, yes, a third of my brain is gone, part of skull but the MRSAa is either gone or dormant.... I will settle for that!

Regan. 17. Oklahoma.

I first came down with MRSA when I was 15, my freshman year at the beginning of the school year. It was on the side of my knee, and I was at the doctor 4 days out of the week because of it. I had no idea what it was. It started out as a small red itchy bump, very tender, then it got bigger. It turned yellow, purple, and white. On the 4th day I went to the doctor, they lanced the wound and let it drain and put me on the first antibiotic. I am allergic to the antibiotic but because of how serious MRSA can be, I still had to take it. Now I'm 17, almost 18, and have had MRSA 16 times in the past 2 years. All of the boils have been on my face besides 2 of them. I've had one on the side of my knee, and one on the joint in the back of my knee. All the other 14 boils have popped up on my face. The doctors in Oklahoma don't know what to do anymore and I'm already on the second medication. The next resort is putting a pump in my stomach to have medicine pumped through throughout the day. I have a spot growing in my eyebrow right now, and all they've done is give me a topical antibiotic that has done nothing but make the boil become more irritated and tight. I hate living in fear that someday, one of these boils is going to erode through my frontal bone and infect my brain and that's it for me. I wouldn't wish this pain, or living in fear on anyone. I pray for everyone who has suffered or is suffering from this horrible disease.

Gareth

My mother was the first in my family to get HA MRSA. She was in the hospital because she had aspirated on something and they were checking her lungs for fluid. After scoping her, the doctor came back and told her and my father that she had a "special bug" in her lungs and they found it when they tested the scope for bacteria after the procedure. Well, my parents thought nothing of it at first, how bad could a "special bug" be. Then, suddenly all hospital personnel that entered the room were completely dressed in gowns, masks, and gloves. My parents became very upset and asked what was going on. That's when they were told that my mother had MRSA and would be receiving antibiotics in her IV. So, she slowly recovered, but wasn't very healthy to begin with. Several years later in 2006, my mother who was invalid by then, fell out of bed and hurt her shoulder. She complained for a couple days of the pain. Then she got a fever, so we took her to the hospital. They gave her pain medicine and oral antibiotics and sent her home. Then, 24 hours later her fever was higher and we took her back and they admitted her, thanks to her doctor, who knew it was more that just pain. The did a bunch of test and because she had history with MRSA, they did blood cultures. During that time she suddenly became septic. They did a MRI and found MRSA on her pacemaker and her one of her heart valves. So, she got IV antibiotics for several days and they replaced the pacemaker. But, the MRSA in the heart never went away, so they went ahead and did open heart surgery on her, even though she was very weak. The surgery and numerous antibiotics resulted in more problems, fluid on her lungs, kidney failure and liver problems. She passed away 30 days after the heart surgery, while she was in a rehab facility. By that time, she could think clearly and was dependent on oxygen. The day she died she removed the oxygen mask. No one was there, so we don't know if she got confused and just tired. I wish that was the end of my story, but my husband has been battling it for over 10 years.

Teresa

I thought I was having a reaction from a flu shot-I had the chills a backache and a low fever-I left work and could barely drive home-I went directly to bed the next day I felt worse, I had no energy and could barely move-I called my GP and he was able to see me that day-I told him about back pain and at this point my temperature was 105 he t said we need to get you admitted to the hospital immediately-this was during the Ebola outbreak -so you can imagine how scared I was when I was asked if I had traveled abroad -I told them I had recently been on a cruise-I was put in quarantine the backpain I had been experienced was from a sore on my lower buttocks-it was later confirmed to be MRSA - I had two surgeries to remove the MRSA and a hospital stay of 7 days they had a hard time getting my temperature down-I was listless and tired put on IV antibiotic and given morphine. When the doctors came in the room they were all dressed in head to cover It was very scary. When I was told about it being MRSA and how it is contacted I felt so dirty-but I am a clean person and was told I could have contacted it at the gym I attended or possibly on the cruise ship itself they had no definitive way to say how I my have gotten it-I was very happy to come home but missed about a month of work due to this thing called MRSA-in a follow up visit to my GP he told me I was very lucky to have survived due to the severity of my case-

Kate

I was only eight years old when I was infected next to my heart.

