My Unlovely Lady Lump: When MRSA Is Ugly, But Not Life-Threatening
Antibiotic-resistant staph infections don't always start in hospitals, and they aren't always particularly dangerous. But, even after a MRSA-infected wound heals, the bacteria often remain.
Last September, a tiny, itchy welt appeared just above my left hip. I thought I had an insect bite. I was visiting New York City at the time, and I worried it might be a sign of bed bugs.
But after I flew home, the welt began to swell. Soon it was as big as a blueberry. But rather than being blue, the lump turned scarlet. Because I am the type of person who can't leave well enough alone, I tried to pop it. That just made the lump angry. It began to ache.
This is bad, I thought. This
