Cellulitis infection on my leg

Here’s something I never would’ve saw coming. Last week I stood in front of the fireplace one night at home and the back of my calf started itching like crazy. I kept scratching and scratching until finally showing my dad this little bump. We brushed it off as being an out-of-season bug bite… well.

The next day this “little bump” was a vibrant red, and sore to touch. Obviously not a bug bite, my mom figured it was an ingrown hair giving me trouble so we brushed it off again. In the next few days this little red bump spread, grew, and became so painful. I couldn't really extend my leg fully and there was a harsh pressure-type feeling when I put weight on my left leg.

The bump PROGRESSED even more !? and turned purple. Now, clearly not a harmless ingrown hair, I send photos and called my PCP. She sent me to the ER to get it looked at and possibly drained. Still no known cause, so maybe it really was an out of season bug bite or a simple ingrown hair gone wrong! But whatever it was, it had turned into cellulitis. *face palm*

If you’re not familiar with cellulitis, it’s a skin infection that can spur from various bacterias. I’ve gotten it three times now on my abdomen tubes/incisions, and it’s nearly killed me twice. If it’s not treated it can go into your blood stream and make you septic- that’s what happened with me. It. Is. Hell.

Anyways- I was put on 4 oral and topical antibiotics, which I push through my J tube because otherwise i’ll throw them up. It continued to spread and hurt for the next 2-3 days but then we were on the rise! It was finally going away! I still have another weeks worth of these oral meds and i’m so excited to be done. I’ve been on this type before and it makes your pee smell so bad.

While my cellulitis is near gone, unfortunately this seems to be a systemic issue because now I’m developing little red bumps, and small rashes all over my body- especially my legs, and a LOT on my abdomen. And they itch! So in the following weeks i’ll be meeting with my PCP and rheumetologist to discuss next steps. Always something!