09/29/2009 12:44
The good, the bad and the disappointing
This has been a whirlwind time -- and most of it not so good. I cannot remember what I wrote last... but from your kind and supportive comments, it seems that I mentioned my surgery might be postponed,
Well, sure enough: THE SURGERY WAS POSTPONED, Fuck.
But my life really turned into one big finger for a few days,,, and it became very obvious that the finger was the priority and the weight would have to, ahem, wait.
I have been on a crazy odessy for the past few days... with the end run being that while we are still not totally certain what is in my finger-- it looks hopeful that it is NOT MRSA.
I had my finger re-numbed and 'cultured' for bacteria, fungus, viral -- a whole panel of potential disgusting crap and that was done Sunday. We won't know for days-- but when I saw my hand surgeon in the urgent care center on Sunday (after a complete flip out and break down on Sat. night)-- he saw a new sign that made him think that is is VIRAL.
He thinks that what is actually going on is -- vomit-- 'Herpetic Whitlow"-- which is a herpes infection in the finger. Please excuse me to anyone who has herpes, it is extremely common in the world-- but I have NEVER had Herpes (not the mouth sore kind or the genital kind) and I have no idea where I would have gotten this so it is totally horrible and disgusting.
But: honestly, of the 2 infectious choices, I think I'd take herpes-- b/c it is 'self-limited'-- which means: yep, it would have gone away all by itself if we'd just left it alone,
My surgeon told me that there is a saying in medicine that goes something like:
"Common things often come with UNCOMMON presentations; and uncommon thins often come with COMMEN presentations.." or something like that- -which is a very potential and unfortunate description of what went on here.
"Common things often come with UNCOMMON presentations; and uncommon thins often come with COMMEN presentations.." or something like that- -which is a very potential and unfortunate description of what went on here.
It all started around 3 weeks ago with a red and sore area on my cuticle that very much appeared to be a common problem-- a "paronychia," And when he tried the treatment of choice, incision and drainage-- it got WORSE, which was unusual. But we proceeded b/c it still looked like a commonplace situation. When it spread around to the other side of my cuticle -- my whole nail had to be removed and that made matter worse still.
Finally: after 4 antibiotics trials and no success- the presumption was MRSA_- but my stupid finger didn't even respond to the STRONGEST DRUG ON THE MARKET that one can take by mouth (Zyvox.) By the way: this drug costs $2400!!! Can we say health care reform? Fortunately, my insurance covered it... but drug companies-- COME ONE!!!
OK, I digress.
So, once the finger doesn't show any signs of improvement on the Zyvox, I really begin to have a complete fit. I actually contacted my boss (the Chairman of my dept) in desperation on Sat. night (!!!) and asked him to help me find a new Infectious disease doc-- and then things got into serious motion. He really helped set things straight again., Re-contacted my hand surgeon-- whom I thought was OFF the case b/c it was infectious-- and that is how I wound up in urgent care on Sunday,
When my doc saw the finger again on Sunday and was about to do a 3rd incision and drainage plus another procedure to help it drain-- a new sign showed up that turned the case over: I had 3 tiny little dots on my finger that are a 'classic sign' of herpetic whitlow. AND: my finger had begun to itch and burn a bit-- AND showed now sign of healing (that could be seen) with regard to the antibiotic,
Thus: he didn't do the incision/drainage-- but just numbed me up and cultured the finger (b/c my finger hurts so badly without numbing-- there was no other way) and now we wait,
Meanwhile: I continue on my antiobiotic course in case the finger is "super-infected'-- hope not-- and wait 2 to 3 weeks to heal on my own , I also have an acyclovir cream for my finger that I'm applying 6 x daily,
YES: I am being insanely careful with my finger so I don't spread this disgustingness to my herpes free husband and child.
SO that's the infection story as it currently stands. Though we're not 100% certain (via culture result) yet-- the presumption is VIRAL and self-limiting and that means pain meds (which I HATE to take, but take begrudingly so as not to suffer) and time to heal.
This post is too long I will put in a part 2.