Tickly Situation

[Mizirlou]

Something got between me and my backpack in early September. Tick?

I didn’t notice the skin lesion atop my thoracic spine until it became painfully swollen and tense, about a week after backpacking/tenting in Georgia (Unicoi to Deep Gap.) As the blob grew, it spilled clear, serous fluid and seemed to destroy surrounding skin. After almost 3 months, it’s still unhealed.

Generally I dig bites -- snakes, spiders, etc. -- because it means I’ve been where these things thrive. Two un-envenomated pygmy rattler bites healed quickly. A venomous spider bite was ugly and took months to heal. So I figured this was another spider and tried to wait it out.

Yet I’m leaning towards tick now. A friend looked at it yesterday and reports there’s a central hole, with a nodule above it, surrounded by inflammation. It’s itchy as all get out, too painful to scratch. Embedded tick?

My dermatologist will look at it soon, but I’d like to steer him in the right direction. Any of you have tick experiences like this? A thing burrowing beneath your back and your pack? Any tick issues in Georgia/NC? :confused:

[Blissful]

Hard to give a diagnosis online. You're right to go to the Dr. asap. Sept is a long time to wait.

[Pedaling Fool]

Not typical wound for a tick -- that I know of. However, I got a similar story of a bug bite I got in Georgia, what's weird is this was during the cold season, was actually snow and ice on the ground when this happened.

I noticed at large bump on my mid to lower back, dircectly over the spine; it stuck out at least a 1/2 inch (maybe more and was just a very large mass) and was very hard. I almost thought that a disc slipped out or something. However, mine did not come to a head and ooze anything out. It just simple went away over the days (not all at once). Strange thing. I don't know what that was; I didn't fall or sustain an injury or anything to my back, that's why I say it was an insect, but I can't imagine what it was.

[4eyedbuzzard]

Something got between me and my backpack in early September. Tick?

I didn’t notice the skin lesion atop my thoracic spine until it became painfully swollen and tense, about a week after backpacking/tenting in Georgia (Unicoi to Deep Gap.) As the blob grew, it spilled clear, serous fluid and seemed to destroy surrounding skin. After almost 3 months, it’s still unhealed.

Generally I dig bites -- snakes, spiders, etc. -- because it means I’ve been where these things thrive. Two un-envenomated pygmy rattler bites healed quickly. A venomous spider bite was ugly and took months to heal. So I figured this was another spider and tried to wait it out.

Yet I’m leaning towards tick now. A friend looked at it yesterday and reports there’s a central hole, with a nodule above it, surrounded by inflammation. It’s itchy as all get out, too painful to scratch. Embedded tick?

My dermatologist will look at it soon, but I’d like to steer him in the right direction. Any of you have tick experiences like this? A thing burrowing beneath your back and your pack? Any tick issues in Georgia/NC? :confused:
Hmm, you've had an unhealed and festering wound for three months and you're just going to have your dermatologist look at it now? You might want to consider seeing more than just a dermatologist. :-? Seriously, there are things that, if let go, can seriously and permanently mess up your life.

[Spokes]

Reminds me of the time my hiking buddy fell backwards off Mt. Madison then 2 days later started complaining of chest pains.

A bunch of thru-hikers in the shelter that night started to diagnose the issue and convinced him the pain was caused by his gall bladder. Too funny!

A subsequent X-ray (by a real doctor) revealed a cracked rib..........

So much for a career in medicine.

[Mizirlou]

Hmm, you've had an unhealed and festering wound for three months and you're just going to have your dermatologist look at it now? You might want to consider seeing more than just a dermatologist. :-? Seriously, there are things that, if let go, can seriously and permanently mess up your life.

:rolleyes: Not really, buzz. It’s on my back so observation is difficult. Seems to flare and subside. My regular MD looked at it 2 months ago on my routine yearly physical, appeared to be healing. My dermatologist looked at it 3 weeks ago on my routine 6-month skin cancer screening. Yet it flares up between times. Hence, another derm exam this week.

