So Nero bit me.

[gateley]

Since I don't have the money to get him his arthritis stuff and yucca extract, I'm guessing he's in pain sometimes and gets cranky. It breaks my heart, but since I've done without blood pressure meds for over a year, we gotta both do without.

Yesterday it started really hurting -- it's on the inside of my forearm. I did all the washing, peroxide, band aid, etc. Today, practically the entire inside of my forearm is read, swollen and hot, so i tend to it again. And it REALLY hurts. Then i notice a red streak from it going up my arm.

I called my doctor who I haven't seen in over a year and talked his nurse into squeezing me in.

So he takes a sample, gives me a big whopping antibiotic shot (he said 'there's a lot of medicine in here') and told me if it got worse to go to the hospital. I asked "do you think it might get worse?" He said "yes" with no hesitation. He said if it gets in my bloodstream it can turn into sepsis (don't know if 'turn into' is the right way to put it), and that kills people. :scared: He also wrote me a scrip for antibiotics.

He drew an outline around the red, raised infected area and said if the red extended beyond that - to the hospital I go.

Just felt like I needed to tell someone because it's scary -- I don't have the money for the hospital. And, seriously, not to sound dramatic -- but I don't have the money to die! Sheesh!

I hold George Bush fully responsible. :7

[WheelWalker]

1. Me too. I should'a died when I could afford it.

In May, 2003, I was being released from the hospital after my heart attack. When they pulled the IV out of my arm, puss squirted across the room. They slapped gauze and tape on it and sent me out the door. I was back in the hospital that night, 100 miles away, in the emergency room for another 24 hours on IV antibiotics with the purple line drawn all around the spreading infection up my arm and neck. It took many, many doses of superbugkiller before they finally let me out. This is very serious, gateley. You need to be at the ER, or at a minimum, with someone watching you. Fuck the $. They have to treat you if you're there. Don't stay away because of the money. There's time to think about that after the emergent situation is handled. Please.

[Jennicut]

2. Yes, pease go if it gets worse. I have diabetes

and have to be very careful because sometimes simple illnesses turn into infections. I got it after having gestational diabetes with my second daughter and it never went away. The doctors still never really explained how I ended up with suppossedly type 2 diabetes since I am at a normal weight and never had blood sugar problems before. Anyways, please listen to the doctor and they can't turn you away at the emergency room. You don't want any kind of infections at all, it will make you even sicker.

[gateley]

6. That's odd -- about the diabetes. And scary.

And I promise you, too, that if it gets worse, I'll head on in and to hell with worrying about not being able to pay.

I'm pretty good about that -- I know when not to worry about something, and when to get my butt into the doctor -- like today. Even if the streak hadn't appeared, I knew it was beyond what I could deal with myself.

So i promise you, too -- if I need to, Johnston Memorial will be seeing me at their ER door.

[Eurobabe]

33. Halle Berry has Type 1 (I believe?)

and you could have knocked me over with a feather when I found that out. She's is gorgeous. I know several people who have diabetes and are very slim & fit. I gained a mountain of weight with my second daughter, and she had severe jaundice in the hospital -- but no side affects. Dropped the weight immediately. Then my thyroid burned out at 37. :shrug:

Stay well my Bidenites!! :grouphug: No one gets sick here, you got it? :loveya:

[gateley]

5. You're right - they have to treat me.

When i got home, I took two of my antibiotics - kind of to saturate my system.:7

I promise, I'm keeping an eye on it and if it gets bad, I'll go to the hospital. I promise.

That's a horrific story about what you went through -- I'm so glad you didn't die. :pals:

[WheelWalker]

20. Drink lots... LOTS of water. It activates the antibiotic.

[gateley]

35. Good advice -- will do. nt

[WheelWalker]

38. How does it look

tonight?

[WheelWalker]

39. Ah, I see

the thread. Good girl. Yes, it will take the better part of a week to clear up. I wonder if it was what I had...this generalized (nasty)antibiotic resistant infection of the subcutaneous/connective tissue. I think they call it cellulitis. To this day, I can't stand the thought of an IV in my left arm.

[Muttocracy]

15. I'm very very glad you're still with us.

:hug:

[WheelWalker]

17. E=MC2

:hug:

[Debi]

3. Geez M.E.! Please take care and don't mess around w/that!

For the last three weeks I've been dealing with an abcessed tooth and had a root canal and follow up care but can't break the infection (also been 1/2 out of it on Vicodin) both my mom and Mr. Debi fear the continued infection and have been keeping an evil eye on me. No dental insurance and VERY sub-standard health ins. here (all we can afford). If I get sick - WE go broke!

[gateley]

7. Are you on an antibiotic?

And if that hasn't worked, have they tried another one? Three weeks is alarming -- I'm with your mom and Mr. Debi. Are you running a fever?

[Debi]

34. I'll tell you what Mr. Debi and my mom hear daily...

I'M NOT DEAD!! Yes, I took one round of anti-biotics and then had the root canal, a couple of days later the pain returned (with a vengeance) so I started the second round - just finished that on Sunday and we'll see how I do. there is no chance that I have a resistance or anything b/c it's the first time in a decade I've taken ANY medication beyond baby aspirin (I'm a weakling when it comes to meds and if that low dose works why not, right?).

