ok so as some of you may know my mom had her surgery on tuesday. Everything went great with the surgery, but they had to put her on antibiotics because they said she had a bacterial infection in her nose. Everyone made it seem like no big deal because the area where the did the surgery is not infected (she had to have part of her lower intestine removed) thats all healing perfectly she just has this bacteria in her nose. Well yesterday my dad came home from the hospital and he said they had to move the older lady that was sharing the room with my mom out so that she didnt get this bacteria, just as a precaution. Then he mentions that he had to wear gloves just to go in the room and that all the nurses and doctors that come in wear gloves and a mask when they come to check her. I was kind of confused because it was made out to be no big deal, just some bacteria, she'll get antibiotics and this cream theyver been putting in her nose and she will be fine. So in talkin to my dad about it he says" i forget what they said it was called, uhm mira, or mena or uhmm.." and i said do u mean MRSA and he said yeah yeah thats it.
ok isnt that something serious??? i was trying to look it up online and eveyrthing im reading is saying that it is a virus. But the doctors are saying its a bacteria she has. From what ive been reading it can be very serious. So now im confused. The nurse told my mom this morning that the doctor will come in and talk to her later but that shes all clear to go home tomorrow. She said "absolutley not, how am i supposed to go home to a house with a 3month old baby, but yet all you nurses and doctors wont even go near me without gloves and a mask!!" She plans on asking the doctor what the heck this is all about, but that wont be until later on this after noon... so now im kind of concerned... im wondering if it really is no big deal or if its something more serious than theyve made it out to be...
Yes MRSA can be serious. However, if she's in the hospital already she's getting the best possible care and it sounds like they caught it right away and are treating it. I would talk to the doctor just so you know exactly what is going on but it's possible they are sending her home. If they have been treating it with antibiotics then it's probably under control and will clear up.
I used to be terrified of MRSA also until I read a LOT about it... MRSA, like regular "non-mrsa" staph bacteria, is everywhere. Shopping carts, schools, the gym... everywhere. The key to keeping these things out of your body is to keep any and all wounds (even small cuts) clean and covered with a band-aid. Many people are colonized for either staph or mrsa (it lives in the nose) and even with treatment (which they are doing with the nose cream for your mom), it can and probably will come back. This is because people with it in their nose are carriers. They can pass the bacteria on to others and it can sometimes cause an accute infection in themselves (which is why they are treating your mom with anti-biotics, so that her surgery site does not get infected with it) but often times a person will never even know that they are a carrier. You or your husband could be carriers also. So you can freak yourself out over it (which I did for a long time after learning my own mom was a carrier for regular staph), or you can realize that trying to prevent ever coming in contact with it will pretty much make you crazy. I would just make sure that your mom is diligent about hand washing after blowing her nose (which everyone should be anyway), now and always, since the bacteria will likely come back at some point and if your little one or you has any cuts, keep them covered. Oh and it is not a virus, it is a bacteria - it is staph that has become resistant to most (but not all) antibiotics.
MRSA hangs in the nose and you would never know it. Because she had the surgery the cultured her and as a precaution put her on antibiotics. I had active MRSA n whenever I am in hospital I am put in isolation. I say great. Always guaranteed a private room. You Mom can go home. No one is in danger. This is all precautionary.
MRSA can be bad. If you were in the next room wouldn't you want your staff to be taking precautions? There are many sick, immuno compromised and people with surgical wounds in the hospital, they need protection. It can spread to lots of people.
Ask about the baby, and cleaning/wound care and other precautions.
Ask to have the doctor or nurse write down the things that your dad does not understand.
Make sure you are on her Hippa.
MRSA infections can be very serious. However, a large percentage of the population (I think I've read as many as 1/3, but I'm not positive) carries MRSA in our noses but is not actually infected with MRSA. Some hospitals have taken to swabbing patients' noses to see who is a carrier for MRSA to try to prevent infection, which is what they did for your mom (your mom had this when she went into the hospital -- noses are swabbed on admission. It's also largely so that, if your mom develops an infection, the hospital can say "We didn't give her MRSA, she was a carrier when she came in!"). The reality is, though, if she were never swabbed, no one would know. She is not sick.
She should talk to the doctor about going to your home with the baby, but I wouldn't be too worried as long as she no INFECTION (if she had a MRSA infection, I would be very concerned). There's a good possibility you have it in your nose too and just don't know it. Most nurses probably carry MRSA in their noses, too, and yet have babies and all without any issues. But definitely talk to the doctors.
ETA: Oh, one other thing. The hospital will usually treat anyone who's positive for MRSA in the nose with nasal antibiotics. It's entirely possible that she went in with MRSA in the nose (so you've all been around it already) and doesn't have it after the treatment.
I would be sure to be at the hospital so that I could talk directly with the doctor. If you can't be there then call him. Sounds like your Dad isn't able to process the information.
My brother works in a hospital and says that MRSA bacteria is all around. They take precautions to prevent infection. I've had several surgeries and they always give me a prescription for an antibiotic ointment to put in my nose starting a couple of days before the surgery.
I wonder if it was the other patient who had the MRSA. And they've given your mother the antibiotic to prevent infection. It could also be that your mother did have some MRSA bacteria (not an infection) in her nose and they are taking precautions. It could be that the nurses and doctors are wearing masks and gloves in a routine way.
Whatever is going on the doctor would not be sending her home if it was dangerous. You need to talk with the doctor to find out more information so that you feel more comfortable.
