I believe I caught C. diff in the hospital while having trauma surgery on my left knee and tendons from a bad fall on icy stairs. I also returned to the doctor’s office many times after the surgery; I could have caught it in that building. Having been in so many doctor’s office buildings and emergency rooms in the past few months, I felt that one of those places must have been the source of my infection.

There was a period of two weeks where I had severe diarrhea that seemed to have a life of its own. Greenish liquid thickness just came pouring out of me. After a week or so, my doctor saw me and wanted to get samples for cultures in a lab. My husband brought the cultures right into the lab, meanwhile the eruption of diarrhea continued. I cleaned up my bum with wet wipes that are flushable, started to wear Attends, and I would wash my hands three times to be sure they were clean.

At the height of this infection, blood started pouring out of me when I would use the bathroom; it was a bloodbath in my toilet. This occurred on Mother’s Day—so we cancelled all plans. On Monday morning I called my doctor and told them about the bloodbath, and they said they would return my call after they talked to the lab. That call back was when I first heard of C. diff. Yes, I had this nasty infection that is easily spread. There could be spores on someone who touched something where you sat or whatever, and then you’ve become ill too.

My doctors put me on Flagyl, 500 mg every eight hours, and I also took three probiotics in between. I never lost my appetite and always stayed well hydrated. I continue to eat very well and have two big drinks in front of me now (spring water and ginger ale with ice) as well as a big container of alcohol gel. I have taken a solid shower with lots of soap, dried off and put the towel in the laundry right away, used the Decitin for all the rawness on my bum, put on a new Attends, changed my nightgown several times a day, washed my hands again from touching the towel, and changed my sheets to one sheet in half (I change my sheets daily too). Tomorrow I will start the disinfection process of my home with a bleach product. This infection is very scary, and I hope the antibiotic works! Blessings to all.