Looking for someone in the New England Area

[Christina Jones]

I received this letter today and was wondering if any of you would be in the area and interested (Michelle??). If you are, and you are, please contact him at the email address at the bottom.

To Whom it May Concern:

My name is Ben Thompson and I'm a producer for the Boston-based tv program "nitebeat" hosted by multi-Emmy award winning anchor Barry Nolan. We air weeknights on CN8 (The Comcast Network), reaching nearly 10 million homes from Maine to Maryland. Our show, 'Nitebeat' covers several topics in each program including: politics, health, education, science, entertainment, etc.

On our program this coming Monday, we're hoping to put together a segment about drug-resistant staph infections (see latest Time Magazine) known as Community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococus aureaus (MRSA). The Time article says that these infections are proving a serious concern for the health community, spreading rapidly and are more dangerous to our overall health than things like the Bird Flu & SARS. I was wondering if anyone in the your organization might be willing to join us on the program Monday evening (specifically someone from the New England area) to discuss their frightening experience with the infection, how they recovered, and how you all are working to help others affected by it...

I've attached a link to the Time article for your review (http://www.time.com/time/magazine/artic ... 64,00.html).

Thanks.
-----
Ben Thompson
CN8, Nitebeat Producer
Ben_Thompson@cable.comcast.com

[Peg M.]

Excellent story in the June issue of Time Magazine about MRSA.
Peg-

[wackmrsa]

From the Time Article:

This is not bird flu or SARS or even the "flesh-eating bacteria" of tabloid fame. But it is every bit as dangerous, even if it goes by an uncommonly ungainly name: community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).

Never heard of it? Neither have most doctors.

I guess this explains why so many doctors aren't catching it in the doctors office and in the ERs or being not concerned enough if they do or not prescribing the correct antibiotics even when a patient is having very serious conditions........I just don't get how something so potentially serious can not have proper guidelines in place. Doctors should have had training for this...........it's crazy!!

My husband saw 4 doctors (2 were surgeons after follow up of an abcess operation in the hosptial) who didn't even test him for MRSA. We had to ASK the doctor for one. My husband did this after talking to others who told him what was going on and from those who had already been through serious conditions because of it (one of them had lost his leg). Thank goodness my hubby is a big talker.

Personally, I think that the doctors are avoiding the tests to keep the ratings of MRSA out of the record books for the local healthcare system.........IMO~~~ I just can't believe that they can be ignorant to this..........I don't buy that at all. I also think that the Infectious Disease Physicians are so overwhelmed that they don't want to refer patients unless they are seriously in danger. But who wants to get that sick first before getting the right antibiotic for their particular strain.

I sure hope that someone from our group will help these guys out for their program, MRSA needs all the exposure that it can get.

AND what about the fact there has been no public awareness of how to protect yourself. Are they afraid that we will all panic and stay home?
This is just a very sad situation and has been going on for years......and we know that hospitals have been covering it up all these years so the doctors have had to know..........

Thanks for all that has listened to my vent..........LOL.......I needed to get it out.........again.........

[Christina Jones]

Marshall is going to do this show, via telephone - and will be on somewhere within the next hour. The show is webcast live, if you want to watch, here are the directions on how to get there:

http://www.mrsanotes.com/marshall-jones ... n-tonight/

[Christina Jones]

Here is the sound file if anyone is interested in listening to it.

[wackmrsa]

Thanks Christina for providing the links. I did watch the program via webcast while it was on.

Marshall did a great job!!! I bet he shocked alot of people with his story. I thought the doctors were sort of taken back at how his spine infections came on so fast after healing from the ingrown hair on his neck. Hopefully it will be another step forward to getting these doctors to realize that they need to TEST people by performing cultures with boils right away instead of the wait and see approach.

Again, Marshall did a super job........please tell him I think so.....

[Peg M.]

WoooHooo Good Job!
Thanks for sharing Christina!

XoXo
Peg-