By Sara Basehart (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #1) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 11:07 am: |
I have been on island for 3 weeks. My kids have been scratching their mosquito bites (as kids do) and I keep warning them about infections (as moms do) but the worst has happened and one of my daughter's bites has swollen her foot up huge and hot, running with pus and red lines travelling up her leg. I took her to the hospital yesterday (monday), but there were no doctors there that day (wtf?) so we went to the doc across the street. He was nice and proscribed topical benzocane and amoxycillin antibiotics....but they don't seem to be working, today the area around the sore is turning purply/black. I informed the doc that we have been in contact with people who have mrsa, and he wasn't concerned or even sure what it was at first. I am concerned to the point of freaking out a little and I want someone to tell me if there is a good doctor on this island who does care, or if I need to get tickets home. We are not supposed to be leaving until the end of the month. Help me! Who can I take her to who will do a mrsa culture if the hospital isn't even staffed???
|
By Sara Basehart (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #2) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 11:20 am: |
Actually, the surface stuff was Bactroban, not Benzocane. Sorry
|
By Vince DePietro (Bellevue Condos ) (Extraordinary BonaireTalker - Post #1563) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 11:36 am: |
Sara. Here's a link from the Mayo clinic on MRSA as an FYI...
|
By RA. thankyousir,mayIhaveanother? (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2746) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 11:38 am: |
Sara, My daughter contacted MRSA last year while on Bonaire. They should start the antibiotics right away if MRSA is even suspected. Amoxycillan will not work. Ask Michael at Chat-n-Browse for some advice, he is a wealth of knowledge and know how. I think he will be able to help you out if no-one else chimes in here.
|
By Sara Basehart (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #3) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 11:44 am: |
Thanks Vince,
|
By Cecil (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6626) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 12:17 pm: |
I think the advice about Michael at Chat and Browse is probably your best/quickest bet. It seems counter-intuative but Michael is a wealth of information.
|
By David Johnson (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #430) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 12:53 pm: |
IMHO, the hospital is probably not the place to start. But going back to the doc might be worth a quick try.
|
By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #880) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 1:07 pm: |
If you've seen Dr. van der Vaart (one of the doctors in the building across from the hospital), you've seen the best here; go see him again. It's not unusual that there's not a doctor at the hospital. The hospital (to the best of my knowledge) has doctors on-call, that's all. If you need any labs done, Dr. v/d Vaart will order them, and you'll need to go to the lab (at the hospital, or near Napa; labs close early, like around 2 or 3pm). The labs here do some tests on island, the rest have to be sent to Curacao. As you can imagine, that takes a lot of time, especially if you missed that week's shipment (the lab sends stuff to Curacao only on certain days, not daily). This is small-island health-care reality; our population is too small to support most of the services available full-time in larger areas.
|
By RA. thankyousir,mayIhaveanother? (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2749) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 1:14 pm: |
The test for MRSA takes about 2-3 days for results here in the US so could be quite a while on island since it has to first get sent somewhere else.
|
By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #881) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 1:18 pm: |
FYI, none of the doctors here do their own lab work. They have a sheet of paper from the lab that they fill out by ticking off the boxes for what tests they want done. You then take this paper and go to the lab, where blood is drawn, urine is given, etc. Doctors will take some cultures, like a pap smear, but then you still have to take your petri dish and the lab paper to the lab. Tedious, but it's the way it's done.
|
By Sara Basehart (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #4) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 1:26 pm: |
Thank you all for talking to me.
|
By Geoffrey (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #178) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 2:11 pm: |
Whether it is MRSA or something else, the symptoms you describe on that foot are extremely serious. Red lines traveling up the foot mean that there is now spreading through her veins or lymphatic system and it is spreading up her leg. "purply/black" means that now the circulation to the foot is compromised because of the infection in the veins.
|
By Pietri Hausmann (BonaireTalker - Post #31) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 2:24 pm: |
dr.v.d. vaart is the best and also the chamber physician here... stick with him. .. he will take the time to listen and is open-minded... in order to go to curacao -you are opening a can of worms .. you must be referred in from bonaire by a physician and on and on it will go .. you will not accomplish a thing in curacao unless you follow the protocol.. been there-done that for nearly 30 years.
