Our First run in with MRSA

The Diaper Biker

This photo was taken one month before Farrah's first bout of MRSA.  Little did I know how our life would change.   Little did I know how much I would learn about something I had never even heard of before.
Since I am a couponer, I had stocked up on diapers all the way up until Farrah was almost 10 months old.  Pretty good, but not as good as some people I know.   And, with as much stock as I put in natural products I should have been cloth diapering her anyways.  I go over this in my mind sometimes.  Like, maybe she would have never gotten an infection, had I just gone the more natural route.  I find it easy to blame myself, but that's just in my blood.    While Farrah was busy growing, Pampers put out a new diaper.  It was the dry max diaper.  It was supposed to be lighter and absorb as much liquid without ballooning out, etc.  New and improved.   I kind of remember hearing some negative things about the diaper in regards to rashes, but I didn't pay much attention if any.  It didn't seem to be a significant topic anywhere, so I didn't think twice when I bought them.
Farrah's first couple of days wearing the diapers resulted in a severe rash.  It was kind of weird and spotty, not like a normal rash, but it was everywhere.  Looking back, and knowing what MRSA looks like I know now that she already had the start of an infection.  It hadn't grown into any full blown boils, but there were MRSA pimples present.  I just thought it was a rash, use some diaper cream or some vasoline and it would go away.
It didn't, but I switched diapers anyways.  When I was changing her one of the many times, I noticed a huge bump on her upper leg.  It was hard, and when I touched it, seemed to cause her pain.  It was warm and red.  At this point I did make a doctor's appointment, but was not yet worried that it was even something serious.
At the doctor, my son, Colin, Farrah and I were laughing and goofing around while we waited for the doctor to appear.  The doctor came in, gloved up, and looked in her diaper.  I showed her the bump and she said that she thought it was a staph infection, possibly MRSA and she was going to treat it as so.  She took some sample from another small spot on her stomach to culture.     She gave her bactrim, an antibiotic, and told me to call her if the large bump didn't start looking like it was going down or if any more appeared.  This was on a Friday.   On Saturday, the bump on her upper leg finally formed a head.  Now this is really really super gross, but it was literally like a the most gigantic zit you've ever seen.   *I thought* well, if I squeeze it and get all the yucky stuff out, maybe it will help it to go away and plus it won't hurt so much anymore.  Again, I know nothing.  I'm not sure why I thought this, but I did it anyways.    It had to be one of the most disturbing and disgusting things I've ever done in my life.    It was also painful for her.  So much puss and infection came out of the boil, that it covered an entire washrag.   I was SO glad when it was over, but unsure if I helped or hurt something.  I also noticed another boil on her ankle around the same time.  I called our doctor and she said take her to the ER.  
At the ER, she was admitted and put into isolation on IV antibiotics, clindamyacin, for three days.  Her dad had to leave the room when she got her IV.  He's not one for seeing his kids in pain.    Plans were made for Colin and we were off to our home for the next three days.  We saw dozens upon dozens of doctors and residents.  For those parents who have children in the hospital for extended stays, I don't know how you do it!!   I mean, it was a little different for us because we couldn't leave the room, but WOW was that a long three days!     I just had my mom bring me some of her clothes.  She works at that hospital and lives close by, so it was easier.  She was able to come visit us a couple times a day, but had to be in full covered up mode.  I looked like hell.  Farrah was tired as hell of living in a room.  I had to lay sheets all over the floor so she could crawl around.  I was pretty skeeved about her crawling on the floor at all, but what could I do?  She only wanted to be held for so long, and she never wanted to stay in the in crib.
Now, still in the middle of all of this, I did not know the full extent of what she had.  I guess I just thought, oh she got an infection and it went too far, but she's okay.  They just put her in the hospital as a precaution.  The doctors made it seem like it was such a common infection that I think that is why I was never really alarmed.  I also didn't know/wasn't really informed, that it could come back.  I wasn't told that it could be deadly or far more serious.
We were given some general go home instructions, 10 more days of antibiotic, keep your bathroom clean, don't share towels or hygiene products etc....  The boils were not fully gone yet either, but the doctors said they would gradually go away in the next couple of weeks.  I didn't like that.  I wished they were just gone, but I accepted the explanation.
I thought, this is great.  Finally, we get to go home.
I immediately disposed of all the pampers diapers and went with a different brand.  I'm not even sure which at this point.    Farrah took her medicine mixed in with applesauce or yogurt and life went on.  I didn't think about MRSA again......until 9 months later.

Take Love Multiply it by infinity and take it to the depths of forever and you will still only have a glimpse of how I feel for you!