A few months later, I was attending classes preparing for my study abroad to Asia. We completed 12 credits in just 3 short weeks. Between that, planning a wedding, and my toy poodle being killed by another dog, the stress level was extremely high to say the least. It was during this time that I experienced another breakout. I made an appointment to see my doctor and he prescribed me with another Z-Pack and one for the road in Asia just in case. I was lucky to have had it because sure enough, I started showing symptoms less that three weeks later while in China.
Once I returned home, Riley and I got married in August 2010 and we moved back to Logan. Not long after, another outbreak occurred in September 2010. The doctor in Logan sent me home with a medicine that is similar to a Z-Pack, but stronger. I was very pleased that my face cleared up.
2011
In June of 2011, another outbreak started. This time was different- the infection moved from my chin to my cheeks. Symptoms: itching, red bumps, fluid filled bumps, and yellow crusts- congruent with previous outbreaks. This time, I decided to get a second opinion. I went to a clinic in Pocatello, Idaho that is supposed to be one of the best. The doctor performed a culture confirming that it was, indeed, staph infection and treated me with another set of antibiotics. As expected, my infection ran its two-week course and my was clear for another 8 months. When another outbreak occurred in Spring of 2012, I was able to call the Idaho clinic and get another round of antibiotics.
2012
TOTAL 2012 YTD out-of-pocket medical expenses: $2, 024.60.
In July of 2012, I switched to a recommended dermatologist in St. George. The visit was very similar to the others. This time, I was recommended to do things like spray my face with
bleach when I washed it. There is nothing that will make you feel more dirty than when a doctor subscribes bleach to the face to kill bacteria! I will giver her credit, she did have some other good tips for me.
The fall of 2012 is when everything went downhill... I got to the point where I was breaking out every few weeks. Not only were the outbreaks more frequent, but the infection spread to more areas of my face every time. My final bad outbreak was on my chin, around my mouth, on my cheeks, up to my eyelids.
 |
| By this point, the infection reached my eye. You can see the swelling it caused. Due to the risk of the infection reaching the soft tissue of my eye, this heightened the concern. |
 |
| Trip to the ER for blood tests. |
 |
| Waiting in the ER. This pretty much sums up Riley's feelings about this whole thing!! |
I was recommend to an infectious disease doctor in the area. When I called to set up an appointment, I somehow got the doctor's cell phone number! He had recently retired, but was gracious enough to converse with me. I explained the situation and during the conversation, he explained that because of how invasive the infection had been in my body, he said:
"You will never be cured of staph infection. It will be something you will likely have to deal with for the rest of your life."
For those of you who have never experienced a staph infection, it is, by far, one of the most painful infection. It starts out itchy and turns to a painful area once the bumps secrete the infection. By the time the bumps burst, I was literally walking around with an open wound on my face. The face is a very sensitive area which I believe intensified the pain. Had it been anywhere else on my body, it still would have been painful, but I don't think it would have been as bad. Not to mention, as a girl, I am conscious of my appearance. I have always considered myself a secure person, but there hasn't been a time when I felt more insecure than when I had my outbreaks. It was hard to go out in public- to work and especially in social settings. Even though people may not have noticed my infection as it was healing, I certainly knew it was there.
The first day of the infection, I would often have to stay home from work because my whole body would feel it. I would get tired, nauseated, and lose my appetite. I would try to sleep as much as possible, while making sure I got antibiotics in me immediately. The first few days are the worst. I, along with my poor husband, spent many sleepless nights awake and trying to deal with my face. It often consisted of me crying because of pain and fatigue, and Riley sitting at the bedside with the hairdryer on trying to sooth my face. It brings tears to my eyes thinking of those moments. Those were what I consider the lowest in my life. I constantly questioned God and even my life here on earth. This will sounds dramatic to most, but in my moments of craze, the only way out that I could see was to literally "blow my face off" (I think I even verbalized this at one point). I am not suicidal, but I do believe there are trials that are so horrific and painful that can bring us to that level of desperation.
