Need handhold and urgent advice

[FFSToEverythingSince2020]

I think I may be putting this is AIBU when I meant Chat. Sorry, all. I’ll try to keep it very short. I have cellulitis, and already had life-limiting illness. My DH is having a mental health breakdown, partially brought on by the stress of caring for me (he says no, but it’s obvious). I finally got him on the phone to the GP so he has treatment, thank God, and they were just wonderful with him. I’m on first-line oral antibiotics for cellulitis (flucloxacillin) but got up this morning at 7 to take my pill and noticed I have swelling, but NOT an open sore, under my eye. Here are the issues:

1. How long should I wait to see if the swelling under my eye goes down or becomes a sore? (Before this, the doctor said to give the antibiotic until Friday to work; sores take up to 12 hours to develop for me).
2. My husband is currently on heavy medication for a few days, to deal with what’s going on. He’s normally my carer. I would call my PILs but they’re leaving for Thailand today on a long-awaited trip, and BIL is house sitting their cat. The only relative I had is my mum and she’s 3000 miles away and at work. I have a friend who can come, but she can only get a flight on Monday. Should I just tell her now to come? Her coming will REALLY upset my husband as he has high anxiety, but if I get hospitalized, wtf are we going to do???

I swear I’m normally “smarter” than this but I feel just paralyzed by stress and worry and feeling so unwell. And I keep thinking I’m going to die, which is either my own anxiety or someone did say it could be sepsis, which I had in November.

I’m just having a huge wobble, I don’t know what to do about anything, and I don’t have a lot of friends to ask, and none local or with experience of this.

Please call an ambulance. It sounds like the increased strength antibiotics aren't enough.
I'm so sorry you're going through all this.

Thinking of you OP. I hope you're now in hospital.

I really hope you are getting medical help. Agree you should call 999. I think with escalating illnesses we can put that off or think it’s not that bad because we’ve been dealing with it for ages. But it sounds bad now, so please get the help you need.

Just saw this.

Please don't hesitate to call in the calvary.

I'm sure you and your husband's needs more important than cat. Put cat in carrier or get neighbour to feed and get Bil down.

Also-if I was your Mother I would drop everything and come.
Don't be a hero-get help!!

What a huge pile of problems all at once. I'm sorry.

I hope you can get medical help today.

I hope your dh gets the support he needs too.

Hi, I’ve just caught up on the thread and wanted to see if you’ve rang 111 yet OP.
I think you need to be seen based on what you’re going through. 🥰

I would also call 999 immediately.

I’m so sorry that all the crap is piling up on you at once! It’s so hard to process such a complicated situation. Hopefully you are in hospital and your DH has someone with him. Sometimes we just have to endure through the crap as best we can.

Ho @FFSToEverythingSince2020 I hoped you've called an ambulance. If you haven't please do it now and then call your BIL (that way round). He can come and take your DH if need be, and I'm sorry you're both so poorly, but you need medical attention.

Really hope you're in hospital now receiving the meds you need. Hopefully your BIL has come over to stay with your husband, the cat needs much less care than he does!

I hope you are in hospital too, cellulitis is nasty, esp on the face. Friend of mine was scratched by one of the cats she was rescuing, made her leg swell 3 times the normal size and it takes persistent and good treatment at the hospital to get on top of it. At the very least, they should be keeping an eye on you.
Go easy OP, so sorry this has happened on top of everything else, but this has to be up there in needing treatment asap. Wish you a speedy recovery.

Thinking of you OP, hope you've made it to hospital, it's where you need to be

Cellulitis is serious and as PP say, needs to be seen to urgently if it is worsening.

I have had it in my thumb from a wasp that stung me after it came out of a large bin, and my DM made me get antibiotics for it - it was becoming red and swollen quickly. The GP told me any changes that made it look worse quickly might need IV antibiotics.

Huge hugs to you OP, please protect your own health and your DH's, and various things like cats are low priority. The cat can be looked after by someone else or brought in the car.

Your health is paramount and priority. ❤️❤️❤️

@FFSToEverythingSince2020 i’ve only just seen your thread. I really hope you’re getting the treatment you desperately need and that you’re being well looked after, also your DH.

What an awful situation you’ve been in, I really do hope you’re ok.

Hope you are in hospital recieving appropriate treatment and care.

You have been in an awful situation op. I hope that you are now getting the medical help that you need. I hope that your dh is okay too.

I agree with others and hope you are getting hospital treatment now.

I know life limiting illness covers a wide range of things but I wonder if you might be able to get hospice support while/when at home, it tends to be more holistic and could be supportive of your dh too.

Does DH have any family nearby?

I know he’s struggling but you have a lot going on and I’m wondering if someone else can help care for him to lessen your burden.

Stress weakens your immune system and you need to put yourself first right now.

If you are hospitalised then you'll be in the best place to be cared for and to get well. Everyone else will have to survive. But hopefully it won't come to that. Contact your GP, send photos of the swelling.

Just wanted to say that I am here, rooting for you and hoping that you've got the help that's needed. If a crowd of virtual well-wishers counts, then you aren't alone Xx

Any update OP?

Agreed. Thinking of you OP. Get well soon

I am going to be honest, why would you call your mother, your friend who has to get a flight, to look after your husband who is a grown man?? By all means let his brother know, but come on..... he is an adult

Because he’s a grown man having a mental health crisis.

But also to look after OP when she got home from hospital, so that DH (unwell with mental health crisis) wouldn’t have to.

I understand he is her carer, she hasn't said what he needs to do for her and the OP has cellulitis - not sure what extra looking after she requires ??