I go back on the 9th of Oct. and if I am in ANY pain before then I PROMISE I'll call ;).

YOU are in much more danger than I am - YOU take care!

[gateley]

36. Yeah, but tooth and mouth pain is excruciating - and makes one irritable and grouchy. nt

I was actually concerned about Mr. Debi, Mom, and Debi Jr. having to tiptoe around you. :7

I remember once having an ear infection and I went to the walk-in clinic of the HMO I belonged to, they prescribed an antibiotic, no results. So the next week I went back - got a different doctor, and he prescribed a different antibiotic which did the trick. My point in mentioning this is that the second doctor said he probably would have prescribed the same med the first guy did. Sometimes, for some reason, the go-to choice doesn't do it, and a different med will be successful. Hope that's what's gonna happen with you.

[Debi]

37. Thanks Hon!

If the pain returns to where it was that's the direction we'll head I'm sure. :hug: I just don't want to pull the tooth b/c it's a molar - but geez I'm, so sick of feeling ICK! x(

[1corona4u]

4. Well, if you have to go, they have to treat you.

If you need some cash, let me know. I can at least send you some money to get the meds...for you and Nero

[gateley]

8. You're too sweet - that means a lot to me, thank you.

But I'm determined to get it together myself. People do it all the time, so why not me? It's not so much pride, but as Joe says, self-esteem.

:pals:

[1corona4u]

9. Yeah, but I don't want you guys jeopardizing your health either.

so keep it in mind.

[livvy]

10. Do not mess around with it, Gateley!

I have been bitten by one of my dogs at least 3 different times when I've separated them from fighting. When they have gotten into a fight, they are completely out of it, and bite whatever comes near their teeth...ouch.

I've never had a bite get as bad as you have described, but I've always ended up turning myself into the doctor for medication because I've not been able to get the bites to heal correctly, and some of the wounds always get infected. It's not surprising I guess. Dog saliva contains like 28 types of one organism and 12 of another that can cause infections. If there is any kind of puncture wound they take a long time to heal, and they have to heal from the inside out, or the infections gets sealed inside. Actually I've not had the problem with the puncture wounds, but the torn/scraped wounds instead. (We're talking bouvier bites, here, so a couple of the bites have been pretty ugly.)

Please keep us posted, and do not hesitate to get into the ER if it goes beyond the circled area. What antibiotic are you taking? I think Augmentin works about the best, unless you are allergic to penicillin, then they use something else, or a combo of different meds.

Heal, Gateley, heal!:pals:

[gateley]

11. You're brave to get into the fights - but you can't just stand by and watch them

maybe hurt each other. And I know they don't mean to hurt YOU, just like Nero wouldn't want to hurt me - he just wants to not hurt himself. I'm laughing that just thinking of a bouvier, I can't picture one being anything but an angel -- they're so precious.

It IS Augmentin that I'm on, so good to hear it's got the rep of working the best. :7. I'm not sure what was in the shot -- just, as he said, that it was "a lot of medicine".

in some areas of my arm 'map' the red has been inching closer to the border, but the area feels less hot, which I'm taking to be a positive sign.

You all have convinced me to head to the hospital if it worsens, so thank you!

:pals;

[elleng]

12. GOOD LUCK!

Daughter called a while ago; she's found a doc she likes, and was sent home with rx for Augmentin, too! (Bronchitis) I THINK that's what we called 'the pink stuff,' when she and her sister were little.

Will be thinking of you!

[gateley]

13. Thanks - and good luck to her, too!

I got bronchitis a little over a year ago for the first time in my life. It was awful, so my heart goes out to her.

:hi:

[WheelWalker]

14. Wasn't that pink stuff

Amoxicillin?

[elleng]

22. YES, Idiot, it WAS!

THANKS for retrieving my memory!

[WheelWalker]

24. ~problemo.

[Inuca]

31. I know what you mean

I have two dogs (and one cat), a springer spaniel that was with us since he was a puppy and a beautiful big stray that just walked in three years ago and adopted us. The problem is that the spaniel is jealous and often attacks the other one (who is labrador-sized!). Not if they are alone, but if one of us, especially me, is also present. And of course he cannot ever win the fight, given the difference in size. Fortunately, the bog dog is the sweetest and least aggressive dog you can imagine, and never attacks himself. My husband jumps in to separate them, and he got bitten quite a few times. Never an infection, thankfully, though the result of one fight was a visit to the emergency room late at night one Saturday, and several stitches on his lips. We tried everything we could think of to convince the smaller dog to alter his behavior, nothing worked. So now we just keep them separate as much as possible, and pray for the best.

[Muttocracy]

16. you've already gotten lots of good advice, I'll just add another story

to keep you motivated. I had a friend who got an infection from a scratch and ended up in the hospital for a week or something, very, very sick. Keep an eye on it - better to go for scheduled appointments than wait so long you're in ICU.