To all those reading, never settle. Never settle to have a spouse that
won't always be with you through sickness and health, through good times and bad, and through joy and sorrow. I am eternally grateful for my Riley. As odd as it sounds, I truly believe this experience brought us closer together as we worked through it. I know he felt the pain when I did. As soon as I mention "I have bumps", his stomach "turns into knots" as he says. For a while, it was difficult for him to even sleep in our bedroom because I think mentally, those experiences where we were up late at night had a significant impact on him. He started associating the bedroom with those terrible feelings he would get when I was sick.
I wouldn't wish it upon my worst of enemies.
So there has to be some good news out of all this right?! Well, two years ago I wouldn't have thought so, but luckily there is!
After a series of serious outbreaks in fall of 2012, my whole family was searching for alternatives. My sister's mother-in-law had a medicine sent from the Republic of Georgia, I was strapping garlic cloves to my face (no joke, but it makes more a good laugh now!), I was doing acupressure, etc. It was one bright and shining day that my mother-in-law called about a natural supplement called Monolaurin from a company called Inspired Nutrition. Desperate to try absolutely anything, we took a leap faith by dropping over $200 for what was needed to get started. Let me just say right now, it was the best $200 we ever spent.
Monolaurin:
Dr. Kabara, of MSU, with specialties in pharmacology
and biochemistry, discovered the anti-microbial effects of monolaurin (in
its highest concentration in nature in mother's milk).
This is really important because the body converts a small part of
coconut oil's lauric acid into a monoglyceride called monolaurin.
In fact, the body converts other monoglycerides into monocaprin,
monocaprylin and monomyristin (sound familiar)?
Even more important, these monoglycerides are very powerful
germ-fighters. Monolaurin was tested on bacteria and it killed 100%
of every bacterium it was tested on – including MRSA staph! It was even
effective against many other viruses including:
All pathogen (bad) bacteria,
(but not good bacteria - they have
different membranes).
14 Virus including:
Herpes Simplex virus (HSV 1 &
2),
Measles virus,
Hiv,
Hepatitis C,
Swine flu, and flu in general,
Shingles, and
Cyhtomegalo virus (CMV).
Later clinical studies found that, though
monolaurin was best for most pathogens, there were a few pathogens
that monocaprin and the others were more
effective against. Now, combined together as a family, Ultimate
Monolaurin is the fullest blend of coconut
monoglycerides available!
How Does it Work?
The way monolaurin and family kills bacteria and some
viruses is really interesting. All bacteria, and those 14 virus, have a
very flimsy membrane (envelope, skin). This is by design so the bacterium
and virus can easily penetrate its targets. These membranes also have
lipid fat molecules in them to make them flimsy.
As it so happens, monolaurin is the same size
molecule as these lipid fat molecules, so they absorb into the
bacteria. When inside, monolaurin interupts the reproductive
cycle. Then, when enough monolaruin absorbs into the
membrane (which is already loosely held together) it ruptures. The cells
burst open and die. Then the blood takes the dead bacteria and virus to
the liver to be eliminated from the body. Your body is much happier and
it’s a good deal for everyone - except the bacteria and viruses!
My treatment consisted of the following:
Step 1: MRSA is Internal.
Ultimate Monolaurin contains the full
range of coconut oil's legendary monoglycerides of: monolaurin,
monocaprin, monomyristin and monocaprylin. These are
clinically proven to kill the MRSA bacteria directly and
fight internal body infection.
Step 2: MRSA is External.
Ultimate Skin Defense has monolaurin,
colloidal silver, coconut phospholipids and essential oils–
all of which have also been proven to kill MRSA. This will fight any external skin
infection.
Step 3: MRSA is Environmental.
Hospital infections, personal contact and room
infection contact can put you, loved ones and others at risk. For your
environment, we have three products that all have the same monolaurin,
colloidal silver, phospholipids and essential oils - just in
different proportions as appropriate.
The Ultimate Anti-Bacterial
Foaming Soap (without alcohol),
The Ultimate Room
Defense, therapeutic grade essential oil blend
for killing bacteria in rooms.