I didn't tell my mom about the purple rash until it got swollen and incredibly painful. So she called the doctor and explained the situation.The doctor said it was only a bruise and to put some ice on it.

About a week later or so the rash turned black.Pitch black.I was terrified but mom thought it would go away on its own.

Unfortunately that wasn't the case.So my grandma told my mom to take me to the doctor but instead she took me to her work where one of her friends looked at it.She pulled up my shirt and dropped it immediately.Her eyes were so wide and she looked terrified.She told my mom to take me to the ER and that's exactly what she did.

When I got to the ER I asked my dad if I was gonna be ok.He said I was in good hands but I was still scared. When we got into the doctors office I wanted to scream.I didn't want them to poke me with anything.But I had no choice but to stay.At least the doctor was nice

He lifted up my shirt and had the same expression as moms friend did.Shear terror. He brought my mom out to the hallway and she returned with tears in her eyes.Thats when I heard the news.I had to have surgery to get it removed now or I will die.And I wouldn't have died in a few months.No I had less than a few days before it would claim my life.

I had my procedure that night and had an IV inserted into my hand.Im severely allergic to Anesthetic so all night I was throwing up.The next morning I got to go home and recover.At the time I was too young but now I realize that if my grandma didn't tell my mom to take me to the doctor I wouldn't be here telling this story.So moral of the story is if you think something's wrong GO TO THE DOCTOR!!!

Josephine ,-52 - New Jersey

I had contracted MRSA in an inner city hospital in New Jersey . I spilt deteriorated going various to various specialists and walk in clinics maybe 15 to 20 times . I developed eczema and was denied gloves by the workplace as well as an employee turning off the ventilation all the time . A month before I had it I as given Bactrim as a medication , the doctor ruled out MRSA with a pus on my back .

MRSA went into my blood , skin , bacterial gastroenteritis and was hospitalized for 3 days and 10 days of vancomycin . To top it all my supervisor blamed it on my other job on weekends , but I stopped working on weekends for 2 months .i developed frequent depression, i don't like crowds and just started working with me as the only PT in a private practice . It's not easy as I'm the one holding my family together . My husband and my 2 kids are ADHD . One day at a time .

Jordyn-17 Michigan

In the summer, I went to a beach with my friends and as soon as we got to the beach I set down the umbrella and went to go see how warm the water was, I tripped on the umbrella and cut my toe open pretty badly, I thought, "it's ok ill tape it up with the first aid kit from the beach shack" a week or so later It was still hurting so I went to my primary care physician and he didn't do anything, Just looked and said "it's just bruised, keep it elevated until the swelling goes down" he didn't even take an x-ray to see if it was broken. Another week passed and I went to urgent care when it was still incredibly painful,swollen and red. They said it was an infected abscess and drained it without numbing it, which caused me the worst pain I've ever felt. Next, they sent me home without doing a bacterial culture and only giving me a 10 day antibiotic. On the tenth day I decided to go back to the urgent care, noticing that the wound was now much worse looking but feeling less painful, thinking they would just give me 10 more days of antibiotics I was shocked when they said "you need to go to the hospital" once admitted, I found out I had MRSA that had infected my flesh and the bones in my toe, after three days of agonizing pain from being poked and injected with harsh IV antibiotics I finally told the doctors that if they were going To do surgery I'd rather just have it cut off and have all the infection gone than be on vancomycin for a month and probably still not get the infection out of the bone, two more days later I left the hospital with one less toe than I came in with. =

