I just read your post and wanted to say ME TOO with the MRSA. I had my first outbreak when I was 7 1/2 months pregnant with my son. I had NEVER had anything like that in my life and didnt know what MRSA was at the time or how dangerous it was. We belive that my BIL, who was living with us at the time brought it into our home. He is a pro wrestler and trains alot at public gyms. He was the first one to have a huge MRSA boil on his left side. We thought it was a spider bite. I, not knowing how contagoius this stuff was, helped him doctor his wound after it had opened and i think i contracted it then.
Â
I didnt go to the doctor to find out what was wrong with my armpits until 2 weeks after my sons birth, when the boils became so very large and severe I couldnt even put down my arms. None of them came to a head on their own and it felt like I had golf ball sized rocks under my skin. After i found out just what I had, I was placed in the hospital over night for IV antibiotics and sent home the following night with a very strong antibiotic perscription and topical antibiotic cream. I cleaned my house like a mad woman. My newborn son and 3 year old daughter stayed with their GPs. I clean for almost 3 days straight! I never use bleach in my house, but when I discoverd the severity of this illness, I went out an got some to clean with. I trashed EVERYTHING: shower poofs, deoterant, razors- anything that i though may have come into contact with my infection. I had to go back a few weeks later to have 5 of them lanced, drained and packed. I had a total of 12 huge boils: 6 under one pit and 6 under the other. It was horrible. I felt like I had the plauge and was deathly afriad of giving it to my kids- especially my breastfeeding newborn.
Â
After that, I stopped shaving for a LONG time. Almost a year. I tried to keep my house as clean and sanitized as possible, but BIL made that very hard- which was a MAJOR issue with us because he wouldnt take all of his antibiotics and would stay infested with his MRSA outbreaks for very long periods of time, and just not care about the childrens health or ours. His breakouts we're never anywhere near as bad as mine. His all stayed penny size and under. One day, for some reason, I decided to shave my pits. A few days later, I was already breaking out. This was a brand new razor, never before used. After I used it, i through it away so that I could use a new one each time. I also wiped my pits down with rubbing alcohol and washed my entire body in the shower with antibacterial soap each night, even before I had started shaving again.
Â
Luckily, when I started breaking out again, I knew what it was and went to the doctor ASAP and was givin more antibiotics. The boils went away in just a few days since I caught them so early. This pattern continued for awhile. Then I had another very bad MRSA scare. BIL, DH and myself all went to a concert a few months later and I hurt my ankle badly. When we returned to the hotel room, i decided to take a bath to ease the pain. BAD idea. A few days after we returned home a HUGE (way bigger than any other boils I had gotten ) started forming on my right butt cheek. Didnt think it was MRSA because it wasnt on my pits. A few nights later, i woke up with severe chills and dizzyness and discovered a baseball sized lump on my butt. My skin was black and blue because tI had grown in size so fast. I laid back down and went back to sleep and waited for DH to get home from work with the car so we could go to the ER.
Â
Apparently, when he got home, as he tried to wake me up he felt a huge amount of heat coming off of my body. He said he tried to talk to me and to get me to drink some water, but i was just out of it. I was talking but not making any sense. He and BIL put me in the car and went the the ER. I was hospitalized for 3 weeks this time. I had to have local antibiotic shots in that butt cheek for the next 2 months. I was told that I had went into septic shock and had alomost died. My heart rate was very fast- which posed another threat for me because I have MVP.  I had it drained while I was there, of couse, and when I was actually able to see it- I had a HUGE hole in that check. I mean huge. It was packed with gauze and looked horrible. It healed quickly, but I still have a crater sized scar there. Shortly afrter this, we kicked BIL out. He wouldnt take care of himself and kept reinfecting me. I found out while I was in the hospital that I was hypoglycemic and this is why my MRSA returned over and over and was so severe. I havent had any more outbreaks since BIL has moved out.
Â
Anyways, SUPER long story- but now I do not shave. This isnt the main reason for my not shaving my pits anymore-but is up there on the list.
Â
And YES I have felt that way before. But Ive gotten to a point that I honestly, just dont give a crap. I like my hairy pits, because they represent alot to me. Not to mention DH has made me feel even better about it because he thinks theyre sexy ( now THATS love, lol. ) Im a person that has always been a little too concerned with what others think of me. In a way, not shaving has really helped tone that down alot. Now, im loud and proud,lol. I dont care where we are, or who can see- I lift up my arms and let it show.
Â
Im sure, with time- you will be like that too. Even if your body hair doesnt really represent anything for you. Its your choice. Youre beautiful how you are, in your natural state. People will either respect that, or mock that-but what would it change? YOU know whats best for you and you have no need to justify how you choose to govern your body to anyone. Its your buisness.
Â
Big higs Mama! Hope I helped and sorry this is soo long!