As soon as I started the treatment, I saw results within a week. My staph that was reoccurring for nearly every few weeks was absent. I cannot tell you the joy and relief we all felt. I felt stronger, healthier, and my immune system was keeping up very well with the stress of work and applying for grad school. I was very please with the results.
2013
In June of 2013, right before we left for Omaha, I cut my foot pretty bad on a doorstopper. A foot is such a tricky place to have such a wound, especially with my history of staph. I was careful to keep it clean and clear of bacteria. With as potent of a bacteria that staph is, I saw experienced an outbreak on my foot around the wound.
 |
| Initial Cut. |
 |
| You can see the bumps and swelling that formed as a result of the reactivation of staph in the wound. |
I was so disheartened because I had been so positive about the result from the monolaurin, especially when the infection appeared on my face once again. I called Inspired Nutrition and, as always, I was able to talk with a guy name Greg. He is one of the friendliest, most helpful people I have ever come in communication with. I explained my situation and how I was so worried that my body had, once again, become immune to another treatment. To my surprise, Greg had a solution!! The solution: Bio-Fibrin.
Bio-Fibrin
The Ultimate Bio-Fibrin is
a tremendous aid to help dissolve the protective shields that bacteria and some
virus build around themselves. In recent studies, researchers are finding
out how chronic diseases are often chronic because the bacteria or virus
causing it is able to defend itself by building biofilm shields.
Then antibiotics, the immune system and vaccines can’t get to them. They
are protected.
Biofilms are often colonies of many types of
bacteria working together and can become quite a complicated
structure. Even worse, if these microorganisms were exposed to an
antibiotic or vaccine before building a biofilm, it can mutate (like Lyme
disease) while behind the biofilm. Then, if Lyme expands out past the
biofilm and is exposed again, the drug used is no longer effective! A new
one has to be used. We’ve worked with people that have gone through
repeated cycles of this for 20 years or more!
Bio-Fibrin Makes Monolaurin More Effective
Monolaurin is able to kill all pathogen
bacteria and 14 virus (including the ones above). However, it must come
into contact with them to do so. With the active,
exposed microorganisms, this is easy for our Monolaurin.
It also appears that monolaurin is able to
slowly penetrate biofilms. However, it is slowed from its goal of coming
into contact with the microorganisms – and it may not be able to penetrate cysts at
all.
Bio-Fibrin can help remove the biofilm
shields so Monolaurin can get to the microorganisms quicker and better.
It can also do a more thorough job because it can then kill the microorganisms
inside the cysts. Thus, the combination of Monolaurin and
Bio-Fibrin to dissolve the biofilms makes them a very effective team!
Immediately took Greg's advice and ordered the Bio-Fibrin. I am now nearly eight months "clean" of staph. I firmly believe in Inspired Nutrition and its products. If it wasn't for them, I truly do not know where I would be.
Don't Give Up
Please, if you or someone you love has been affected by staph infection, please consider Inspired Nutrition's treatment. Please note that they have other products that help treat diseases such as Lyme's disease, HIV, hepatitis, etc. I am so very grateful for my mother-in-law and the inspiration that led her to finding one little comment on some discussion post in the whole WWW.
Whatever you may be afflicted with, whether it is staph or some other type of illness, please don't give up hope. I certainly did and I am grateful for others who were constantly searching for an answer. Understand that there are treatments outside of the standard medical practices that do make a difference. Monoloaurin is not covered by any prescription coverage plan, but it was able to kill a chronic infection that even the strongest man-made antibiotic couldn't. Even if one of the "most qualified" (by modern medical standards) doctors tells you that you will forever live with an affliction, don't accept it. Keep researching and experimenting. Keep your mind open and keep the faith. You will be amazed by what you find.
I know there will most likely be some criticism in the heading of this post, but until you walk through someone else's shoes, you will never fully understand why they do what they do or why they believe what they believe.
I really hope this post will help someone else that has been affected by staph. Please spread the word, I know there are others out there who are waiting to find an answer and I pray this is what they need.
As stated in 2 Kings 20:5
"I
have heard thy prayer, I have seen thy tears: behold, I will heal thee"
Other tips for staph:
