presents.......
presents.......
ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER
A KILLER AMONG US
Hello my friends, it's been a little bit, but Lucky is back on the ball, at least for the moment. The past week has been a roller coaster ride to say the least. From working on restoring historical homes to being physically incapacitated from illness, I've taken the ride for what it is. So, I am sure you are getting the gist of what this post is about based on the nasty picture above and the title. Last week I was diagnosed with a rare disease called Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, compliments of the American Dog Tick, seen above. Crazy thing with this disease, is it typically displays symptoms that are not considered mild, causing the infected person to seek immediate medical care. In my case, the symptoms were little to none, or at least nothing out of the normal from my daily life which included headaches, soreness in muscles, etc. So, I brushed it off and kept it moving, giving the disease time to continue it's course. By the time it was caught by the doctor, I happened to be in the mid stages of the disease, close to reaching the final stages which tend to end in death and terrible, lifelong complications if not treated. Stroke of luck? Maybe, but I surely do not feel too lucky right now.
I am writing this post to spread awareness of something that we, as a people, tend to overlook and brush off. Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is just one of a couple dozen illnesses that one can receive from a tick. Though it is one of the most severe and ranked along with Lyme Disease, it is widely unheard of. Me being the man I am, I seem to attract the most rare and unusual of things, which is a double edged sword, believe me. This particular disease is a rarity for a human to contract, and with any other disease, it continues to evolve as time moves forward. It is truly a frightening thing to imagine you or your loved ones contracting, so hopefully this post will educate everyone who reads it, as it is written from the perspective on an individual who personally is a victim of the disease. Please, read along and feel free to share your thoughts, views, comments, etc. Spread this post around to spread awareness and if you find it worthy, hit it with an upvote. I just hope it helps someone out here!
WHAT IS ROCKY MOUNTAIN SPOTTED FEVER (RMSF) ?
Let's get to the question of the hour. What is RMSF?. Simply put, RMSF is an infectious bacterial disease spread through the bite of a tick, typically the American Dog Tick, that has been recognized as a threat since around 1920. Despite the misleading name, this disease can be found across the United States, Central America, Canada and other places. Diagnosis is more common in areas of the United States such as the midwest (Missouri) and southern US (North Carolina). RMSF is highly treatable is caught in the first week or two and becomes significantly less treatable as it has time to grow and infect more of the host's body. If left untreated this disease can prove to be fatal or cause permanent damage to the host.
This disease is a member of the rickettsia fever group, a combination of other forms of spotted fevers caused by the rickettsia bacteria. Of the group of four, RMSF is the most severe and threatening, despite the fact that they all share similar symptoms. As stated, this disease is spread through the bite of a tick, which typically needs to be latched on its host for 6 to 8 hours before the disease can be transferred. Once the disease has spread to the host, RMSF typically has an incubation period of as little as 24 hours and up to a few days or more. Once it has incubated, the host will typically begin show signs of contracting the illness.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH RMSF
I personally had no idea what RMSF was until I was diagnosed with it, which is why I am so adamant on writing this post and sharing it with the community. I, like many others, have heard and become familiar with the cousin of RMSF, Lyme Disease. I personally watched it destroy a family member who was once very active and in reasonable health. When I received the phone call that I was to begin taking Doxy-Cycline immediately, I of course had to ask why. Then I was advised of my condition and what they knew at the time, which is that I had RMSF. I was told my blood was going out for further testing.
What I can say about RMSF is that I do not wish it on anybody, not even my worst enemy. One thing that is interesting however is that I am going to be seeing a series of disease specialists. This news came in today actually, that I will be seeing people who study this stuff for the CDC and other organizations because I am lucky enough to have gotten what doctors believe is an evolved form of the disease. Typically, symptoms occur within a few days, but judging by my blood palette testing, I have had this disease for over a year, untreated and completely unaware of it's existence. The doctor I spoke to on the phone said that this, among other factors, makes me a medical anomaly. So I guess I am going to be a guinea pig for the medical field to some extent. Maybe my body carries some natural defense that prolonged it's incubation or spreading in my body, maybe I have an incredibly dormant variation of the disease, I have no idea. I just know I hate this shit and cannot wait for it to be over. You'll understand why in just a few minutes.
COMMON SYMPTOMS OF RMSF
RMSF can become difficult to diagnose in early stages because the symptoms of RMSF are very similar to several other illnesses in the known world. The most common symptoms of having RMSF are fever, headache, nausea, vomiting, muscle pain, stomach pain, lack of appetite and a rash. With such symptoms, RMSF is often confused with the flu or other more frequent illnesses, making it not identifiable until later stages when the rash begins. Typically, the host will receive a fever before anything else, which is either in combination with other symptoms or with other symptoms following after.
The most typical visual symptom of RMSF is the infamous spotted rash, pictured above. This rash can come in several variations of shapes and sized, color and density, but one factor remains the same, the spotted design of the rash. In most cases the rash will begin on the ankles or the wrists and not necessarily where the infection was brought into the body (the site of the tick bite). The rash is a sign that the disease is progressing into further stages and typically follows a few days after the fever begins. If left untreated, the rash will spread from the above mentioned areas to the rest of the body, covering the entirety of the host's body if left untreated.
