MRSA Support Group

I've been dealing with MRSA for over 13 years, and as far as I know, I have not
passed it on to anyone else. However,
that does not mean that I am not forever
making sure that I am not careful for my
sake and for others. I am an Ombudsman(patient advocate in rest homes) and I am
forever washing with Purell, in fact the facilities now have dispensers through-
out the homes. If they are going
to spend money on this type of thing, you
know it must be important! You are not
paranoid and everyone should take this very seriously, before it invades their
lives also. This is a very tough afflic-
tion to deal with.

As one who almost died from it (it was in my bloodstream), I would SHOUT that you're right to be extremely concerned. Her own health is in danger as well as those she comes in contact with. I can't believe the health dept didn't take it more seriously! All it would take is for her to touch the MRSA spot, then contaminate anyone or anything she touches until she washes her hands. A recent study indicates it may even be transmitted thru the air. It certainly spreads rampantly thru hospitals, nursing homes, etc. and you know the patients aren't having much "skin to skin" contact!
You have a delicate problem talking to your niece about it. It's very thoughtful of her to visit your parents, but she shouldn't be around them at all until her infection is cleared.
I wasn't released from the hospital until blood cultures showed me to be clear of it. Still I'm going thru a "MRSA follow up" process (cultures from nasel swabs) to be sure I'm not a carrier. Til I know for sure, I keep a distance from anyone I know to have a weakened immune system, I don't allow myself to be close to babies, etc. Your niece should be being very careful with her towels, sheets, clothes, etc that can come in contact with her baby. And certainly she should wash her hands with antibiotic soap EVERYTIME before she touches anything that touches her baby. (I can't imagine an 18 yr old Mommy doing this - it's not easy to remember.)
Here's a thought - don't just mention it in hallway conversation, but ask for a confidential meeting with a chief or managing nurse in the nursing home. Don't be shy in discussing it with her/him. It needs to be known that the health dept isn't stressing to MRSA patients the precautions needed. Maybe the nursing home can put up signs to discourage visitors with known MRSA infections, as well as educational posters listing the precautions needed.
I saw a very good list on an Interenet site just last week. I'll try to find it again and pass it on.
You might make a poster yourself and put it up in your Mom's nursing home room.
Don't think for a minute you're being over paranoid !

Priscilla, I have to agree with Jessie. Please please please do not think you are being paranoid. I almost lost my mother in 2005 from an infection of MRSA. She became septic (bacteria in the blood stream) and was in kidney failure. It all started from a small abcess on her booty. She had to have 7 debridement surgeries and was in the hospital for a month. She made it... after being given a 50/50 chance of survival. It was the most awful thing we've ever dealth with. Two people that were in the hospital at the same time as my mom died from MRSA because they were too far gone. The surgeon advised me to steralize everything in my mom's home - Lysol, bleach (bathrooms, door knobs, floors - anything that is touched regularly), mom was to use clean towells with each bath and towells were to be washed in hot water with bleach. After it was all said and done, mom is now MRSA free. But don't think for one minute this is not serious. It can be deadly if not dealt with immediately.

I first was diagnosed a year ago with mrsa when my leg was amputated. In the past year I have been in a horrible war for my life. The mrsa has almost won several times. I coded 3 times was in a coma e.t.c Please Please tell your neice this is nothing to play around with or act like its nothing. It is very contagious. First of all she needs an infectious desease docotr. Then she most take precautions to not pass it on. It can be passed by open sores, sharing towels,toothbrushes just to name a few. Hospitals and nursing homes are the number one places to see it. I could go on and on about the way to not pass it on. But the best way to know is to read about it and talk to a professional. I am not going to go into details about my battle with it just know that I am here if you need to ever talk or just have someone to liten. There are two types of mrsa blodd borne or respiritory. Please research and learn its better to know how to fight the battle in order to win.