HollyFarmer
Member
Just went through a VERY scary week with my wife. It started 2 weeks ago, with some type of bite to her leg, which left a huge bruise. A couple of days later, she starts complaining of body aches, and a headache. That night, she started running a fever of 103. So on Monday she goes to doctor, they put her of some anti-biotics and send her home. Seeing no improvement,and not eating or drinking much, I take her back to our doctor on Friday, which happened to be her birthday, and we spent 6 hours in the infusion center, getting her rehydrated. They then just sent her home.
Unable to keep her fevers broken for more than a couple of hours at a time, I put my foot down, and took her to the ER, on Sunday. After several blood tests and a spinal tap, they send us to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
They admitted her immediately. This Monday morning her team of doctors came in, ran a battery of tests, and came back and told us they were bringing in one the the nations top Infectious Disease doctors.
He runs a few more tests, but tells us it may take 3-5 days before we get any results. He the said," But we are not waiting on them", and started treatment for Lyme disease.
After 2 days of treatment her fever finally broke for good, and she started eating again. On Thursday he came in and said they found out that it was NOT Lyme disease but Ehrlichia. A bacterial infection caused by a tick bite. Only the 2nd confirmed case ever in Indiana.
We got to bring her home Friday, but before leaving the hospital, the doctor told me, that on Sunday when I took her to the ER, I may have saved her life. He said if we had waited any longer, because her blood counts were so screwed up, she could have started having seizures and gone into a coma. She is going to make a full recovery, with no long lasting side effects. But it will take 4-6 weeks to get to that point.
So be careful out there. If you do get bit and then a few days later start running a fever, have aches and pains, go straight to the ER. It may just save your life.
Unable to keep her fevers broken for more than a couple of hours at a time, I put my foot down, and took her to the ER, on Sunday. After several blood tests and a spinal tap, they send us to Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis.
They admitted her immediately. This Monday morning her team of doctors came in, ran a battery of tests, and came back and told us they were bringing in one the the nations top Infectious Disease doctors.
He runs a few more tests, but tells us it may take 3-5 days before we get any results. He the said," But we are not waiting on them", and started treatment for Lyme disease.
After 2 days of treatment her fever finally broke for good, and she started eating again. On Thursday he came in and said they found out that it was NOT Lyme disease but Ehrlichia. A bacterial infection caused by a tick bite. Only the 2nd confirmed case ever in Indiana.
We got to bring her home Friday, but before leaving the hospital, the doctor told me, that on Sunday when I took her to the ER, I may have saved her life. He said if we had waited any longer, because her blood counts were so screwed up, she could have started having seizures and gone into a coma. She is going to make a full recovery, with no long lasting side effects. But it will take 4-6 weeks to get to that point.
So be careful out there. If you do get bit and then a few days later start running a fever, have aches and pains, go straight to the ER. It may just save your life.