I failed to mention to either MD my woodsy ways and urban health care professionals don’t routinely suspect woodsy issues. Any similar experiences from others that would help steer my MD in the right direction? Wondering specifically if anyone out there has had similar tick bite sequelae? Or if ticks are even a plausible issue in GA/NC.

Kinda reminds me of the time I went to my urban derm for chigger bites and he said, "There aren't any chiggers around here." Or the ER doc who said, "Can't be a rattler bite or you'd have 2 fang marks instead of 1," failing to account for the rattler having broken a fang on a rat before he got to me. Gotta steer 'em sometimes.;)

[Pedaling Fool]

Reminds me of the time my hiking buddy fell backwards off Mt. Madison then 2 days later started complaining of chest pains.

A bunch of thru-hikers in the shelter that night started to diagnose the issue and convinced him the pain was caused by his gall bladder. Too funny!

A subsequent X-ray (by a real doctor) revealed a cracked rib..........

So much for a career in medicine.
Pretty easy with an X-ray machine. The fact is many doctors give incorrect diagnosis to the unusual. I'm not bashing doctors, I have much respect for them. But trouble-shooting a problem is sometimes difficult and some are just better at it than others. I really do believe that your immune system fixes a lot of problems that doctors can't despite whatever they gave you to fix it.

(Again not bashing medical science, it's amazing what they're doing and the potential in the future is mindboggleing)

I was a technician in my previous life and see a lot of similarities in that with doctors (albeit the human body is far more complex than what I worked on). I knew a lot of technicians that were only technicians because they completed to course of instruction. But real life throws many difficult problems at you that schooling just can't. That's also why so many people with technical degrees go into management, because while they can get the degree they can't really get the subject matter in real life.

But yes go see a doctor, that's the best we got:) And we all like to play doctor, don't we:D

[Carbo]

Recently came back from a two-day hike and had a deer tick embedded in my stomach. I doubt if it was in long enough to cause any problem but I am still getting the test done for lyme disease after the 4-6 week "waiting" period. I suggest you do the same especially since you've been going through some problems for months, just to rule out the lyme thing... which can mess up your body if untreated.

[Rick500]

I had a Lone Star tick bite on my shoulder that didn't completely heal for about three months. However, it wasn't particularly painful and didn't seem to heal and then flare up again as you've described.

[GracefulRoll]

As the blob grew, it spilled clear, serous fluid and seemed to destroy surrounding skin. After almost 3 months, it’s still unhealed.

I would think with spider bite.

Questions:
1) Was it dark when you put down the pack? Possibly any shady shelters?
2) Did you leave your pack with the straps side down?
3) Where were you hiking?

If it's swollen, itchy, painful, leaking fluid, and the tissue is necrotic, it could be a brown recluse spider bite. Have you ever had a brown recluse bite before?

Definitely get a dermatologist to check it.

[Mizirlou]

JohnGault: I share your skepticism and also the caught-tween-a-rock-and-hard-place necessity of having to go to the well that sometimes poisons.
Carbo: thanks, I will definitely pursue the Lyme testing.
Rick500: thanks, will pursue other lesser known tick-borne nasties
GracefulRoll: yes #1 & #2, hiked/tented from Unicoi Gap to Deep Gap. Brown recluse sounds reasonable. Never bitten by a recluse before but had a pretty similar gross reaction to a widow.

I’ve continued backpacking and irritating the thing. Gloom, despair, agony on me. WORTH EVERY MINUTE. :D

On to the Miracles (?) of Modern Medicine tomorrow morning. Will report the outcome and name the winner of the Whiteblaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes. Thanks to all for your replies.

[4eyedbuzzard]

JohnGault: Will report the outcome and name the winner of the Whiteblaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes. Thanks to all for your replies.
Put me in for an ingrown hair cyst or furuncle.

[Luddite]

Cystic acne.

[GracefulRoll]

I’ve continued backpacking and irritating the thing. Gloom, despair, agony on me. WORTH EVERY MINUTE. :D

On to the Miracles (?) of Modern Medicine tomorrow morning. Will report the outcome and name the winner of the Whiteblaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes. Thanks to all for your replies.

