Lupus and Infections

Sunday, September 7th I walked in the Lupus Society of Illinois Walk in Lincoln Park. It was a gorgeous day filled with sunshine and warmth. We couldn't have asked for a better day. Upon the 1 mile marker my 5 and 7 year old boys began getting tired so my husband took the boys back to our car. I was walking fast to catch up to my group. I didn't see the lip in the sidewalk and I flew through the air and landed on my right knee and elbow. Part of the sidewalk was now part of me. I didn't see blood yet because I had so much gravel and dirt on myself. Once my girlfriend cleaned me up with my bottle of water I saw the wounds. I had put band aids in my wallet before leaving home. Not knowing I would need the band aids for this (thought was blisters), I was just thankful I had something!  The walk was over for me.


By Monday evening I was in terrible pain. I was thinking that I should have been seen in the ER while I was in the hospital earlier for my Benlysta infusion but my stubbornness got the better of me. http://www.benlysta.com/?cc=p1113c00049:e1:d1:w1:p20&pid=3605&google=e_&rotation=71700000006643265&banner=58700000274539674&kw=4643552909&gclid=CKDW2-OQ38ACFStgMgod3RUA1A 

I give great advice as an advocate, but for some reason I can take my own advice. I would never tell one of my lupus members to wait on a situation like this. I'd suggest that she/he get seen as soon as possible.

By Wednesday I couldn't put weight on my foot or leg and my skin was a blood red color, very tender to the touch. At that point,  I knew I was in trouble. I knew what had happened and I knew the name; Cellulitis had set in!  http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/cellulitis.html

We had been cleaning my wounds with soap, hydrogen peroxide  & slathering the wounds with tri-biotic cream then covering my wounds with gauze. I looked like half of a mummy.

After we took our boys to school, I asked my husband drive me to the immediate care. The gauze pads, that we covering my wounds, needed to be soaked off and and when the doctor took one look he said, "it's infected!" I knew I should have gone in sooner and now I'm facing this terrible infection. How could I do this to myself? The infection is so bad he put me on Keflex and Bactrim. That's right, 2 strong antibiotics.

I've had some people say, "why are you taking a sulfa based antibiotic when sulfa causes flares?" Well, there's certain times when medication outweighs risks. This is the time when I'd rather possibly go through a flare than possibly get MRSA or Necrosis. The alternatives aren't what I want to put my body through. I'll take the minimal risk of a flare. I'm in so much pain from the Cellulitis that f a flare persists I doubt I'd notice. 

I just got done with a 10 day round of Bactrim for another infection and here we go again.

Having Lupus, RA, Raynauds, and Gastritis (and more); it's not easy when you get an infection. An infection takes much longer to heal from and rid from our system(s). It can also be that while taking antibiotics you're still likely to come down with other viruses or bacterial infections as this has happened in the past.

It's now been 3 days on the antibiotics and the pain is still really bad. I really would never wish this pain on anyone. What I do wish, is that I took the advice I dole out. I love my group of lupies and care for them deeply. When they hurt, it hurts me to see them aching. I feel like I'm able to help them and that makes me feel better that they in turn feel better. But, for some reason I'm not able to take my own advice. I'm not invincible. My immune system is weak just like theirs is. I really need to stop trying to think I can heal myself at home all of the time.

Bottom line is: IF YOU THINK IT'S BAD, THEN GET SEEN BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE!