I thought it was just an ordinary house mold

Hi once again and I’m back. I was so busy at work and cannot update my blog. It has really been a long time.

It was then August last year that I started to lose my sense of taste and I observed that my tongue is getting white. I looked up on the internet and I found out that it is an indicator that something is wrong with your body. My doctor referred me to tongue specialist and he said that it was oral candidiasis Oral thrush produces slightly raised, creamy white, sore patches in the mouth or tongue. He gave me medicines for it but it was not improving my conditions, so he eventually stopped the medicines.

The winter was harsh, and it really brought damage to my health. I was suffering from severe edema and rheumatoid arthritis. There are times that I woke up due to pain and times when strong pain killer wont effect. I tried using opioids, but the side effects were not good.

December, some wounds were coming out of my skin. It started with the redness of the skin. Then it became a rash but was not itchy or nothing. The wounds on my arms and legs started to increase in numbers. It will swell until pus came out. I was referred to a dermatologist since I am taking much medicine, the treatment was through ointments. Due to edema when the wounded skin was stretched the pain will be worsened. So, every time I move, walk or sit, it really hurts. The dermatologist needs to take out the pus with a syringe so that I can move my hands and feet again.  

March came and still my cough is getting worse and I am having flu especially in the mornings. I have difficulty taking a bath because the wounds really hurt, and my fever was nonstop. My wounds were so severe that I must clean and tend it for 1 hour. My condition was not getting better and I must receive help from home visit nurses to dress my wounds. The edema was worsening, I even gained 6 kilos and was not able to walk. Mid-March my phlegm was mixed with blood. I knew it was not an ordinary cough and colds. I consulted my doctor and she advised me to be hospitalized for treatment.

It was such an April fool's day! I was admitted to the hospital. My edema was severe that my veins cannot be seen. Taking blood samples was exceedingly difficult. The only way to administer Intravenous drips (IV) was through my neck. Many tests were done. They saw spots/fungus/molds on my lungs. My doctors told me that it was a Non-tuberculosis disease, so I was relived. They said that ordinary house molds too can be the cause. As I looked back, because it is winter, I must use a heater and air humidifier. It was so cold that I cannot open the windows. As a result, the air inside the house caused the growth of molds. So, it was just NOT an ordinary house mold, don’t underestimate it! It can be extremely dangerous.

What are the exact bacteria? Was the question, until answered right medicine can not be prescribed. So, my doctors planned to do intensive general antibiotic treatment until the bacteria will be discovered. Some of my medicines were stopped because it will have bad effects with the anti-biotic treatment. I must take a general check up to see the current status of my organs because the treatment might have severe side effects. These tests were necessary to track the side effects if any. Fortunately, my eyes, ears, and other organs are well.

In the first week of the treatment, my edema was gone, and my wounds were starting to heal. But I still cannot walk, my legs were still weak, and my body feels so heavy.

I continued to gain the progress of healing until the second week. The treatment continued but the bacteria was extremely hard to identify. The bio (culturing the bacteria) failed twice. And the next way was to use molecular detection. It took time because it must be done in another laboratory.  

The third week, the test showed that the spots on my lungs have increased, still, the high fever never stops and blood coming out with my phlegm. My doctors thought that the infection is getting worse and it maybe an infection from the needle on my neck, so the only choice was to take it off. IV was transferred in my arms. Finally, the bacteria were identified!

It is Mycobacterium haemophilum. Never heard because it is rare. These bacteria causes mainly ulcerating skin infections (upper and lower extremities) and arthritis in persons who are severely immunocompromised. Disseminated and pulmonary infections occasionally occur. If worsened, the eyes will also be damaged. It seems that taking immunosuppressant medicines like steroids and other medicine for lupus made me vulnerable to the bacteria.

Entering the fourth week, the antibiotics were lessened, and prescription of oral medicine for the bacteria was done. The test results said that the spots on my lungs were slowly diminishing. Coughing became rare and blood with the phlegm was also gone. But the Cytomegalovirus (CMV) in my intestine had remission. The virus is one of the causes of the swelling of my intestines. Sometimes when it attacks, my stomach feels so bloated and it is extremely hard to move because my back and hips hurt. So, I must continue the treatment. But from this time, a lessened dosage of antibiotics.