Medical Mysteries Summer 2010

Dear E coli,

I.Hate.You.

I really, truly, and utterly hate you. You ruined my RoadTrip. You wrecked my appetite. You caused me great distress. You even made me take drugs, not to mention go to the doctor. A LOT!

But I guess I have to thank you for the weight loss, you nasty bugger.

Now ... go away! Don't come back. Don't send postcards. BE GONE!

Sincerely,

Auntie Nettie

P.S. Yup E %)(@*%#) coli ... that seems to be the official diagnosis for the last two months of "fun." So far the count is three doctors visits, three sets of "samples," three sets of antibiotics, an abdominal ultrasound, lots of time on the train, about $80 in co-pays, $100+ in drugs, a yet-to-be-determined final bill from everything that wasn't covered by insurance, and one call from the New York City Department of Health, with an oh-so-fun phone interview about what I might have eaten, where, when, and what kind of symptoms. But, hey ... at least it wasn't my gallbladder and my kidneys didn't shut down!

Photo by Eric Erbe, digital colorization by Christopher Pooley, both of USDA, ARS, EMU.

This image (found here) is in the public domain because it contains materials that originally came from the Agricultural Research Service, the research agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.