Boy - what an ordeal the past 72+ hours.

I think I've never felt so ill like during those three days. It all developed since sunday evening - innocently, but within 48 hours all grew into to a full blown infection with very high fever.

What i thought was an ear infection - was in fact a skin reaction with staphylococcus bacteria entering my skin (my own fault as i ripped off a flake in my ear, with my dirty driver hands... and then "There you have the shit - what did you have to pay for the kilo ?" (my grandmother used to say) Something falls into your lap whether you like it or not, and now you have to pay the price (for in essence shit).

it is also like saying "you had it coming".

Lesson learned. I so hope !!

First instance was a flop

Unfortunately, I didn't get any help from the local health center in Rågsved. So called AT-doctors tend to be a bit pussy, and refereed me to the large hospital in Huddinge. I told however the guy that i don't have the strength to go there. And I didn't have it. I was utterly exhausted just to go down the the local health center. Gosh, who the fuck goes from one place to the next with 40.5+ °C / 104°F ?!

So, in the following night my condition worsened even further. Until i took my last energy reserves and went to the acute reception for Nose, ear and throat diseases at Huddinge hospital.

Huddinge hospital

There i finally got good care (boy what wonderful people, I do have to say. I felt almost like a boy getting curious, asking for questions, and they would give answers. So absolutely wonderful spirit i met there.

Anyway. I got a weird type of antibiotics Floxacillin, which i need to take every 8 hours two pills. I am not a fan of anything with "F" involved (Fluorine molecule) and highly skeptical in that regard. Hell, i even went back, just to refuse that type of antibiotic. Albeit the doctor ensured me that this version was not the dangerous one**, where you can get spontaneous heal tendon detachment (!!) The doctor ensured me it was safe - and i said "you know what - I will test you and take your word for it. I take this and then we'll see". Raising my finger jokingly...

**) Common antibiotics that belong to the fluoroquinolone class include • ciprofloxacin, • levofloxacin, • moxifloxacin, • gemifloxacin, and • ofloxacin. These antibiotics are used to treat various bacterial infections but are associated with significant side effects.

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review found that fluoroquinolone antibiotics can increase the occurrence of rare but serious events of ruptures or tears in the main artery of the body, called the aorta.  These tears, called aortic dissections, or ruptures of an aortic aneurysm can lead to dangerous bleeding or even death.  They can occur with fluoroquinolones for systemic use given by mouth or through an injection.

Fluoroquinolones should not be used in patients at increased risk unless there are no other treatment options available.  People at increased risk include those with a history of blockages or aneurysms (abnormal bulges) of the aorta or other blood vessels, high blood pressure, certain genetic disorders that involve blood vessel changes, and the elderly. 

Cozy. Huh ?

Anyway - after the visit at Huddinge hospital

- boy I was depleted of all my energy after 3.5 hours, and finally made it home. I hadn't eaten for 3 days either - but i made fluid replacments (Lemon, salt, sugar and vitamin-C) That helped a great deal to keep going !

However at the busstop with a fever rising anew, shaking uncontrolled and felt ice cold - but i made it home. Now i look like a old, dusty Disco diva from the 80s, who seem to have forgotten which century we live on. *LOL* Not my finest hour hefty swollen ear, and half of my face.

Unfortunately in the evening now - I still have 39.2°C (one hour later 38.8°C) - so this time it doesn't seem to go down as quickly. Maybe i am impatient - which probably is true. Time has become all blurry in the last 3-4 days, with the sense of partial delirium at times (being dizzy and somewhat flimsy) during the fever pitches.

Man i am so glad that i insisted on calling in sick. It would been a disaster if i would have gone to work... I hesitated to call in - because 1.5 hours before my duty started before my duty started. Yet, i was in such a bad shape. You are responsible for the safety of your passengers and train. If you can't drive, you need to tell.

Same sudden condition
Lockdown Sicily - March 2020

I had a similar skin/ear condition back during the beginning of the lockdown in Sicily March 2020. It came very sudden. Probably the chock of the extreme lockdown situation, healthy people being "trapped inside their homes" - was really something most weird. I just couldn't fathom that such extremes government do under the disguise of "health" would do something so illogic and unprecedented.

Back then, I had the same symptoms. Back then Mary kindly ask if he drugstore had something with antibiotics even if there is not paper for it. That anoint did actually the trick, and after a week i was restored. I never took oral antibiotics. It also was fantastic that the drugstore helped out without a doctors recipe (which anyway was impossible to meet or get during the lockdown).

It all could have gotten way worse without any type of antibiotics. So, I was very, very lucky.

Here in Sweden they are far too restrictive, i feel. As i said, the local health center was so puzzy, which induced a lot of suffering. I mean the local guy said "you know you could get brain damage, and even damage to the ear". When then what the heck should be the very first priority ? Of course; to approach the infection immediately and without hesitation if such risk for damages is posed.

But he didn't do anything of that kind.

So, i am lucky, that none of my neural function have been affected. It is all in the skin instead. And believe me my entirely head is soar. Not pain-pain, but very soar and sensitive. Since I didn't get any antibiotics yesterday, the infection spread to the other side of my head (mainly here the hair is). And that was really unnecessary to begin with. It could have been avoided.

At the Huddinge hospital the confirmed that the local AT-doctors tend to be "a bit cowards" and rather refer to a specialist. It also means, they don't really take responsibility when you see health care at the local office. Well, it is a private entity, collecting tax money.

Go figure.

Sal almost canceled his trip to Sicily...

It was as if it was the most natural thing in the world, that he would stay at home. I guess he got really scared and didn't want to leave me in the condition I was in.

Once we went to the local helth care center, i told him - please, fly to Sicily. Don' skip that. I'll be fine somehow. THe guy has a heart of gold in so many ways...

I told him; you have your sister coming from the US, and the whole family is gathering, including the girls and everyone else in the family. After a long time, he did leave for the airport - and i am very happy that he did. Later he wanted to take an early flight back home, but I said - nonsense, don't do that ! I mean what is a week anyway... On top it is a well deserved vaction. Sal worked so hard during the past month...

In the mean time - I'll be gone from work almost 2 weeks.

On Saturday, I will have a checkup at the Huddinge hospital and seee how I responded to the treatment. I just hope i have enough power to get there. In this moment I am not so sure - but i also need some good sleep first...