Good for you for persevering, but also more kudos to you for having the good sense to stop and seek help. It doesn't sound like that wound will get better on its own (or at least anytime soon).

Furthermore, I always suggest a dilution of clove oil to put on cuts out on the trail after you wash them. Saves you from using up your ibuprofen for pain and the dilution can be dabbed with cotton directly on a wound. It's a natural pain reliever + antiseptic and safe as long as you aren't allergic or have very sensitive skin.

[Spokes]

....I really do believe that your immune system fixes a lot of problems that doctors can't despite whatever they gave you to fix it......



I came to the conclusion that "almost" every injury I got on the trail (swelling, pain, suffering, sniffles, etc... tended to only last about 7 days. After that things got better.

Of course, vitamin I, astragalus, vitamin B12 and B6, plus a good multi-vitamin tablet helped too.

[Mizirlou]

Whiteblaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes Entries

#1: Unknown something or other
(John Gault)

#2: Deer tick/Lyme disease
(Carbo)

#3: Star tick
(Rick500)

#4: Brown recluse/other spider
(GracefulRoll)

#5: Ingrown hair cyst/furuncle
(4eyedBuzzard)

#6: Cystic acne
(Luddite)

I get the sense that the MiraclesOfModernMedicine will concur with John Gault. Buzz, read below. All other sweepstakes entries must be received by 11/16/2010, 9:00 a.m. Eastern standard time.

- - - - - - - - - -
Hint: I have a hairless back, no other health issues and I’m over 50 years old. Let’s just say 49.
P.S. GracefulRoll gets a special win-or-lose prize because….well, read the posts. And I never said judging was going to be impartial in the Whiteblaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes :D

[GracefulRoll]

Whiteblaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes Entries

#1: Unknown something or other
(John Gault)

#2: Deer tick/Lyme disease
(Carbo)

#3: Star tick
(Rick500)

#4: Brown recluse/other spider
(GracefulRoll)

#5: Ingrown hair cyst/furuncle
(4eyedBuzzard)

#6: Cystic acne
(Luddite)

I get the sense that the MiraclesOfModernMedicine will concur with John Gault. Buzz, read below. All other sweepstakes entries must be received by 11/16/2010, 9:00 a.m. Eastern standard time.

- - - - - - - - - -
Hint: I have a hairless back, no other health issues and I’m over 50 years old. Let’s just say 49.
P.S. GracefulRoll gets a special win-or-lose prize because….well, read the posts. And I never said judging was going to be impartial in the Whiteblaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes :D

:banana YAY!

[Spokes]

My votes for MRSA or bed bug bites.

[John B]

I agree with GracefulRoll -- bitten by a spider having a necrotizing toxin.

Does the person with the correct diagnosis get some sort of prize?

[sly dog]

Government or alien planted tracking device. Your body is trying to reject it.

[Hoop]

Impact crater from a remarkably unclean micro-meteorite

[GracefulRoll]

Impact crater from a remarkably unclean micro-meteorite

I don't know him, so I can't say whether or not he has a personal gravity of his own that would pull in meteorites.

Lets not give him a big head to go with his skin lesion. :D

[GracefulRoll]

Sorry, her...

[John B]

Government or alien planted tracking device. Your body is trying to reject it.

Only complete fools go outside without a protective aluminum foil hat, and Mizirlou doesn't come across as foolish.

[Mizirlou]

#1: Unknown something or other
(John Gault)

#2: Deer tick/Lyme disease
(Carbo)

#3: Star tick
(Rick500)

#4: Brown recluse/other spider
(GracefulRoll)
(John B) with necrotizing toxins

#5: Ingrown hair cyst/furuncle
(4eyedBuzzard)

#6: Cystic acne
(Luddite)

#7: MRSA
(Spokes)

#8: Bed bug bite
(Spokes)

#9: Foreign body. Alien foreign body.
(Sly Dog)

#10: Impact crater from a micro-meterorite
(Hoop)


The suggestions are making this thing hurt, ouch, ouch, ouch. I’ll just tell the dermatologist that I, the Big Headed Meteorite Magnet, have an infected acne-faced alien hitching a ride on my back.