And in the spirit of preventative medicine, I'll kick in money for meds for you and for Nero! If you need it, set up a PayPal acct or send us your mailing address or something. He's just a little kitty - a little meds must go a long way!

Take good care of yourself!! :hug:

[gateley]

18. Aww, thank you, too -- I can't tell you how much that means to me

(getting misty).

But as I said, I really believe I'll be out of this nightmare soon, and I need to feel as though I've turned it around. I know, I know...

With the infusion of antibiotics today and the continuing doses, I'm hoping it will stop this. I'm keeping an eagle eye on it, and as I said, you guys have convinced me to go to the ER if it gets worse. And I promise I will.

And you haven't seen Nero -- he's a BIG boy!

:pals:

[Muttocracy]

40. Well compared to my dogs

he's little (my two are about 70 pounds each)

[jillan]

19. Gateley-

a couple of things.

Sepsis is not funny. My daughter got septic when she was in ICU.
You definitely don't want to get to that point.

The hospital will take you. When Jenny was in the hospital I became good friends with one
of the nurses. I was telling her about what was going on in the waiting room, how I could never get in there because it was packed with people, sleeping, eating, cutting their toenails.
She told me that 95% of the people on that floor did not have insurance.
So if you get worse, go right to the emergency room. They will not deny you.

Don't mess around with this. Please!
We care about you! :hug:

[Tashca]

21. Good luck

I rarely look in DU any more, but for some reason I did tonight.............maybe just to see how people were doing.....
I'm glad I did and I have a short story...
About 12 years ago my father stepped on a used toothpick embedded in the carpet....may have been his. Being the bullheaded farmer that he was of course he just blew it off. It started to get infection...then it started to pain him. He had maybe two days of corn planting to do. He gutted his way through that and finally went to the Dr. I don't remember now how long he spent in the hospital, but it would be measured in weeks not days. We nearly lost my father because of his stubborness....
Nip this in the bud!!!!!!!!!!!
I told my wife your story a few minutes ago.....she said...."send her some money" I see from your answer from an earlier poster that you are too stubborn to except any....but please consider it. This is what we should all do for each other when we can.
I wish you much luck and a speedy recovery!!!

[elleng]

23. Right!

gateley, if you need it, we'll send it.

[WheelWalker]

25. All for Love, and Love for All.

:loveya:

[AspenRose]

28. Absolutely.

Let us know if there's anything we can do.

[PatSeg]

26. Oh, I'm so sorry

That is awful. I haven't checked in for most of the day and didn't see this until now. I totally understand your frustration and fear.

I don't have the money to die either and yes, I blame George Bush as well. How can one substandard human being have such an overwhelming effect on so many people? I'm really scared for the future, more now than ever.

[susanwy]

27. I'm lucky and I have good insurance

so, if you need a little help with meds, don't sweat it, just ask!

A few years ago my youngest son went to a blue grass festival with his aunt and uncle for a weekend. Tubing down the river he cut his leg on something. My sister-in-law dutifully cleaned, treated and bandaged the wound and he came home happy and playing his fiddle. But, after a few days the wound didn't look right to me. Then one day it just exploded, literally and spread rapidly up his leg. Took him to ER and they said he had a staph infection, and it was spreading to all the bug bites he had as he scratched them. Big doses of antibiotics, one week of hell for my husband and I, after the dr said, we'll know in a week if it antibiotic resistant and we have to start cutting out the infection.

Don't mess around with this, and let us know if you need any help!

[Eurobabe]

29. Oh geez gateley!!! Yeah cat bites are serious

or can be. Not sure why? My mom's older cat has bit her several times and she's had to go to the doc too.

How are you feeling now, after the antibiotics, and better?

Let us know if we can help in any way. :hug:

[Inuca]

30. One more

stay tough, take good care of yourself, and do not hesitate to go to the hospital if needed. And one more thing about your high blood pressure meds: why do you say you have to go without them? Do you need something special as opposed to the more common ones? The reason I ask is that I get mine for $10 for a three month supply at the local Walmart (that's the price withou insurance, a few bucks less with). Yes, I know, I sound like a Walmart commercial, but this is a good thing they have done. They are the only choice where I live, but I assume that other large chains have similar programs now. I am starting a new job tomorrow, and my insurance from the previous one expired a month ago. My first time, thankfully short time, without health insurance in ages, and I was quite scared.

A big :hug: to you and to your kitty.

[CrispyQ]

32. I thought I was the only one with a cat that bites.

Although Cassie bites cuz she's rotten, not cuz she doesn't feel good.

Gately, you take care of yourself. We need your voice here at DU, so you can't be spending any time in the hospital, ok? I don't even know what sepsis is, although I've heard them talk about it on House & I know that it's serious. Don't mess around with this & please give us an update today.

And Gately, if you change your mind about help, please PM me, ok? We are doing pretty good & I hate to hear that people I know & care about are in need. And the thought of beautiful Nero not feeling well makes me sad.

A big :hug: to you & special scratches for Nero.