In the later stages of the disease, the host can receive irreversible neurological damage, mental disability, hearing loss or partial deafness, full or partial paralysis, nerve damage, blood vessel damage resulting in amputations and even death. These symptoms typically indicate that the disease has hit it's peak and is no longer able to be treated. In most cases, damage can not be undone, only prolonged. It is important to have this disease diagnosed before it reaches the final stages, otherwise your life or quality of life could be at risk.
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH RMSF
For whatever reason my higher power deemed it necessary, it would seem I have an evolved form of this illness or the immune system of a demi-god. In my personal experience, the RMSF had displayed minimal symptoms at first, or at least to my knowledge. Being I have always had headaches and issues with my appetite, I may have displayed symptoms and was completely unaware. I did not suffer from fevers the way that people typically do, but I have had battles with extreme fatigue and changes in mood and such, which the doctors said comes with the territory. Here comes the real kicker though.
I personally did not receive the rash that this disease displays until what the doctor estimated to be at least a year from contraction. Typically, the rash is one of the first symptoms to appear, within a few days of contraction from a tick bite. I also am suffering from some form of (topical?)nerve damage, as my hands are continuously going in and out of numbness, day in and day out, for the past 10 days or so. The worst of it is that my left leg, where the bite was (on my ankle), has taken the brunt of the damage. I have lost feeling in over 80% of my left foot, over 80% of the feeling in my left ankle and the issue is travelling up my leg, with 1/3 of my lower left leg being numb as well. This has caused difficulty in walking and performing regular tasks, from taking care of my child to working.
The crazy thing is that I have witnessed this thing spread. It had began about a month ago, maybe a little more, with a small patch maybe 5" x 5" on the top left of my left foot stretching up to my anklebone being numb and not having any feeling. I was freaked out after it didn't go away for a few days and went to what is called Urgent Care, where I had advised them I had a tick bite on my ankle that swelled up a while ago and one not too long ago that I didn't believe was in there too long. They told me I was over-reacting and sent me out. Go figure!
A couple weeks later, it had gotten significantly worse, spreading to the bulk of my foot and working up my ankle into my leg. What really had caught my attention was the fact my left hand was experiencing off and on numbness, namely in my fingers. That is what prompted me to go to the Emergency Room. In the ER, doctors had taken blood samples after inspecting my leg and foot, acknowledging the issues with my nerves but saying I probably had a general rash and topical cream would clear it up as well as the numbness. Well, it did not, and the issues had gotten worse. I was about to make the decision to go back to the ER when I received a call from them, which led to my diagnosis and beginning of treatment. So, needless to say, my experience has not been pleasant, nor has it been the "norm" in terms of RMSF.
RMSF PREVENTION AND INFORMATION
The most important thing to do in order to prevent contraction of this disease, as well as others of relation, is to use repellent that will deter ticks from biting you, other members of your household and your pets. Typical bug spray from the store can prove to be useful, however, in Sporting Goods stores or sections, you can expect to find higher rated sprays for the purpose of protection campers, travelers and more. Be diligent in applying these sprays per the instructions on the packaging, also spraying your clothing, namely access areas such as shoes, pant legs, waistlines and shirt sleeves with additional repellent. This is the first and most important thing you can do.
Spraying your home and property regularly during warm seasons is another great way to not only remove ticks, but keep them from biting anyone or anything on your property. Some other methods include the purchasing and keeping of animals that prey on ticks such as Guineas and other poultry. Spraying your perimeter, especially near wooded areas, is probably the wisest decision in treating your home, followed by other measure, as I can assure you, ticks are a serious threat.
Some more tips are found on the pictures in this article. Feel free to click on them to be directed to their original site for further information.
In the event you, a pet or a loved one are bitten by a tick, please follow the instructions in the photo below for safe and efficient removal. After removal, treat the site accordingly and properly as well as keep a close eye on it. As always, if something doesn't look or feel right, do not waste time or risk it, go to the local Emergency Room or doctor to seek medical attention and have tests done. It is better to be safe than be sorry!
MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE WITH RMSF
First off, let me stress the importance of prevention and education when it comes to tick borne diseases. I myself have always been one of those live life to the fullest and brush everything off types of people. I never really payed attention to insects, let alone ticks, unless I was bitten, at which point I would simply pull them off and kill them. I also never really did much in terms of prevention. I never sprayed myself with bug spray, I never sprayed my property, I honestly took no preventative measures. This was an incredible mistake on my behalf, just learn from my example.
I strongly encourage anyone bitten by a tick to not only remove it properly, but take measures to kill any that may be in your area. Keep a good eye on the bite area and how you feel physically. the slightest thing could be a sign or symptom. I myself confused the symptoms with other medical issues (headache, stomach pain) and confused the muscle pain and fatigue with working, etc. Due to my ignorance to the situation at hand, I contracted this disease some time ago and let it develop into further stages, causing what will likely be permanent damage to my body. It will take a great deal of getting used to, but such is life. The point is, you do not have to suffer this kind of fate, and you shouldn't. Do what you need to do to not only learn about the carriers and the disease, but your own body so you can catch symptoms early.
Below will be the link to the CDC which contains a tremendous amount of information. A plethora of further information can be found online or by asking your doctor. One thing is for sure, it is your duty to protect yourself, your loved ones and if you have them, your children. RMSF, Lymes and others CAN be fatal and/or cause many life changing complications. The more you know, the more you grow, so learn what you can and stay ahead of the pack!
VISIT THE CDC WEBSITE ON RMSF BY CLICKING HERE
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