Ecoli Bacteria diarrhea and death

"The death toll from the E.Coli bacterium rose to 16 on Tuesday, with a woman in Sweden becoming the first outside Germany to die of the infection. The 50-year old had been taken ill after returning from a trip to Germany. Health professionals were braced for more deaths as EHEC poisoning, in the worst of cases, can lead to full-blown haemolytic uraemic syndrome (HUS), a condition associated with bloody diarrhoea and kidney failure."  Telegraph

Severity of the illness varies considerably; it can be fatal, particularly to young children, the elderly or the immunocompromised. 

Don't I know it! In 2001 I contracted a 'bug' that nearly killed me! What is was I have no idea but I ended up with Clostridium Difficile which is gangrene of the stomach and eats you alive. Not only does it eat your stomach but it eats into your nervous system. In the old days before antibiotics this would be enough to kill you but Vancomycin, the drug of last resort, works or it did nine years ago. Vancomycin is very expensive and only used as a 'last resort'. Up till that moment the doctors thought I was malingering. Actually I was dying.


The problem is no one is supposed to live after this so the results of 'living' with an eaten up nervous system are not known. My nervous system went haywire and not helped by all the Benzodiazipin I was given in the pre meds to rule out cancer.


Stomach bugs are nasty. They kill and even if you live life will never be the same. I was told to live every day 'one day at a time'. The first three years were indescribable. I think I should rather have been dead. There was nothing anyone could do. Physically I was fine I just felt as if I was dying. I lost every friend I had as my behavior was 'strange'. Most of the time I was scared stiff and I had fits and appalling anger. I did this alone. I think that is why I survived.


This is how a stomach bug can 'get you' so take my advice wash your hands all the time especially after going to the loo.  Never eat any food that is uncovered. Only eat at restaurants that have a big turnover and then don't touch the salad or chicken hot or cold and never let a dog kiss your face. Even then you may get a bug.

Still I am nearly better and I am so pleased I lived! Thank goodness for science!