Elizabeth – 2- Pryor, OK

When I was 12 I had gone to my dad's house for a week to visit him. He had what looked like a boil on his knee, but I didn't know what it was. The same type of boil appeared below my left eye and he tried to squeeze it, but it got more violent. The boil came up on Wednesday, but by the time I was back with my mother, my left eye was completely swollen shut and my right eye was swollen almost completely shut. My mother immediately rushed me to the doctor and I was put on antibiotics. My face cleared up and everything seemed to be normal. A few months later in November, I got a physical and a flu shot for basketball. Over the course of a couple weeks I started having pains in my right ankle and kind of limping. It got progressively worse and the Friday before Thanksgiving I got sick and started running a fever. I was sick through the weekend and the limping turned into no use in my right leg because the pain was so excruciating. Tuesday, my mom took me to the doctor and he prescribed me Vicodin saying I had body aches from a really bad flu virus. By the end of the day Tuesday, I was screaming bloody murder and couldn't walk at all. I rolled myself onto the floor and drug myself through the house crying for my parents until they finally heard me and carried me to the car and took me to Pryor ER. They ran tests but, the only thing that seemed off was that my white blood cell count was so high, which meant there was an infection of some kind, but no telling what. Wednesday I was even worse. My parents drove me to my primary doctor in Claremore again to get some answers. By this time, I was in so much pain that every bump in the road that shifted the car in any way hurt and I was begging for them to let me die. We got to the doctors office and because of the holiday, I wouldn't be seen by the doctors but they wanted blood tests. I was too agonizing to get out of the car so the technicians came out to the car and drew my blood for testing, but again because of the holiday the results possibly wouldn't be in until Friday or possibly even Monday. My family was furious and decided on the way back to Pryor to just take me straight to the ER again. By the time the nurses got me into my room, my lips were turning blue and my oxygen level had dropped to the mid to low 80's (normal is about 100), my blood pressure was through the roof, my white blood cell count had gone through the roof, a test was done to check the level of inflammation in my joints and the results were astronomical. A blood culture was taken and it grew in 13 hours (normally takes 24 to 48 hours) the infection was so violent. The ER staff had me doped up on morphine and a bunch of other pain meds but nothing touched the pain. I was ambulanced in the middle of the night to Saint Francis Children's hospital in Tulsa where they put me in a room and treated my symptoms. All sorts of tests were ran like an ultrasound on my liver, chest x-ray, blood tests, x-ray on my right leg where it all started, you name it they ran it. Theories accumulated about my condition like leukemia, childrens rheumatoid arthritis, but no one knew what was really wrong or if I was going to live let alone walk ever again. A doctor from the ICU was looking for a patient's x-rays and stumbled across mine. He said he had like a gut instinct and spoke to my parents with the theory that I had internal MRSA. They sent me to the ICU and tests came back proving that's what it was. When my dad squeezed that boil on my face over the summer, he drained some of it but also pushed some back into my blood stream. My immune system fought it down the growth plate in my ankle and laid dormant for months until I got the flu shot. My immune system completely shut down after trying to fight off the MRSA and fight off the flu and when it did shut down, the MRSA started eating through the bone in my right leg. My blood stream carried it throughout the rest of my body and my body became septic. The doctors decided to put me into a coma to try and let my body heal itself with the help of medication. By the time I was put under, I had 10 to 12 different machines hooked up to me with a cooling blanket and the dialysis machine on standby. They talked about amputating my right leg and about IF I came out of the coma, I could very possibly be a vegetable or at least not ever be able to walk again. My blood pressure was through the roof, I had a fever of 107.3 (your body starts to cook itself at 106), my heart was enlarged, I had double pneumonia, pancreatitis, I had to have 2 blood transfusions and narrowly missed dialysis, along with various other symptoms. I was kept in a chemically induced coma for 10 days, was in the ICU for 2 weeks, and was in the hospital for a month total. I had been admitted into Saint Francis children's Thanksgiving morning and walked out of the hospital December 23rd. I experienced drop foot so even now my feet turn in when I walk, I had to relearn to walk. I was so weak, I couldn't pick up a jug of milk or walk upstairs. I wasn't allowed to return to school until February because of my lack of an immune system. I wasn't allowed to return to sports until the end of March/beginning of April. I had a broviac port in my chest that I had to have IV meds administered through at home. All in all, I am just so thankful to be alive and I honestly believe I have a purpose on this Earth to have survived that. Because the MRSA was all internal, no one could figure out what was wrong with me. It was an absolute miracle that my parents took me to the hospital the second time because I would have died that night if they didn't. And it was also a miracle that the ICU doctor came across my x-rays and felt the need to help me. I can't ever thank my family and every nurse, doctor, tech, paramedic, EMT, friend, and everyone else in between enough for everything they did to save my life.

