Alyssa O’Connor needs emergency help

Hi, my name is Alyssa O’Connor on 9/2 a abscess started forming on my lower abdomen. I did what I could to try to take care of it myself at home I started taking antibiotics thinking this would help the abscess go down but this was only the beginning. Each day the abscess doubled in size causing excruciating pain and uncomfort. On the third day the abscess was the size of a golf ball and I had to accept the fact that my methods of treatment I was using were not working and it was time to seek help from a professional. I went to my local urgent care and showed them and explained how we had gotten to this point. They drained the abscess packed it and put me on a stronger antibiotic and sent me on my way. At this point I was relieved I thought that the worst was behind me but I had no idea what lied ahead. That night I went home I rested I did everything exactly as I was supposed to and around 4 am I woke up in even more excruciating pain. The abscess had swollen up to the size of an orange and I could barely move. It was hot to the touch and I could tell that instead of it getting better that we had just taken a turn for the worse. Thankfully my aunt was awake and I called her and she told me she thinks it’s time we go to a hospital we decided to go to leconte which was a huge mistake because the RN that was treating me did not take me seriously she unpacked and repacked the wound without draining the fluid again causing the infection to tunnel deeper and deeper she gave me different antibiotics and prescribed me pain medication and sent me on my way. I begged and pleaded to speak to a doctor and she told me that she was taking care of me and did not allow me to speak to anyone else. So I had no choice but to leave knowing that something wasn’t right. I went home and rested the entire day taking my medication and caring for my wound around the clock. On this night again I woke up at 4:30 am in the worst pain I have ever felt the abscess had swelled to the size of an orange at this point so again I called my aunt and told her it was time to go to a different hospital because something is not right I’m not getting better I was only getting worse. She took me to ft sanders regional medical center and I saw a PA there that did everything in his power to help me he ran a CT scan, a culture, he opened up my incision a bit more and drained it again which is the most painful thing to go through and ran iv antibiotics to try to catch my body up since the antibiotics I had been given were not working so far. He did everything in his power and then discharged me and I was very thankful for him I thought things were really beginning to look up and I was able to start my healing process but I was wrong again. That night 4:30am in the dot I woke up feeling the worst pain I have ever felt in my life and my wound was the size of a grapefruit I knew things had just taken a turn for the worse. My grandma took me back to ft sanders where I was seen by a doctor that again was not taking me as seriously as she should have I was begging and pleading her to admit me she did not see a reason even tho my blood culture had came back positive for a Staph infection. I finally convinced her to let me speak to a surgeon. The surgeon came down and examined the wound and immediately went over the doctors head and said “no I’m admitting her and I’m doing the surgery today she can’t go home another day w this the infection is tunneling”. So she took me to emergency surgery and removed the mass and got rid of all of the infection and admitted me I have been here ever since. After my surgery later that night they got confirmation that the infection was MRSA and had I not gotten the surgery I would not have made it through the night. That surgeon saved my life and I am forever thankful for her compassion and her ability to truly listen to her patients. If it weren’t for her I may not be alive but my god is so good and wouldn’t let that happen.

this has truly been the longest week of my life and because I wasn’t able to move or walk and the infection had gotten so bad I was not able to work during this time. I have also just been informed that I am most likely going to be out of work for about 3 weeks until my incision closes because I am a server and I am unable to run around a restaurant with a open wound this size because it puts me at risk to tear or even get exposed to more bacteria. It has been a struggle trying to stay afloat during all of this. I am not one to ever ask for help in any situation but my friends and family have urged me to make this post so they can help. I am so thankful to be alive I am so thankful for my friends and family that supported me through one of the most challenging moments of my life and last but not least I am thankful for my god giving me the strength to keep pushing through even when I felt I was lost. Anything helps and is more appreciated then you could ever know. Thank you for taking the time to read this I am truly blessed.