MRSA?!?! Holy jayzus I’m gonna die! So I’m thinking the prize should be my left-over medications. Anyone have a need? Keep in mind, I could enhance the prize by confabulating to the MiraclesOfModernMedicine that my pain is unbearable.

[GracefulRoll]

#1: Unknown something or other
(John Gault)

#2: Deer tick/Lyme disease
(Carbo)

#3: Star tick
(Rick500)

#4: Brown recluse/other spider
(GracefulRoll)
(John B) with necrotizing toxins

#5: Ingrown hair cyst/furuncle
(4eyedBuzzard)

#6: Cystic acne
(Luddite)

#7: MRSA
(Spokes)

#8: Bed bug bite
(Spokes)

#9: Foreign body. Alien foreign body.
(Sly Dog)

#10: Impact crater from a micro-meterorite
(Hoop)


The suggestions are making this thing hurt, ouch, ouch, ouch. I’ll just tell the dermatologist that I, the Big Headed Meteorite Magnet, have an infected acne-faced alien hitching a ride on my back.

MRSA?!?! Holy jayzus I’m gonna die! So I’m thinking the prize should be my left-over medications. Anyone have a need? Keep in mind, I could enhance the prize by confabulating to the MiraclesOfModernMedicine that my pain is unbearable.


You didn't get it wet, right? Or feed it after midnight? Forgot to add that to my list of questions.

[mudhead]

Brown recluse lives in FL.

Smallpox.

If the spot lines up perfectly with the ol lady's elbow, you snore.

[Mizirlou]

Mudhead: that FL recluse must've had a long beak to reach me in Ga/NC, unless it was an alien recluse with supernatural features.

GracefulRoll: wilderness ethics, keep it wild, don’t feed it. However, maybe I should conduct an experiment to see if it’s contagious. Where y’all gonna be hangin’?

Or how about Blood Mtn on the next long holiday weekend for maximum exposure. O-gawd-no!-not-that-place-again!

[GracefulRoll]

GracefulRoll: wilderness ethics, keep it wild, don’t feed it. However, maybe I should conduct an experiment to see if it’s contagious. Where y’all gonna be hangin’?

Or how about Blood Mtn on the next long holiday weekend for maximum exposure. O-gawd-no!-not-that-place-again!


Ewwwww ;)

You know, the CDC is in Atlanta...

[Alpine Jack]

Government or alien planted tracking device. Your body is trying to reject it.


This is exactly what I was thinking - Alien tracking device! Especially since similar posts were in Georgia, including my own! :) But seriously, I had something very similar while hiking from the Approach Trail to Neel Gap. Mine turned out to be an insect and/or arachnid reaction, swelling, oozing and becoming irritated with each mile of backpacking. The doctor cleaned the area, applied topical cortisone and told me to leave it alone, with no bandage, and no backpack for 7 days. That was 4 months ago, the reaction went away by day 5, but left a scar that's still visible.

Additionally, I also had a tick, stuck in my back (in a different area), that my wife carefully pulled out the night i came back from my trip. There was no reaction or side effect to this bite.

[mudhead]

Mudhead: that FL recluse must've had a long beak to reach me in Ga/NC, unless it was an alien recluse with supernatural features.

]

Rode your pack up from the closet where you stored it in FL.

Course, we have them in ME once in awhile.

You would think the first doc would have pegged a spider bite.

Maybe you snore. Alot.

[Skidsteer]

There are plenty of Brown Recluses is GA and NC.

[Mizirlou]

I had something very similar while hiking from the Approach Trail to Neel Gap. Mine turned out to be an insect and/or arachnid reaction, swelling, oozing and becoming irritated with each mile of backpacking.

:clap A first-hand account. Been waiting for you, thanks for your credible Sweepstakes entry.

[Luddite]

Speaking of spiders....http://news.blogs.cnn.com/2010/11/15/man-living-in-shop-window-with-400-deadly-spiders/?hpt=C2

[Blissful]

My votes for MRSA .

I was trying to think of what this ailment was called, thanks. This is my vote.

[yari]

I was trying to think of what this ailment was called, thanks. This is my vote.

I am getting on this bandwagon, sounds like it could be MRSA to me also. Especially that it waxes and wanes and hurts so bad. Good thing it is draining if it is.

[GracefulRoll]

Honestly, if she had a MRSA infection for this long, with necrotic tissue, it seems like it would spread or she would get really sick.

[mweinstone]

parcial injection or full contact bite from recluse spider on athletic individual with strong healthy imune system and a history of such. necrosis intermitent and offset by high levels of health combined with positive attitude. possible older spider with redused venom toxisity. suggest irragation and antibiotics as this is a patient who never takes them but has waited so long since bite, toxin has begun to take hold and antibiotics will work well. deep cutting recomended as patient has no history od triggered auto immune responses from taeing antibiotics, their may be a lack of sucsess from the drug regeim but a wide cutting area removing all necrotic fleash and irigating with saline may result in antibiotic failure not mattering. dr matthewski.

[Wise Old Owl]

http://ts2.explicit.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=310664173565&id=bd8997553ac56cfcda97a3f6a099d621&url=http%3a%2f%2flh5.ggpht.com%2f_mPz1c9HQdWQ%2fRx OgebF0rBI%2fAAAAAAAABo8%2f395EskUeSK8%2fHPIM3330.J PGhttp://ts2.explicit.bing.net/images/thumbnail.aspx?q=274819261881&id=090e1ce620f1ac5c38dcdd08abb447ca&url=http%3a%2f%2fwww.pbpestcontrol.com%2fpics%2fsi te%2fspider_bite.JPG

Suggest you post a pic - otherwise you are wasting your time and your doctors are useless. It took my doc three months to diagnose Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever. The above pics are Recluse Spider bites.

[Walkintom]

Well, since spider bite is so thoroughly taken, I will go with botfly. Dead and still hitching a free ride, hence the lack of healing.


Screw it, I third the spider bite theory. Botfly would be cool, though

[Trailweaver]

I had a friend who had a small MRSA infection on her chest for more than nine months. Nothing she took in the way of antibiotics would get rid of it, I mean, she was on something all that time. It was small, but remained irritated, oozing, and just a mess. Hers never spread, but it did take forever to heal.

[Mizirlou]

Who’s a winner?

#1: Unknown something or other
-John Gault

#2: Deer tick/Lyme disease
-Carbo

#3: Star tick
-Rick500

#4: Brown recluse/other spider
-GracefulRoll
-John B (with necrotizing toxins)
-Alpine Jack
-Mudhead
-Mweinstone (specifically, a rickety old impotent spider)
-Wise Old Owl
-Walkintom

#5: Ingrown hair cyst/furuncle
-4eyedBuzzard

#6: Cystic acne
-Luddite

#7: MRSA
-Spokes
-Blissful
-Yari
-Trailweaver

#8: Bed bug bite
-Spokes

#9: Foreign body. Alien foreign body.
-Sly Dog
-Alpine Jack

#10: Impact crater from a micro-meterorite
-Hoop

#11: Smallpox
-Mudhead

#12: Side effect from snoring
-Mudhead

#13: Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever
-Wise Old Owl

#14: Botfly
-Walkintom


Good morning, sick phreaks. The MD will opine later this morning.* Then we’ll commence to judge the winner of the White Blaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes.

- - - - - - - - - -
*It’s sorely tempting to go straight to the White Blaze Medical Wizard (Dr. Matthewski) for a cure. However, I’m thinking the grand prize sweepstakes winner should go instead: :D



parcial injection or full contact bite from recluse spider on athletic individual with strong healthy imune system and a history of such. necrosis intermitent and offset by high levels of health combined with positive attitude. possible older spider with redused venom toxisity. suggest irragation and antibiotics as this is a patient who never takes them but has waited so long since bite, toxin has begun to take hold and antibiotics will work well. deep cutting recomended as patient has no history od triggered auto immune responses from taeing antibiotics, their may be a lack of sucsess from the drug regeim but a wide cutting area removing all necrotic fleash and irigating with saline may result in antibiotic failure not mattering. dr matthewski.