|
By Geoffrey (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #179) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 2:49 pm: |
I certainly would not say NOT to go to Dr. V.d. Vaart. Is he there? Is he available? The clock is ticking for that kid.
|
By Geoffrey (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #180) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 2:49 pm: |
Oh yeah, your local doctor saw her already AND NOW SHE IS WORSE.
|
By ***Boat Chick*** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5940) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 2:53 pm: |
Sara, if you can't get her to see the doc today, I would seriously consider getting her back to the states. Geoffrey has a good suggestion, call your local pediatrician and ask for some help as well.
|
By RA. thankyousir,mayIhaveanother? (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2750) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 3:27 pm: |
Sara, I just checked and the antibiotic ointment is Mupirocin. This along with oral, NOT BROAD SPECTRUM ANTIBIOTICS will resolve this infection without any lasting effects. (my daughter does have a small dark scar where the infection started) which by the way was the result of either a spider or scorpion bite.Please keep us posted.
|
By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #882) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 3:41 pm: |
There's no where off-island for her to go today (she already missed a local flight to CUR to catch AA's CUR/MIA afternoon flight), and as Petri pointed out, going to the hospital in CUR (or Aruba) is not really an option, unless she's sent there on the ambulance flight by Dr. van der Vaart. Even so, a trip to the hospital in Curacao is not cheap or easy; the health care system is VERY different than in the US, except maybe for the amount of paperwork necessary... And not to forget, English is people's 3rd language. If she needs IV meds, that can be done in the hospital here, Dr. van der Vaart can admit her.
|
By Geoffrey (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #181) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 4:42 pm: |
With symptoms like she describes, not only do they need to start treating the original cause, they now also need to treat the consequences and save the girls foot.
|
By Geoffrey (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #182) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 4:45 pm: |
Oh, regarding ointment, with the infection in the veins and lymphatic ducts, ("red lines traveling up her leg"), a topical antibiotic is useless.
|
By Jerry (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #11818) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 4:53 pm: |
Please take note:
|
By Debbie B. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7572) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:04 pm: |
Staph infections are quite scary. Get her to a hospital immediately that can handle them without delay! My hubby had one and didn't know it, got it treated, very hard to get rid of, thought it was all gone, it has come back, treating again with very strong antibiotics, if that doesn't work, he has to see a specialist for ifectious dieseases. They are not to mess around with at all. If he had gone to the doctor earlier and had it treated sooner, it may never have gotten to where it ended up with. We are hoping this round of meds will work. Time will tell, he is not contagious, but it has left scars.
|
By RA. thankyousir,mayIhaveanother? (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2752) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:08 pm: |
Geoffrey, the ointment was used in parallel with oral antibiotics but you are correct in what you said. I guess we got lucky, and had it treated prior to it becoming a serious threat.
|
By Geoffrey (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #183) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:33 pm: |
The assumption that this is MRSA is dangerous and pointless. MRSA is just one thing that causes these symptoms. So let's stop with the MRSA. It could be worse than that.
|
By Debbie B. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7573) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:33 pm: |
RA, you are right, hope Sara posts again after this is all over and lets us know how her daughter is. It is very hard when something like this happens on an island. I remember when we were on ST. Kitts and hubby ate conch for the first time. Well, he had a very severe allergic reaction and I had no idea of what to do, called the restaurant and they told me he could die if not taken care of immediately, drove to the clinic/hospital, got lost, pulled over in the pouring rain, stood in the middle of the road to flag down a van, who thank goodness showed me where it was. Right in front of that hospital was a graveyard and I freaked! Didn't know if I should go there or not, did not have a choice. But I was lucky, they had a good doctor there from San Juan that day, got a shot in the butt and arm and he was o.k., would have died if he didn't get there, so I am glad Sara is taking her daughter back to the doctor on Bonaire. I am sure he will do right by her and help Sara get the medical attention, be it on island or back in the states.
|
By Jerry (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #11822) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:40 pm: |
|
By ***Boat Chick*** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5941) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:41 pm: |
Ruth, you are right about not going through SJ if you don't have to...been there done that.
