I know it's boring to read about other peoples' medical problems, so unless you got here by googling your symptoms, you probably want to just skip this entry. I'm posting this for those traumatized people who are unlucky enough to contract this scary and potentially dangerous infection, and who are trying to self medicate via the internet (which sometimes is more scary than just going to the doctor.)

There have been a lot of staph infections in the Cleveland area recently, and several teenagers ending up in the hospital for staph infections of the eye. I developed one myself the other day, although fortunately what I contracted was not quite in the life-threatening phases because I went to my doctor as soon as I realized it was more than just an allergy.

My upper eyelid started swelling like crazy on Wednseday night and I just assumed I had a stye, or an allergic reaction to a new medication I'd been given for a cold/sinus thing of indeterminate origin. Aside from looking extremely unattractive it didn't really bug me too much, until I woke up the next morning looking as though I'd been punched in the face. I guess it looked pretty bad on Thursday because people at work kept implying that if I needed to "talk" or anything, they were available. Friday morning I was so swollen I ended up going to my eye doctor, using time off I'd been desperately trying to save so that Bryan and I can have a honeymoon---oh well, right? Life can be a bitch.

My symptoms were extreme edema (or oedema, or water retention, or swelling) in the upper eyelid, redness, and warmth emanating from the swollen area. Most of the swelling was along my lashline, although it did cause a funky crease by the inner corner of my eye and I ended up with sort of a Downs' Syndrome effect on the left side of my face. Without a picture that's kind of the only way I can describe how it looked---please note I am not in any way picking on people with Downs Syndrome. My eye itself was unaffected, clear and white. My doctor gave me some Keflex and we called it a day, although he appeared a little nervous and advised me to keep an eye (hah!) on my symptoms. This morning it was REALLY bad...I'm assuming I contracted this from an ongoing case of sinusitis, because my upper cheekbone area was swollen and my eye was sort of icky and watery and red.

Here's where symptoms differ between the less serious and the more serious cellulitis. Apparently when your eye itself is swollen and you have a fever, trouble moving your eye, blurriness or double vision and other general malaise, it can mean it's "orbital cellulitis" which can attack your brain...meaning you need to go the hospital for 1 to 3 days for observation and antibiotics through an IV. Fortunately for me, my red eye was merely caused by the icky stuff slowly but surely leaving via the quickest exit, so it was just a little irritated, much like myself at this point. The doctor said to keep it rinsed out with a saline eyewash ($4) so it doesn't spread, and to keep a close watch on it so that if I develop any of the more dangerous symptoms I can get my scrawny butt to a hospital. He also recommended warm compresses, which sounds stupid, but actually does make a real visible difference. So right my face is a sexy shade of pink and a little puffy, but my eye is open and most of the pain is gone.

So, unlucky googlers you, if this sounds familiar, you will probably need oral antibiotics. They were pretty cheap. Without insurance the generic Keflex would run for about $20. They took about 24 full hours to start working. I'm just taking aspirin for the pain, but honestly, although it hurts, pressing warm clothes on it and massaging the lids with my fingers to relieve the pressure ended up making it hurt LESS in the long run. I'd start at the outer corner of the eye and press your fingers along towards the tear duct. Yeah, it's gross, and my eye was red from the pressing and hot water, but by the end of the day it'll be worth it.

I also learned that I'm not a pussy when it comes to pain, because let me tell you, when you have someone flipping up your eyelid, which is so swollen that you can't even blink without tearing up, the last thing you want to do is go home and press on it with hot water.

But seriously---see your doctor. Especially if you live in the Cleveland area right now. Staph infections are serious business.