[Wise Old Owl]

About Mizirlou The Doc could not diagnose MY RMSF - I say it's a spider bite.

So where's the PIC?

could just be a boil or a leasion.

[Mizirlou]

The Doc could not diagnose MY RMSF
So where's the PIC?

I contorted all over the place and still can't aim the camera at the center of my back, Owl :jump

Doc couldn't diagnose your RMSF? Sounds familiar. Report to follow . . .

[Mizirlou]

When I told the dermatologist about the sweepstakes, he muttered “irresponsible hiker trash.”
Ha ha ha, just kidding. But it was a real quickie ordeal, wham, bam, out the door.

Diagnosis: Cellulitis.
Cause: Coulda originated from insect bite/boil/backpack rubbing on skin.
Treatment: Cultured the hole, snipped off some tissue, oral ‘biotic for 10 days. After cauterizing the hole, he said, “Looks like I stubbed out a cigar on your back, ha ha ha.”

Then I went home to research the ultimate source, Wikipedia, which says,
“There have been many cases where Lyme disease has been misdiagnosed as staph or strep induced cellulitis.”

Anyway, the doc said to take the ’biotic with food so my entree this evening is Macallan (15 yr.) Screw it.

Who won the sweepstakes? I’m turning this over to Dr. Matthewski. His judgment is as sound as any I’ve experienced from practitioners of the healing arts. Your call, Dr. M.

[GracefulRoll]

Yet another doctor just saying, "Meh, dunno what it is, but just swallow these."

If you are not in danger, why not just wait for the culture?

[John B]

Cellulitis seems more of a description of the symptoms than a diagnosis of the cause.

I'm certain that I've watched waaaaay more ER than your doc, so trust me on this -- spider bite + necrotic toxins = black hole.

[GracefulRoll]

Cellulitis seems more of a description of the symptoms than a diagnosis of the cause.

Ding ding ding!! LOL I think we all diagnosed this. It doesn't take a doc to say, "By George, I think these cells are inflamed!"

[beakerman]

yep this is like saying your arm is sore because you hurt it....duh...

Could you be a little more specific doc?

I had a hepititis scare a few years back that went down like that..liver functions way off the charts so they tested, tested, retested and then tested some more each one said yep your liver functions are high but we don't get a positive test for hep. so lets do it again shall we? I ended up giving a pint of blood one vial at a time to those guys. Turns out it was my line of work..the chemicals Iworked with were doing me dirty. Changed jobs and boom things went back to normal...even the cholesterol.

[Lilred]

It was an alien anal probe...... they missed the mark.....

[Mizirlou]

Ding ding ding!! LOL I think we all diagnosed this. It doesn't take a doc to say, "By George, I think these cells are inflamed!"

:rolleyes: Agree.

And I think Lilred’s onto something. The medical observer said sumpin’ nasty
was growing in that thar hole. Culture results in a week for all you sick phreaks. If it’s positive for proteus vulgarus (pewwww! that stuff stinks on a petri dish) Lilred wins.

Happy trails. Watch out for the --- oh never mind.

[GracefulRoll]

I looked up proteus vulgaris during lunch.

Pro-Tip: Don't do that.

[John B]

:rolleyes: Agree.

And I think Lilred’s onto something. The medical observer said sumpin’ nasty
was growing in that thar hole. Culture results in a week for all you sick phreaks. If it’s positive for proteus vulgarus (pewwww! that stuff stinks on a petri dish) Lilred wins.

Happy trails. Watch out for the --- oh never mind.

That's bogus. Lilred is a alien. That's like giving the award to the problem. In point of fact, it's a spider bite with necrotic toxins. If nothing else, I should win 'cause I used the fanciest word.