Christian-32
Otto-2
Delilah-1
Northern California

August 2013, was my husbands first battle with MRSA. At somepoint he contracted MRSA, i took him to the ER because it seemed as if he was haveing heart problems (shallow breathing, cold hands, clamy,etc). That night he was admitted. It took doctors days to figure out was wrong, he had gone septic with MRSA causing MRSA Endocarditis (the mrsa had attacked his heart). After six weeks in the hospital and another six going to the hospital daily for pic line infusions he was a "survivor". Then it hit again 2015 my husband spent another 3 weeks in the hospital and had surgery on his upper ribcage area. A few months later my son, at one, visited the ER for lancing of an MRSA boil. Then December of 2015 my husband spent another 2 weeks in the hospital with another surgery, on his bum. 2016, Our last experience was my little girl at 8 mo visited the ER for an MRSA outbreak. I dont know what is harder as a Mom and wife, watching my kids go through this all and worrying about every little boo-boo or watching my husband beat himself up over thinking he brought this pain to our kids. MRSA scares me, I just pray the antibiotics keep working and the germaphobe that I have become, keeps the monster MRSA away.

George - Chicago area

Diagnosed with sepsis in July 2016. Admitted to the hospital with a blood pressure reading of 74, a heart rate of 126, a fluctuating temperature of 98 - 103, level 10 pain in my left leg, and could not walk. My sepsis was brought on from cancer surgery complications I had the month before (June 2016), that were left untreated. Total sepsis hospital time was 17 days. At one point, I was transferred to a medium care facility for rehab. And was sent back to the hospital after a few days because of complications. I survived thanks to many things

including: God's intervention, a loving family, timing and luck as I was diagnosed in an early stage, an infectious disease doctor who reacted quickly and knew his stuff, a hospital that understood sepsis and took an aggressive approach towards treating it, and my own will and determination to accept nothing short of my well-being and getting my life back. I also created a diary of my experience. I believe writing about it helps me deal with it.

Afterwards I suffered from several things. I had a bout with depression.

The ordeal my family went through was too much to bear for me at times.

After I got home I started to take in all that happened and it shook me. I eventually came to grips with what had gone on, and realized I needed to move on, or drive myself crazy. Immersing myself in work kept my mind away from dwelling on the negative. Hair loss, unprovoked pain and muscle soreness are still a constant nemesis for me. I accept it as a consequence of my illness and look towards the days ahead when it diminishes or goes away. I hope to be able to help someone, someday, who is going through what I experienced. No matter how dire and bad things are, you have to believe and accept there's light at the end of every tunnel. Keep walking and crawling towards it and you'll be fine.

Sara - 20 Pennsylvania, USA.

