Since I haven't been blogging much, this post is to give you background into on Alan's experience with MRSA.
A week or two after Thanksgiving, Alan got an infection on his right temperal tobe. (between ear and eye). Day after day, it got redder and bigger. Mary Adams from church finally convinced him to go see a doctor. Since Alan is a man, and we've only lived in this town for 9 years (yes, I'm trying to be funny), he doesn't have a family doctor, so, he went to Urgent Care. They lanced it, gave him oral antibotics and sent him on his way. Next day it was worse so back to Urgent Care. Different doctor saw it this time and sent us to ER. At ER they lanced it again and gave him IV antibotics. He went back to dr a couple more times, got lanced once more (total of 3 times) and FINALLY it healed.
Fast forward thru the holidays.
I was at Pawleys Island for my end of year meeting and Alan calls me to tell me he was driving hom from doctor's office. Yes, MRSA again. This time its on his left chest. He said he now knows what its like to have a 34C cup breast. (or at least on one side). Hummm, I don't even know what that feels like! LOL. It started as a pimple and hours later he knew he'd have to go back to the doctor. So, kids in tow, he went. They both got to watch him get the scalpel. Will said "Oh, that's a lot of blood". Larissa turned white as a sheet and the nurse had to walk her to the bathroom so she wouldn't pass out. They bandaged him up and told him to come back Saturday. They gave him bactrim nose ointment to decolonize the MRSA. They said he should have gotten this the 1st time he got MRSA. So, basically he either reinfected himself or likely he didn't ever get rid of it 1st time.
Saturday (1/5/08) Alan went back to Urgent Care, saw a different doctor (I think that's doctor #4 now) and they lanced it more and cut out dead skin, doubled his antibotic, and sent him on his way. The doctor told him to come back in a week if it wasn't better. He gave Alan the impression he thought it'd be better. Alan was told to "pack the wound" twice a day but no formal instruction on how to do that.
Saturday evening Alan and I see the wound for the first time. (Its been bandaged). I'm not sure whose jaw dropped further. I took pictures but Alan would KILL me if I posted. Let's just suffice it to say, it looks BAD. Real bad. Wound is size of a nickel, red as fire from his neck to his arm pit and hard as a rock and black around the wound from brusing (doctor pushing on it to get infection out). We try to clean it, try to dress it, and just try to trust the doctors.
Perhaps my trust isn't all it should be as I definately asked my church family for prayers!
Sunday I talk to my dear sister. I wish she lived near us. I mean like RIGHT BESIDE US. I needed her when the kids were newborns, when they were toddlers, when they were preschoolers, when I had my surgery, when I needed a friend, well, ....you get the idea. Anyhow, she told me to get Alan to a "REAL DOCTOR". So, I convinced Alan to stay home from school on Monday and find a family doctor. I'll update on that next post.