|
By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #883) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:44 pm: |
Now, in the same thought: This is real life in paradise, and something everyone lurking and dreaming of moving to "paradise" needs to remember. Stuff happens. We have a real hospital. A real small hospital. Do we have all of the best and/or latest medications available? No, and neither does Curacao. We have a health care system based on what we (as an island) can afford (and we probably still need a lot of money from Holland to have it). This is the reality of a small, charming, quaint, undeveloped island. It's not reasonable to expect a big, fancy, full-service hospital, with lots of staff and specialists, for a resident population of only 15,000. We can only hope for improvements with an increase in our population base. The health-care system here is decent (for our size), but you have to know how to work your way through it, and be pro-active. This is not easy for a visitor, or even new resident, to figure out.
|
By ***Boat Chick*** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5942) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:50 pm: |
Ruth, you are a gem. If you or Michael hear anything, please let us know...I am worried
|
By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #884) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 5:57 pm: |
Nah, not a gem, but thanks. Just someone who has way too much personal experience with the system. I'll let you all know if I hear anything. I am concerned too.
|
By Jan Klos - ( Hamlet Bonaire ) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #675) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 6:13 pm: |
Sometimes I just wish, that people would read their posts before the press the POST BUTTON. You have a mother that is frantic, and reaching out for help. If something happened to myself or a family member or friend,really serious, that needed emegency treatment, I would need the help of someone on the island, that has the contacts, and the know-how of what to do, where to go, and how to get there.
|
By Geoffrey (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #184) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 7:47 pm: |
Here is a thought ... if a cruise ship pulls in, they may actually have the medical care needed on board.
|
By ***Boat Chick*** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5945) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 8:00 pm: |
I don't think so Geoffrey. One of our docs is out of Alaska, and he says during cruise ship season, their ERs and hospitals are full. They get one or two passengers from each ship, each time. When I was in PR with my mom, one of the problems with getting her transfered to a better hospital in PR, was that it was spring break, so all of the hospitals were full from the small island emergencies and cruise ships.
|
By Sara Basehart (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #5) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 9:03 pm: |
Ok, everybody, this post has gotten waaaaayyyy bigger than I ever intended. Yes, my daughter's foot doesn't look great, but it is not rotting off...I should have specified that the black/purply part looks more like a bad bruise that necrotic tissue. The red lines have been halted by the antibiotics, but the red swelling increased to 4 times the size of the initial swelling. I made it back in to see Dr v.d.Vaart today. In some ways the foot looked better- less swollen, she could stand on it w/out pain, but the darkening and the fact that it hasn't scabbed, plus she has broken out with small"fever blisters" on her lip -without the high fever, and her earring hole in one ear is also infected made me go in for a professional opinion. I am not a young parent, and I am not a first timer either, I would NEVER compromise my daughter's health or safety to save a buck, thank you Geoffrey, but I do travel the world with my children and I am not quick to panic. I try to stay calm in the face of uncertainty and make decisions that are the best course of action for the whole family. If I rushed home every time one of my two kids (age 7 and 2) got hurt or had some unusual set of symptoms, well, I wouldn't ever be away from home. These are not great symptoms, and I AM being cautious. We are having the lab tests tomorrow that I asked for yesterday and the doc said the results would be back in the afternoon. I am satisfied with Dr V.d.Vaart, and hoping that the labs will tell us if we are just dealing with a nasty staph infection, or A REALLY NASTY STAPH INFECTION...and if we need to go home, then we will go home. I don't have a price limit on my family's health and safety, but I am also not some rich tourist who can afford rash decisions. My husband is here working and we are lucky enough to accompany him here to your beautiful, mellow island. And so we are dealing, best we can, with this unforseen complication. Without a photo, it is hard to rush to judgement on what is happening to her foot. I have tried to add a photo to this, but can't load it (?) I will keep you up to date on what happens tomorrow, but PLEASE don't be so quick to judge. I reached out for help and advice, and I appreciate your responses overflowing. My being on the chat-while trying to rent a car on line- brought Irene to help me, and she is an angel for all she has done. We are holding steady, and tomorrow we will know more. Tonight I will sleep well, and I hope the same for all of you. Thank you again for your kind concern and well wishes and I will tell you what happens tomorrow. Goodnight all, and sweet dreams.
|
By RA. thankyousir,mayIhaveanother? (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #2753) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 9:19 pm: |
Sara, I'm so happy to hear and it sounds like you are certainly level headed and have the situation totally under control. I travel a great deal with my kids and know how scary things can get!