My 7th grade year in school and had gone to Delaware with my family as we did every year at the end of the school year. We stayed for a week and the last day i was there i developed a small bump on under my right arm. It was literally in my armpit on the ball of my joint. I figured it was just an infected hair or mosquito bite. Then, within a week, it suddenly became bigger and extremely painful (felt like my arm was going to break anytime i tried putting it down to normal resting position). 2 more boils popped up overnight and my mom took me to the doctors. They did a culture and drained the large boil. It was horrific to see the different colors of puss come out while i was only 13. My doctor questioned me on where i could have gotten it from and decided i probably got it from school or the beach. So i waited for the results to come back and meanwhile my grandmother got me some antibacterial band-aid patches to cover my arm so i wouldn't leak everywhere. The results were positive for mrsa but my doctor had already said she thought that's what it was but had to check to be sure. They gave me antibiotics to take and it cleared up no problem(other than the nasty scars i still have). Fast forward a few months to my 8th grade year and i woke up for school and i felt that same bone crushing pain i felt when i had the boils under my arm on my right thigh. I took my pajamas off and looked and my leg and there it was! Another boil right on my thigh and it was huge! Not as big as the one under my arm but it formed literally overnight. I told my mom and she took me back to the doctors right away because we had been informed if it comes back it could be more serious. They cultured the boil and it was mostly white/yellow until they got to the bloody part with the core and it was a deep purplish color. They swabbed my nose and they were both positive for mrsa. So they gave me more antibiotics and told me to get the special soap for it. So i did and it cleared up no problem again. It's been 6 years since then and I've been checked again for it recently because I'm pregnant and that was a concern. Negative results so hopefully mine has gone away for good.

Amanda – 29 Durnham, NC

When I acquired MRSA I was a healthy 29 year old with no prior medical conditions living in Durham, NC. I thought I had the flu (fever, chills, aching, vomiting, diarrhea) and went to Urgent Care. The flu swab was negative so the doctor gave me fluids for dehydration and nausea meds and sent me home. Two days later I was still feeling ill but had traveled to visit my in-laws six hours away. I was still feeling very weak and vomiting but I noticed small, round red welts had popped up on my legs. My husband took me to the ER where I was started on a broad-spectrum antibiotic (Vancomycin) and admitted to the hospital. Tests were run (CT scans, blood cultures, a TEE) but initially the doctors really didn't know what was going on. I was in the ICU with sepsis (a blood infection) but they didn't know how it started.

The infection turned out to be MRSA and the source was vegetation on my heart valves (endocarditis) which broke off in pieces and spread emboli (clots) to the rest of my body. These emboli are what caused the skin lesions (welts) I had noticed on my legs. The sepsis, the emboli and even the side-effects of the antibiotics all waged a war on my body. Aside from the infection in my heart, I had pneumonia, which made it hard to breathe, an acute kidney injury, which made my kidneys hardly function and caused me to retain fluid, I also was unlucky enough to have septic emboli in my EYES of all places clouding my vision. The sepsis caused me to hallucinate and become irrational. I don't remember much but I do remember being flown to a larger hospital due to my increasingly unstable condition. Two chest tubes and two PICC lines (a large IV in my arm to deliver medications) and 27 days later I was discharged home. I was very scared to leave the hospital! I had four more weeks of IV antibiotics (Ceftaroline, the only one that didn't end up doing more harm than good) to self administer three times a day at home through my PICC. I also had home health nurses visit weekly. Gradually my life returned to normal. We did decontaminate ourselves with daily chlorhexidine showers and twice daily nasal application of Bactroban. After two weeks of this we bleached the house (its debatable wether this does anything, but I wanted to be sure I was rid of the MRSA). My only reminders of the infection are scars, "floaters" in my eyes, and a small amount of aortic valve regurgitation (heart murmur). I was very lucky. The doctors could never pinpoint exactly what caused the MRSA to enter my bloodstream but the best guess was through a dental procedure. I strongly encourage people to learn exactly what is going on in their bodies through asking the doctors tons of questions and asking about alternatives and side effects of treatment. Also, do not hesitate to mention any new symptoms you may be feeling as these could be significant. Have a family member take notes if this is helpful. Finally, WASH YOUR HANDS as this is the best way to prevent the spread of infections, and don't be afraid to go to the doctor if you think you are seriously ill! Best wishes to all!

