Trying to Love Life with Erysipulas

I felt like this last summer was from the movie Inside Out.  It's a Disney Pixar movie talking about emotions and how they all have a place and are important, I highly recommend you watch it with kids or just yourself.  Also this next part will make way more sense.  Spoiler alert!  

This summer we made so many beautiful and fun memories with family and close friends, they all were "Joy memories" shinning brightly gold, but like Inside Out "Blue Sadness" kept creeping in tainting those memories-Erysipelas.  It had been so long since I had an infection and even longer that I had a recurring infection, but here it was, one infection after the other.  I was on antibiotics and like clockwork once I ended one antibiotic another infection would start.  I was trying to get in to see my Infectious Disease doctor, but with COVID everything was backed up. (I have a previous Blog about finding out my infections weren't Cellulitis, but Erysipelas, you can find the post here: Infection Correction.)

Since my infections were ongoing, I wasn't able to heal Bertha, before another infection started.  My leg was constantly more swollen than normal, I was in pain and constantly worried.  I was worried that my continuous infections would lead to the antibiotics not working and I would need to go to the hospital.  I live with chronic pain, I talked about it a bit in an Instagram post you can find here:  Instagram.  So it is almost my new normal, but with the added infections it was difficult to think of anything else.  If you have experienced an Erysipelas or Cellulitis infection you know how painful they are and how draining they are as well.  The infection that started this whole thing off was so bad I basically slept and was out of it for 2-3 days.  The sun would be shinning, I could hear my kids playing and laughing outside, it took all of my strength just to lift my head for a sip of water or to take medicine.  I was trying to stay positive, but it felt like there was no end.

There is a light at the end of this dreary tunnel.  I was able to get into my ID doctor and we decided I should go back on monthly Bicillin injections.  I had inquired before about getting a prescription for the injections and taking them at home.  Since my husband is a paramedic firefighter my doctor agreed he could give me the injections.  Also with COVID I was unsure how the future would look in getting in monthly for my injections.  It took some time and a lot of phone calls, but I am happy to say I have a 6 month supply of Bicillin.

Thankfully my symptoms after the injections have been minor, I feel a little flu like and the area where I have my injections is sore for a bit, but my husband and I tried a new things where I take them in the evening, so most of my flu like feeling happens as I sleep.  It may seem like a small win, but it's a win!

I never thought this would be our life.  Before we were married my husband (along with my Mom and Dad) helped give me my Interferon injections.  I was on the high dose where I had to take three injections a week for a year.  The next occasion of constant needles in our life was after I had a surgery to remove cancer from my lymph nodes before our honeymoon, I developed fluid buildup near my incision site, it had to be drained every few days.  Our honeymoon was coming up, so with my doctor we decided so we could go on our honeymoon my husband would drain it with syringes he prescribed us.  We joked that it was our foreplay.  I know our life is very glamorous. 

Today I am thankful I have a team of doctors who truly advocate for me.  I am thankful I have insurance that will cover the injections at home.  And of course thankful for my amazing husband who doesn't mind sticking his wife with a needle.  Ha ha, what are you thankful fore? xoxo-Allie