Cellulitis, Antibiotics, MRSA, Catching Up, and what "normal" is when you battle with autoimmune illnesses

Gosh Lord knows I need all of the prayers I can get for sure... I did find out yesterday that this stomach mess that began last Friday maybe a "stomach bug" going around. I spoke to my pharmacist about a medication, and they told me that lots of people had been in over the past week or so, with the same thing... really nauseated, feeling lousy, and be "sick" to their stomach... I kind of thought that maybe what it was after I spoke with Mom Sunday over the phone and she was sick Sunday morning with about the same thing. I believe mine was a bit worse just due to the fact, I had already had such severe intestinal issues from the antibiotics, and I am just "worn down" from the cellulitis, not sleeping, the heat does not help and so forth... hopefully I will NOT encounter any more of that mess for awhile. I am still NOT at 100% though. Yet, at least I am COMPLETELY THRU with the antibiotics. I officially took the last 2, yesterday evening. Although the "lump" is still not completely gone away, I think I will just see what happens over the next couple of days. I certainly do not want another round of antibiotics, especially since they are some they use to fight really, really tough cases of infection. I do not want to become "immune" to them and then not get what I may need, if so happened I did come down with some type of very bad infection... MRSA always remains in the background when I think about having to take antibiotics. Although my PCP does not just hand them out for anything, but with me being more prone to having an infection, I have had to take more than I really want to over these past few years. I GO TO the Cardiologist this morning. Just a routine follow up, but her appts are always too EARLY... this one is at 11AM so not too bad, but I always prefer to have appts. very early afternoon about 1PM... that way I have all morning to do things and get caught up on stuff, and I don't waste time having to get ready for a doctor in an appt that is way early... Then the rest of the week is actually pretty quiet as far as going to doctors etc. I STILL NEED to go have the damned Chest X-ray done... I got sick and had to postpone it again... and I know my Rheumatologist is really wondering what the heck is going on. Anyway, I will be playing catch up on lots of stuff over the next few days... so I appreciate everyone and your well wishes and prayers... and I hope things "settle" a bit now, and I will feel better over the next few days, get my strength somewhat back, and be able to get back to "life" rather than a sofa and movies 24/7... Hugs to all... Me

It SUCKS big time, when you feel your life is totally out of your own control, and you have no way to "fix" things... you just have to succumb to the sofa, resting, and putting a whatever you could call "life" on hold.

This past 6 weeks or so have been a total nightmare. Combine all of the issues with the lump on my thigh, cellulitis, high powered antibiotics, my own lower back, pain, stiffness, and a seemingly "worsening" of RA symptoms. My hands and wrists, along with fingers and thumbs are really bothering me worse than they ever had. My right hand has several swollen joints and even the cartilage between my fingers seems to be swollen, puffy and very stiff.

I have actually missed my Orencia now for the 3rd week (in fact I usually take it on Tuesdaus - but after all of the issues with cellulitis on the top of my left thigh in a place that seems where I usually do the Orencia Injections, first of all, with the infection I feared taking it, and 2nd of all, I am not through researching it, but I feel I may have gotten a "contaminated" needle giving myself the injections... I am a stickler for the skin being very clean, and make sure that the alcohol swabs get all in the area, and I always have clean hands, and usually put a bandaid over that spot at least for a day... and I realize with any type of autoimmune issue, I am more apt, more prone, to have these types of issues, but when you get so ill, that your entire life goes on hold for several weeks, it is surely difficult to deal with. 

Anyway, I just completed two 7 day rounds of Rifampin and Bactrim - I hope and pray after 14 days total of these two powerful antibiotics, this cellulitis is gone, and what small "lump" that is left, will just take a bit of time for my body to "absorb" it. I've never had to deal with cellulitis before. So, what portion I do know about it, is what my doctors, my pharmacist and my own research has told me.

I don't want to have to take anymore antibiotics if I can avoid it. I already have infections at times like pneumonia twice in the past year or so that require them. Thus, I worry so much about getting "immune" or something mutating to where the antibiotics do not work. Actually that scares the hell out of me.

But, I must be sure that all signs of infection are gone. I can't take a chance for sure. Plus I feel if this does not do the trick, I will have to be hospitalized and put on IV antibiotics, which I don't have time for, and is surely NOT a convenient situation for me financial wise, time wise, and due to me being here, with the pups, and no longer having another person here to help out, I just can't be gone several days to the hospital. Of anything that sucks about being alone, to me is just that. I can deal with "alone", like many of us do. What I can't deal with is the times I need to be gone for more than a day... then that requires so much change. I must find someone to watch after the pups, and that is not an easy thing... fortunately there is a young woman, along with her sister and Mom that do come to your home and watch after them. But, mine are both so totally ruined, they have a hard time with a stranger, or with me being gone for any time over a day, or a day and a night... so it is like having kids... you can't just leave them at the house for a few days, run off to the hospital... you must have them watched over... My Pug, is really get very stiff herself... she is up in age and has a difficult time getting around... can't jump up on the sofa anymore by herself... and she requires a bit of extra attention, plus I give them both medications daily and so forth...

Even though some may not comprehend how an animal or animals can be so much of your life, but they are... anyone that is an animal lover, and has or had a dog(s), cats and do forth totally "get it"... they become a part of your family and for me right now, they are my family...

Even though I think I should have "more time" now, I feel as if somewhere my time is being "sucked" away... the days feel shorter, and the number of things that need to be done, longer... and I never seem to be able to find enough energy to complete the tasks that I should be able to... I've tried everything... lists, organizing, I multi-task, although not as well as I used to be able to... but it is like life goes into overdrive... and rather than slowing down, and things getting "less" all needs are more... whether it is my own health, my Mom's, the house, the pups, everything seems to suck time away... I spent over a week more or less on the sofa... so I have all of this stuff piled up... and all of it important in its own way... but it is impossible for me to handle it all anymore... the age, the autoimmune illnesses, along with everything they bring and take away... my body feels "worn" out rather than better....