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Step Cellulitis

“I will just pop a few Tylenol and power through. The chills, fevers, and aches are probably just the start of a cold flu,” I remember thinking as I was driving to Devil’s Lake to meet a friend for a night of camping.

 

But by 6pm that night, I was completely wrecked and had to retreat to the tent.  I didn’t wake until 8 the next morning, and I felt much worse.  It took all my strength to pack and start my drive home.  On the way home, I noticed a nasty rash on my calf.  I thought it was a tick bite, so I decided to shower and go straight to Urgent Care the moment I got home.

Not a tick bite. It's the start of strep cellulitis on the calf of the leg

By the time the doctor at Urgent Care saw me, the rash, Cellulitis, was streaking up my leg.  Sepsis was the first thought, and I burst into tears.  She called my husband and told us to get the ER as quickly as possible.  

 

I know someone who has gone into septic shock. She lost a few of her limbs and had to spend years in recovery.  I tried to keep calm; but this thought kept overtaking me and would continue to intrude until I finally started feeling better days later.

 

I did not have to wait too long in the ER, although it felt like forever.  I was admitted quickly Monday night, put on IV antibiotics, fluids, and Tylenol.  I had an extremely high fever, exhaustion, headache, and body aches.

 

The cellulitis continued to streak up my legs, so much so that I asked the nurse to get a doctor in the middle of the night.  I felt so awful and seeing the red streaks all the way to my lymph nodes was terrifying.  The doctor assured me that this is how the body works; my body was trying to clear out the cellulitis.  This offered me some comfort, but not much.

Strep cellulitis spreading up the leg from the bottom of the calf. The doctors trace the rash outline with blue marker so the border can be seen on the leg
Strep Cellulitis spreading up to the lymph nodes
Strep Cellulitis moces toward the lymph nodes so the body can clear the infection

I was in and out of it that night, with a very high fever.  I ended up pooping my pants, crying, and being very cold.  I hit the call button several times; I still remember the sound of frustration at the receiving end.

 

On Tuesday, I had a much better nurse who took excellent care of me, my family sent me Begonias, and I met my team of doctors.  I was treated by 5 doctors, including a few infectious disease specialists.  Everyone agreed that I was trending in the right direction, and no I could not take a shower.  I was told I needed to be there a few more days, my infection was caused from bacteria on my skin, and I just had bad luck to get this sick.

Scarlet Begonias delivered to the hospital room

Later that evening, I spiked 103° fever, which set my recovery back quite a bit.  I decided to stay on top of any pain with Tylenol and Toradol.  Later that night, my period came.  

 

I woke up Wednesday feeling very discouraged because my strep cellulitis was not looking any better to me; and I felt like I was going to be stuck in the hospital all week, missing my son’s 6th birthday.  My sister called and let me have a good cry.

 

The doctors started trickling in and all agreed I was looking much better, I could take a shower, and I should be out by Friday.  My kids came to visit this day.  Claire was interested in everything and unfrightened by it all.  Hank loved the fact I was wearing a diaper and couldn’t stop asking to see it.  Gwen immediately teared up and look terrified.  It was so good to see them, and I think they helped tons in my recovery because the last doctor to stop, the head of infectious disease, told me I’d be going home Thursday night.

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These are the pictures of the rash clearing up.  I know it does not look like it's getting better, but I was feeling much better at this point.  It looks absolutely disgusting, but the infection works like that; it gets worse before it gets better. I was able to move my leg, my fever subsided, and I was able to walk around

Strep Cellulitis looks worse as it continues to spread up the leg and expand the blue marker border. it's a blotchy red rash that makes hard lumps under the skin
Strep cellulitis starts to bubble and puss as the rash starts to heal. The rash starts to shrink within the blue marker border

Now I have been home for a few days and it looks like it is actually clearing up.  I still have a sensitive lump under my skin behind my knee.  I am told that will go away with time.  My energy is very low and I cannot do much, but I am trying to ignore all my projects and rest so my body can make a full recovery.

 

Next time I feel sick, I will probably think twice before I use the “Tylenol and power through” treatment.  

Strep Cellulitis is healing and only a few hard red spots remain. There is a lot of hair on the leg and traces of blue marker exists because no unnecessary irritation should prevent the skin from healing completely
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