Courtney 16

I'm 16 years old and a junior in highschool. A month ago I was lying in a hospital bed with no clear idea of why I was there. Little did I know of what MRSA can do to me. I was supposed to have gotten released the day after I was put into the hospital but the day I was supposed to be released my knee (where the boil was) started bleeding. We called for the doctor and he talked with my mother about our choices. The next day at four o'clock they came to get me for surgery. The infection ended up being in my knee joint; they had to go deeper than they thought they would. Last week I was doing a project for my science class and I fell on my bad knee. The next day it had a blister on it later that evening it poped so we thought I was okay. Yesterday another blister occurred on the exact place of the surgery; we contacted a family member who has worked with MRSA and they believe that it is having a set back on me. Please pray for me, that's all I'm asking for and thank you for letting me share my story with you and taking time out of your day to read it..

Matthew/Matty

Age: 31

Minnesota

I just got released yesterday after spending 5 days in the hospital. I went into urgent care thinking I had a stress fracture from running. At the end of my work shift my leg from the knee down was so swollen and I could barely put weight on it. I thought I'd get a walking boot and be on my way. He told me I needed to go to the ER right away. I had a 101.5 degree temperature and was dealing with a MRSA infection in my leg that most likely came from a small cut I got hiking in a jungle in Hawaii 2 weeks prior. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, I disinfected it and it healed fine. I was wrong. It took that much time for me to show symptoms.

Luckily the infection was localized to just the tissue in my leg. After trying the traditional route of antibiotics and no success my doctor had me start infusions of Vancomycin. I ended up doing 7 infusions they were 2-2.5 hours long over the span of 3 days. I had to get my IV constantly relocated because it was really hard on my veins. My leg is now back to normal size, no more redness or swelling, but is still somewhat sensitive to touch. I have 3 more days of oral antibiotics and should be in the clear after that. The doctor said I was lucky to have went in when I did. If I would have waited much longer my story could have taken a more drastic turn. Please go in if you feel something is off in your body. Especially you men out there. We tend to be stubborn but we need to remember to put our health first. Wishing you all the best!

Jodie 44 – Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

I went in for a hysterectomy. Shortly after I got an large boil/cyst in each ear and on my head. Never had such painful sores in my life and I swear I have a high pain tolerolerance. A friend of mine is also MRSA positive and told me it sounded like MRSA so I went to the doctor right away and it tested positive. I was place on Doxy pills and cream. Problem was the one cyst in the ear broke one night and drained down the tube that connected to your throat (sorry can’t remember the name). With daysI was coughing and choking badly on phlegm. Yep it got into my lungs, They added more MRSA antibiotics and steroids as I refused to go back to the hospital where got the stupid thing from and they did not really want me either. Weeks later I am still very short of breath and exhausted with no stamina. Worried as lymph nodes feel like they are swelling again. I am sure I am not over with this. On top of this I have an arthritic hip. I thought well on steroids I would at least get a break from the hip pain but it has actually been getting worse. Dr put me on celebrex but said if this does not help he need to take a sample to see if the MRSA has moved into the bursa. This sucks.

Douglas

My nose was swollen shut, the nasal septum was damaged. Excellent ENT doctors and antibiotics knocked it down. Surgery required to rebuild my nose. Ouch!

In 2013, a large abcess (2.5 inch diameter) developed on my buttocks. Friction from the gym seats and bacteria from many workouts resulted in another MRSA. I&D and antibiotics cocktail worked again. Wipe and clean every gym surface!

In 2014, another MRSA nose infection, but caught in time with antibiotics before it advanced further.

Each MRSA infection required additional types of antibiotics.

Being asplenic with Stage 3 Liver damage, infections develop quickly, and I must stay clean always.