[GracefulRoll]

That's bogus. Lilred is a alien. That's like giving the award to the problem. In point of fact, it's a spider bite with necrotic toxins. If nothing else, I should win 'cause I used the fanciest word.


That's bogus. I used the phrase "necrotic tissue" and phrases that sound pompous when using a British accent such as "by George." I said 'em first. Also, I spelled "Proteus vulgaris" correctly. Ipso facto, I win.

[Speakeasy TN]

I looked up proteus vulgaris during lunch.

Pro-Tip: Don't do that.


First hint.... anything with the species name vulgaris should not be brought to the dinner table!

I may have to rethink this thru hike thingy if there are bugs out there!:eek:

[GracefulRoll]

First hint.... anything with the species name vulgaris should not be brought to the dinner table!

I may have to rethink this thru hike thingy if there are bugs out there!:eek:


http://break.com/index/germs-and-you-psa2.html?matchid=

[yari]

Ok, I am voting the culture comes back as either staph (secondary to insect bite, not that they will figure out the insect bite part) or MRSA (not giving up on my first call).

[Luddite]

Ok, I am voting the culture comes back as either staph (secondary to insect bite, not that they will figure out the insect bite part) or MRSA (not giving up on my first call).

You're probably right, but I would think the doctor would have guessed that already. If it hasn't gone away, it might be Staph.

[Speakeasy TN]

http://break.com/index/germs-and-you-psa2.html?matchid=

I almost spit coffee all over the laptop! Thanks for the jumpstart! I'm off to work at the HOSPITAL now. I swear!:D

[yari]

You're probably right, but I would think the doctor would have guessed that already. If it hasn't gone away, it might be Staph.

He probably does suspect either staph or MRSA, that is why he cultured it. I had a wound on my leg after a fall that wouldn't heal. After three courses of antibiotics it still wouldn't heal. Finally I went to a doctor that cultured it and once on an antibiotic specific for staph it healed up.

[mudhead]

Should have just sprayed it with Windex. That fixes alot of stuff.

[GracefulRoll]

I almost spit coffee all over the laptop! Thanks for the jumpstart! I'm off to work at the HOSPITAL now. I swear!:D

I was cackling with laughter on that one.

[Mizirlou]

Culture report: “nothing abnormal; no organism seen; no growth after 2 days.”
But “keep taking the antibiotic.”

So I’m snackin’ on the prescribed rat poison. Waitin’ for the creamy green sauce to stop oozing.

Makin’ myself hungry for guacamole. But first, an announcement:

JOHN GAULT wins the White Blaze Diagnostic Sweepstakes with his entry, unknown something or other.

MUDHEAD is runner-up for his Windex cure.

[Mizirlou]

I'm off to work at the HOSPITAL now.:D

. . . and a message for our pal Lamarr: hey man, that system is broken :o

[GracefulRoll]

Where's my special prize? I feel hoodwinked.

[ShakeyLeggs]

Dern in to late but here is my diagnosis. Necrotizing fasciitis

I am not a doctor or do I play one but I do save their butts on occasion.

[Wise Old Owl]

Should have just sprayed it with Windex. That fixes alot of stuff.

Reminds me of a movie "My big fat Greek Wedding.?" 2002

[Wise Old Owl]

Where's my special prize? I feel hoodwinked.

Hey get over it I am still waiting for an ozing photo:mad:

[Mizirlou]

Dern in to late but here is my diagnosis. Necrotizing fasciitis

I am not a doctor or do I play one but I do save their butts on occasion.

:rolleyes: Your diagnosis is as good as any and spelled right, too, which’ll pleez Miz Roll to no end. But jeez, fraternizing with the enemy?

WOO and GracefulRoll: My old tonsils from ‘84 are still in a specimen jar, I can split ‘em in two.

Can’t wear a backpack til the Black Hole of Calcutta heals. Tried day hiking but the no-see-ems pasted themselves to the site. So I’ll just hang around WBlaze and gross you out, OK?

[10-K]

I'm thinking GERD or ADHD......