Bugs

Very frustrating. There you are, happily getting on with a routine, albeit one that doesn't involve much beyond the bathroom and the PSP, and a staphylococcus cocks it up. One of my pins has become infected again, and for some reason, this time it has been very, very sore. In fact, I ended up staying in bed yesterday, because if I moved my leg from the one place it seemed content, the pain was enough to make me shout involuntarily. Not bad for a bug that apparently happily resides up our noses most of the time anyway, and is normally fairly content with just that. Apparently, the bugs resemble clusters of grapes under a microscope. The thought of staphylococcus viniculture kept me amused for a second or two, but not as amused as a good claret would have done.

Think about having a tender boil just below your knee. Then imagine sticking a nail through it. And leaving it there. And attaching a weight. I suppose it was always going to hurt.

The most frustrating thing has been that my period of immobility clashed with my monthly outpatient's appointment, at which I was hoping to get some news about a release date. Bugger. I now have to wait another 2 1/2 weeks. It is a frustrating feature of the NHS that once you have left hospital, you operate in a kind of limbo that is policed by receptionists jealously gaurding the diaries of the medical professionals you wish to see. St. George's is a great hospital. I was extremely well looked after by the team there, and owe them a huge amount. When I phoned the ward this week, nearing the end of my tether with pain, a nurse told me to take Nurofen, or phone my GP. The harsh fact is; once you have left, you are out of the loop. At least I have finally managed to crack the Fort Knox that is the GP's surgery, and managed to be seen without waiting a week to catch a taxi for 1/2mile in order to climb two flights of stairs so that I can finally see a doctor (the suggestion of the receptionist). So I phoned the GP. And got some better pain killers. Which have worked. So I suppose I shouldn't be moaning. It's just that stuck in a nest, the active mind is desperate for more information about your condition, and it's difficult to be content with the fact that it is simply an infection that should clear up with Penicillin and some strong aspirin. So it was back to the web, and researching the enemy...

Staphylococci. Tricky by name, tricky by nature. Apparently, these little bugs generally live on the skin, but get a little over-excited when they sense weakness. Pins impaled through the leg are therefore pretty attractive to the average Staphylococcus. Their work then produces inflamation, necrosis of the surrounding tissue (best not to dwell on this), and pus. You do have to be a little careful. They can infect the bone, which would be bad news. If they get really feisty, they can cause septicemia, which can kill. This is the sort of consideration that we have to bear in mind with William, who has had a close call of this nature. In my case, at least all they are doing is causing pain. And pus. I have a sneaky suspicion, in fact, that these are the little blighters that are behind spotty noses. I shall therefore take particular pleasure next time I take on a spot. I shall view it as personal revenge.