Dave – 22 - Orange County, CA

I used to be a Division I athlete, and I got a sports-related injury which required a small abdominal surgery. I went to a specialist surgeon for the operation. The surgeon was great, but the hospital had an outbreak of MRSA infections (to which the hospital refuses to accept responsibility for their negligent cleaning procedures, which have led to lives lost and unnecessary pain for many). I was fine for about a day or two after the surgery; however, I started to develop a fever, lots of pain around the surgical area, and swelling around the wound. It took me about a week to realize that this was not normal post operative pain. It got to the point where I had massive swelling around my entire abdomen, a fever of 104, and delirious with pain before I went to the hospital; this disease comes on with speed and intensity unrivaled by other conditions. Do not wait to seek treatment, time can make huge difference for your long term recovery. When I finally decided to go to the hospital I couldn’t walk without assistance. I spent the next two weeks in the hospital, where I had another wonderful surgeon dredge the wound and remove the infected areas. They took a chunk of flesh with the dimensions of a deck of playing cards out of my abdomen. I had an IV with vancomycin going 24/7 for about two weeks and a tube connected to the wound that drained the abscess. One day you’re partying it up in college and winning championship rings, the next you’re on your back in the worst pain of your life sedated with enough opioids to take down an elephant. Life is weird like that. I recovered thankfully with the help of great surgeons, doctors, and nurses. It took several months of bedrest, a third surgery, and a menagerie of meds, but I eventually made it back to school. If you’re suffering with this disease currently, be an advocate for yourself, you can’t just let the hospital push you around. Get the care you need and do research to find the best professionals for getting the best treatment. Also, it is easy for people to fall into the trap of depression while in treatment. Frankly, I was morbidly depressed for six months, it was not a fun time. However, don’t let it beat you; there is hope at the end of the tunnel even if it seems very dark at the time. I’m fully recovered 2 years later, and not depressed anymore. In fact, I’ve found a new zeal for life. Still have some permanent scar tissue and nerve damage, but it could have been infinitely worse without great medical care and my parents help in finding a great surgeon to get me fixed right.

Mollee – 18 – So. Dakota

I got MRSA when I was a Sophomore in high school, 16 years old, and am now a Senior and 18 years old. My mother was in the hospital for about a week my sophomore year and I didn’t leave her side except to get clothes for her and to take a shower myself. She had been taking the antibiotic Bactrim and ended up being allergic to it and the doctors didn’t know but it caused fluid to build up around her heart. The Thursday night that we went to the ER we thought she was having a heart attack (she was only 38). Anyway I got these big pimples under my arms in my armpits and they hurt sooooo bad. Sweating made them hurt worse and then having your clothing rub and also having to put a backpack on was extremely difficult. The “pimples” grew to what looked like mini volcanos and were black and greyish and I would drain them and they would be filled by the next morning. They hurt so bad it made me cry and all I wanted to do was cut them off. I scheduled a doctor appointment after about a week of dealing with them and I tested positive for MRSA so she prescribed me Bactrim after taking that one day I too was allergic to the antibiotic I got really bad rashes on my legs. So she prescribed me Clindamycin and I have taken that I think 3 times internally and now I have 2 topical ointments. The ones under my arms haven’t returned but now they’re on my face and I have gone back but she doesn’t want to prescribe me Clindamycin again because MRSA can become stronger than the antibiotics since I’ve had it so many times. I was tested once after the antibiotics and it tested negative but I think she tested a normal pimple because now I develop scares and the “pimples” last for weeks. I can’t wear makeup to cover them up because it will clog my pores and then my face develops more of them. The only way I can tell that I’m getting one is my face gets super itchy and then by the end of the day or the next morning there will be one. I read somewhere that you have to test three times negative to be sure that you don’t have it anymore but I’m not sure if that’s true. Anyway I’ve never really posted about this before and it’s “nice” to know that there are others my age that have it. I’ve always read older people get it but not many my age and not a lot of people know about it. It’s too bad we aren’t able to talk to one another but this helps. It’s also makes me scared to be with my boyfriend sometimes because I don’t want him to go through this too. He already has a different infection but it worries me that if I decide to have kids I don’t want to be the reason they get MRSA. It’s driven me to the point of not having kids or even having a surrogate. I know I’m only 18 but I like to think about the future a lot. Anyway I could keep going on but thank you. 😊

