MRSA "Epidemic"...?

[Stephi Rae]

So here's the deal...

I was just recently hospitalized for a spontaneous, mystery infection in my knee that they called MRSA. (pronounced mursa) The nurses and doctors at the hospital kept saying that while it used to be isolated to people living in hospitals and the hospital staff, it is no at a near-epidemic stage in the community. They are saying that it is very common now among athletes, and military personnel undergoing physical training. The most logical explanation is that I got it from a turf burn I got playing soccer, but that was more than a week before the infection even started showing small signs of pain and swelling, and the burn was a good four inches from the infection site, which is right below my kneecap.

Basically, my question is has anyone ever even heard of this??!! I hadn't... I'm astonished! I was lucky because I went into the ER once it swelled up to the size of a tennis ball... but they sent me home and I was there two more times with draining, and other problems because MRSA doesn't react to any but the strongest IV antibiotics and the culture took three days to confirm it was MRSA. If I had waited even a few more days, the infection would have spread fully into my knee joint and I would likely have lost my lower leg. Not to mention the complications that I had during my hospital stay, resulting in this being a life threatening experience for me. As a 17-year old athlete who cannot wait to get out from under my parent's control and go do something with my life, in the robotics field... this was a very scary experience.

Aside from hoping for some information as to whether I was just ignorant, I hope that more people can be informed of how awful things like this can be. While basically impossible to prevent, it is important that any sort of infection that is extremely painful, swollen, red, and warm to the touch be checked out immediately. They will send you home the first few times. But if the antibiotics do not work in the first 24 hours, it is essential to go back. Even if you really do not want to. I was home alone when this happened... my parents had left the same morning with my younger sisters for a week-long vacation. I had to call them that night at 11pm and tell them that I needed someone to take me to the hospital. My mom came home the next day, and so started our "adventure". This is really scary stuff... Especially since now I know that every time I step out onto that soccer field and dive to save a ball (I'm a goalkeeper), it could start all over again.

Please let me know if you've ever heard about this stuff...