|
By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #886) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 9:21 pm: |
Whew. Thanks for the follow-up.
|
By Jerry (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #11825) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 9:54 pm: |
I need some KFC.
|
By Kobi in Virginia (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7054) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 9:57 pm: |
Thanks for the update. There are a few lurkers, I'm sure, that just exhaled; me included.
|
By ***Boat Chick*** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5946) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 9:59 pm: |
Sara, whew, glad it is all under control. I certainly hope WE didn't overreact, but we did...it's what we do when someone posts something such as yours, and we are all loving caring folks, so we are ALL like mother hens (and roosters?)
|
By Dave Goodwin (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #273) on Tuesday, July 15, 2008 - 10:37 pm: |
Hey BC, I'll share my employee meal with you......
|
By ***Boat Chick*** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5951) on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 10:31 am: |
Thanks Dave
|
By Ruth van Tilburg (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #887) on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 10:34 am: |
I think there are a lot of lurkers...did you notice there was very little activity on the rest of the threads during this one? Kobi, you were not alone holding your breath! Nothing like possibly rotting flesh, infectious diseases, pus, and blood poisoning (that's what I thought of when I saw the info re: the red lines running up the legs), to get everyone's attention. Let's hope Sara posts that the meds are working, and the situation's in even better control today... Breathe!
|
By michael gaynor (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #3228) on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 11:41 am: |
Thank you all for the vote of confidence. What I would have done is given Sara my US phone to call her doc in the states. I agree that Dick is a good diagnostician but sometimes a second or third opinion is invaluable. Sounds like things are under control.
|
By elaine sculley (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #297) on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 1:46 pm: |
i would also get dan insurance especially if living overseas. just a suggestion. hope all goes well.
|
By Sara Basehart (New BonaireTalk Poster - Post #8) on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 4:07 pm: |
Hi everyone, just stopping in to say that YES! the antibiotics are finally kicking in and my daughter's foot, if not looking normal, does look a lot better. The lab tests they did only showed that there was a lot of infection happening, but nothing extraordinary. All I know is that the red lines that first day really got my attention, I knew it was wrong, wrong wrong, and though I have many reasons for fearing an antibiotic resistant strain of staph, it is not. She is going to be fine. I have never seen an infection leave behind such a large and ugly bruised area, and may never know what caused it. All I know is that 3 good things came out of all this:
|
By Cecil (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #6636) on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 5:28 pm: |
Thanks for the followup Sarah and I am (and I'm sure everyone else) is absolutely delighted her foot is healing. There are a few thing that really ring our alarm bells, one of them is skin infections in the tropics, another is DCI symptoms (the bends).
|
By ***Boat Chick*** (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #5961) on Wednesday, July 16, 2008 - 10:55 pm: |
"Mother of the Foot"
|
By karen gaffner (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #211) on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 8:47 am: |
i was one of the lurkers. i am so relieved to hear all is going well.BT is amazing.
|
By Debbie B. (Supreme BonaireTalker - Post #7582) on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 8:51 am: |
Wonderful news, Sarah! Thanks so much for posting and letting us know.
|
By Jan Klos - ( Hamlet Bonaire ) (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #677) on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 9:06 am: |
Great news Sarah !!!! Glad to hear your daughter is healing. The bruising might have been caused by the scratching.
|
By Jerry (BonaireTalk Deity - Post #11845) on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 9:20 am: |
Thanks Sarah.
|
By susan (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #366) on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 9:40 am: |
Sarah, so glad to hear your daughter is doing better! You must've been scared out of your wits! BTers are a wonderful bunch of people! Some can be alittle harsh...but do mean well! I think we all knew the last thing you wanted was to put your daughter in harm's way! Working in a hospital, I know that MRSA has become a very prevalent infection, & it's scary! Please take care, & enjoy the rest of your vacation!
|
By Skip C (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #101) on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 1:17 pm: |
Thanks for the update Sarah.
|
By elaine sculley (Experienced BonaireTalker - Post #304) on Thursday, July 17, 2008 - 10:05 pm: |
thanks for the clarification. i have learned something new. sara take care.
|
Visit: The Bonaire WebCams - Current Bonaire images and weather!
The Bonaire Insider - the latest tourism news about Bonaire
The Bonaire Information Site, InfoBonaire
Search Bonaire - Search top Bonaire Web sites