Mike - 8 New Zeeland

Ccomplained of acute leg pain, and my husband gave him pamol and ibuprofren and told him to take a rest in bed. When I got home from work he was standing in the kitchen sobbing and holding his leg. It was 7pm so we gave him more pamol and popped him into bed thinking he had just hurt his leg. He did say though that he was only walking at school when the pain came on. By 9pm that night he would not let me touch him. He literally crawled out of bed to the toilet. I put him in our bed as we were starting to get worried. He had NO sleep with the pain and by 3am and another dose of pamol and ibuprofen I called an ambulance to take him to the hospital. Unfortunately for us the ambulance officers decided he had torn a hamstring, and refused to take him.

The next day my husband stayed home to look after him, he vomited 4 times over the day. Initially my husband thought it was a reaction to the ibuprofen but the vomiting continued. When I got home from work my husband was not happy with the lack of improvement and decline, and we decided to take him to the local accident and medical clinic. By then it was near impossible for him to walk without excruciating pain despite maximum dose of pain meds. He had developed a rash on his chest and back which looked allergic and had a temperature Unfortunately for us he was again misdiagnosed. They thought he was having an allergic reaction to the inbuprofen, gave us steroids and anti-histamines and sent us home. The next day we were all beside ourselves. We decided to take him to hospital again. This time I took him straight to Starship myself (NZs main childrens hospital) Here they did bloods. His inflammatory markers were over 200 and his WBC count very elevated. He was admitted and started on IV fluclox, had Ultrasounds and Xrays for suspected osteomyelitis in his hip. Started on morphine for pain. He continued to deteriorate and the next day was given an MRI.

By then he would scream every time you moved him. He was on Oxygen for a declining oxygen saturation and was swelling with the tocix shock. That morning his blood cultures started growing MRSA and the MRI confirmed an infection in his muscles and his sacral Iliac joint in his spine. He was started on Vancomycin and clindomycin. He developed secondary pneumonia as well and we were very lucky not to loose him. After 2.5 weeks in hospital we have taken him home, with a PICC line in and a 24hr infuser of Clindomysin which we change once a day. He is still on maximum dose of Pamol, ibuprofen,and Tramol SR. He takes Ondansetron wafers and Cyclizine for the Nausea, but still vomits every morning! He is gradually starting to walk again, but overcompensating for the pain, so feel it could be a long road ahead for a complete recovery. One month in and he is just starting to let me touch his leg, and gentle massage now seems to help him move better. I share this story as Mike was a very FIT young lad, ate well, ran up 700 steps most days when he climbed a local mountain with me and to see him struck down like this was terrifying. 8 months prior he had a mountain bike accident where he had pain in his left groin after being hit by the handle bar, when a young girl was travelling the wrong way around a mountain bike track. He was assessed at A and E, he still had good pedal pulses so we were sent home to watch him with pain relief. The Infectious disease specialist now thinks at that time he must have had a small cut or scratch somewhere else where the MRSA entered his blood stream. With the extra blood flow to the wounded area it has potentially seeded there and just been slowly replicating over time. He must have also had a growth spurt somtime during this period, which is why it has also gone to the sacral iliac joint as it is quite vascular. I did take him to the local accident and Medical about 6 weeks before his hospitilisation with acute leg pain, in the same leg. I was convinced it was related to the mountain bike accident and the DR said we would do an Xray to ensure it was OK. I said it wasn't bony at the time, but he did it anyway. He did take his temperature and did prescribe Antiobiotics for a cold at the time. What he didn't do was bloods. Hindsights a great learning tool.