Lord Have MRSA

At the end of work one day a few weeks back, a coworker joked, "maybe I'll call in sick tomorrow." I joked back, "not if I beat you to it." I was feeling a bit run down, but nothing too unusual. Every once in a while I'll feel very fatigued and behind on my sleeping and I remedy it with going home and having a good, long sleep.

I went home feeling very logy and went to bed at about 7pm. At 7am the next day I woke up and really struggled to get out of bed. I literally stood up and stood next to my bed for about 15 seconds before succumbing and collapsing back in bed. I lay there thinking, "I can't call in sick, I have got to be faking this. I'm not really sick. You don't joke about calling in sick and then go ahead and do it the next day."

I struggled through a shower, getting dressed and then slowly dragged myself down to the train. Once I got on the train, I was pretty sure I was sick, but again, not dramatically so. I still thought I was just faking it-what is with this guilty conscience? I figured once I got a cup of coffee, I'd be firing on all six again.

I got in the office and felt so crappy I stayed for twenty minutes and then threw in the towel, knowing I had an hour long train ride home to suffer through. By the time I got home, I was freezing cold-it was wet and chilly, as usual this time of year in Oregon, but not THAT chilly. I sat in my tub with the hottest water possible. Any part of my body not in the water was shivering. Finally, my chills outlasted the hot water, which finally ran cold. Luckily, Wife was home and prepared a hot water bottle, a heating pad, a hat and two blankets, which I crawled under and shivered under for another 10 minutes before finally warming up.

We got out the thermometer, which told me I had a 102 degree temperature. Not off the charts. I slept uneasily, with repetitious, frustrating dreams for the next six hours, the kind of dream where you're trying to solve a problem, but there is a missing piece, or someone is deliberately being obstructive. Sort of being like work only I was asleep-not cool.

Finally, I woke up that evening and noticed that my left achilles tendon, calf and upper thigh/groin were all sore, like a cramped muscle. I also had a rash around my groin. A welt or abrasion formed on my shin, like I bumped it against something- though I knew I hadn't.

I proceeded to go back to bed and slept another 9 hours. The next day, I could barely walk, my left leg was so sore. Wife threw me in the car and took me to the doctor. She was a life-saver, figuratively and possibly literally.

Long story short, I was diagnosed with a staph/MRSA infection, which it appears I must have contracted through my cracked toes (athlete's foot) at the gym locker room. I was put on powerful antibiotics and within two days my symptoms were much alleviated. I was also sent for an ultrasound to make sure I didn't have a blood clot in my leg, which fortunately, I did not.

Now, two weeks later, I ran five miles moderately fast and the next day had a sore left achilles tendon which lingered for the next three days, the same achilles that was sore from the infection. So just as a precaution I went back to the doc, who sent me for yet another ultrasound, where the results were again negative and this time it was just a strain. Although when it is in a tendon we call it "tendonitis." Though why, when it involves a muscle, we don't call it "muscle-itis" is a great mystery to me.

For all the many times I've gone rushing to the doctor only to be told to take advil (and send us $200), this one time, it was the smart thing to do.