It was a month
because for the first week or so they didn't know what was wrong with me and I had to undergo endless blood cultures, tests, etc. The worst one was when they took fluid from my spine - absolute agony. They were about to test me for Aids - seriously! - and me a weedy virgin of 17! - when they managed to diagnose me properly. Apparently my immune system was doing such a good job of battling the endocarditis that the infection wasn't showing up on tests and they only caught it by chance.

Medical science has come a long way over the decades but it's scary how much of it is still hit and miss and chance.

I'm OK now though apart from manic depression and chronic alcoholism.
(Dr Skagra glorious glargzhem, Tue 10 Apr 2012, 15:28, 1 reply)

My first few days I was told it might be mumps (even though I had already HAD mumps) so I wasn't allow to see my Daughter.
They caught it quick enough after my chest X-ray though.
They still don't know what caused it, just "a virus". Anything from the Cold, to Herpes to Clamydia to Aids can cause it. Not helpful.

:(
( Maffers I flow kinda strange like Spina Bifida footprints, Tue 10 Apr 2012, 16:56, closed)