I cut my right thumb....just a little tiny 1/4 inch cut about a week and a half ago...have no idea how but with all I do I often get cuts and scratches. So this one was no different...neosporin and a bandaid. Yesterday morning this little cut that seemed to be healing finally doubled my thumb in size, was bright red and very, very painful. I went to work where several nurses and a doc examined it and tried all kinds of things. After about 3 hours at the hospice, I had an angry hot, red line all the way to my elbow. Long story short....I went to the doctor's office, had a fever and had the thing lanced and two of the most painful injections in my butt that I ever had! I was advised to go home for the day and stay out today and possibly tomorrow. I have pill form antibiotics that keep me running to the bathroom and I can't get my hand wet. The red line is barely visible, so things are slowly improving. The doctor is having a sample cultured to make sure there are no "bugs" going on. With all that I come into contact with in my work it's a little scary, to say the least....although I'm extremely careful. Just a reminder to be very careful of seemingly small scratches and cuts. My doctor said that had I waited until this morning she would have admitted me to the hospital. Just another thing happening in my already weird life! Sepsis can result and can kill you. It killed my big brother and I've always been wary of anything like that. Okay, my whine is over....but always stay safe and treat things seriously even if they seem small!

LadyJane, I am glad that you work with doctors and nurses. It is amazing how such a small cut can become infected and cause so much worry and so many problems.

A woman I work with was in the hospital for 6 weeks this fall because of an septic infection. For a while death seemed emminent. She survived, but has permanent kidney damage.

Whine, whine, anytime, dear Lady Jane.

Hi LadyJane

As far as I'm concerned, this isn't a whine! This is great advice and I'm so glad you took it seriously. Sepsis, as has been noted, can be deadly and is nothing to be messed with.

I'm glad you're on the mend!

LadyJane, I agree with Mama Red, you don't know how many other people you might help by sharing your own story here. Wow, that's so scary. I saw a few people in hospital with sepsis when my brother was hospitalized. As Anne says, you just can't be too careful! I hope you're feeling better real soon.

Bless your heart Lady Jane for sharing this awful experience. I'll pray you heal quickly, and believe me this is 'NO' whine, this is serious business...

Dear heavens Lady Jane . . . have a hasty recovery! What kind of shots were you given?

ladyJane, this was a scary situation and you're not whining at all! So glad it's improving.

Oh my.......we normally look at "little" cuts as just another "boo boo"..but I had NO idea things like that can happen! Good thing you went to the Dr. How scary! I just prayed quickly for a healing for you!

What is Sepsis??

Sepsis is a systemic blood infection (often called blood poisoning by lay people).

Here's a bit more (I summarized!):
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sepsis

LadyJane, you've been on my mind so much lately. How are you feeling these days?