Spider bite and MRSA

Ok, from reading Nurse K's blog I COMPLETELY understand the kind of crap ER nurses have to go through on a daily (and nightly) basis. I have seen people using the ER for their personal clinic "*cough, cough, sniffle*- I am dying" and I have to admit, when I was younger I probably did a few times as well until I learned better (Sorry nurses and doctors- I really am). That being said there are a few ER stories that stick out in my head, here is one:

While moving from Nebraska to Colorado I was bitten by a brown recluse (probably right before I moved). I noticed a bite mark and ignored it thinking it was just a little thing, but within 3-4 days almost 50% of my thigh was red, swollen, and tender. I took a bath and since the bite area was soft I decided to try to get some of the infection out. OMG, the pus would not stop! I got as much as I could out and went to the ER because, you know, this was NOT normal!

I stopped at the front desk and told the lady there that I was bitten by a brown recluse. She tells me "Honey, there are no brown recluses in Colorado", I tell her "Honey, I was not bitten in Colorado. I was bitten in Nebraska." She says "Oh, I thought I had good news for you." I replied "Mmm-hmm."

I am taken back to triage and tell the nurse about the bite. I say "Look!" and she says "No, I do not need to see it." I tell her that I WANT her to see it so that she does not think it is some tiny little bite. She looks at it, says "OHMYGOD" I say "Yeah..." and she sends me back to the waiting area. Within 30 min or so (pretty fast considering the size of the ER) I am taken back and the nurse says to me: "Let's see this spider bite..."

I took my pants off and she sees it, and I shit you not says: "HOLY MOTHER OF GOD!!!"

This made me laugh so hard, she apologized, said she was not expecting that, she was expecting something smaller. I told her not to be sorry, it made me laugh and made me feel better (I am always afraid I might be making something more out of what it is really is).

The doctor comes in, says he has never treated a brown recluse bite before. I told him my ex-boyfriend had been bitten a while back and I had to drag him in to the ER for treatment (as the flesh in his leg was slowly being eaten away...). The doc asked me what treatment he got there, I told him, he says "So THAT is what we are going to do!".

Um, ok...

About a week later I get another spot on my tummy that looked like a spider bite, but it was not... turned out it was MRSA- the pus was just as disgusting. This diagnosis scared the hell out of me... how the FUCK did I get MRSA???? I got a tube in my belly to drain the infection, and 2 different types of antibiotic. Fun times.