First things first:
I worked my first 7.5 hour shift Monday night. I felt as if I had sprained a muscle in my thigh throughout the evening, feeling it through my pants, I could even feel what I though to be a knotted muscle. When I undressed to take a nap upon getting home, I saw that it was not muscular.
Mum, the resident nurse, took one look at it and knew that it was cellulitis (she's had it, dad had it, my uncles and aunts had had it) and that meant that I should see a doctor.
Our main doctor wasn't in, but, our pinochole buddies' daughter is the office manager of another one whom I've seen; she fit me in for the last appointment of the day. THIS doctor looked to be no more than 20 - he took a look, and said that he'd be right back, that I should lay down and relax as he was going to draw on me. He returned with a Sharpie and marked the outline of the reddened skin; gave me a bottle of antibiotics and an excuse for Wal*Mart. Three days minimum off work. I'm supposed to check back in with him in the next couple of days with a progress report.
Meanwhile, today the cellulitis has spread approximately .5 inch outside of the outlined area. We have a phone call in to our regular doctor, who did indeed want to be kept up to speed. When she calls, I'll either have to go to see her and/or be admitted to the hospital for i.v. treatment.
I can say this, it's painful most of the time; when walking, I feel as if I'm carrying a melon on my thigh. Tylenol is taking care of the pain. I've had three of the antibiotics, so, I don't know if they've had time to get into the infection and start their work. Trust me, the last thing I want to be is a patient in a hospital.