Personal Experience of Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever: Diagnosis of a Serious Disease

Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever is nothing to make light of. Last year, after being ill for several months, my husband was finally diagnosed with this disease. Contracted from ticks this disease can wreak havoc on a body and mind. Severe cases can even result in death. We were fortunate that this was not the result for my husband.

In May of 2006 my husband became ill. Experiencing flu-like symptoms for a few days, he decided to go to the doctor. My husband is one of those "tough guys" who will not go to the doctor unless it is absolutely necessary. When he does go, you can bet he feels like death. The diagnosis he received was vague, it was not the flu, they treated him with antibiotics and instructed him to return in a week if he was not better.

Shortly after beginning the antibiotics, he broke out into a rash, mostly on his chest. We assumed he was having an allergic reaction to the strong antibiotics that were prescribed to him and treated him that day with Benedryl. He returned to the doctor to inform them the he may be allergic to the medication. At that time, they diagnosed him with strep throat, prescribed different antibiotics, and even gave him an antibiotic injection.

He never really got well after that. He did not feel like death anymore, but he had no energy, he ached constantly, he had severe headaches. Each day was different, some days he seemed to feel fine, with the exception of being drained all of the time, others he felt only like going to bed. He never missed a day of work; that is just his nature, it does not matter how sick he is, he goes to work. We assumed he was working too hard, he had a regular full time job, and has a part-time business which is ran from a shop behind our home.

Months of this went on; I began to think he was just being lazy. He would come home from work, lie on the couch, watch a little television, and go to bed. He constantly complained he felt bad, or his legs hurt or a million other things. After a while, this behavior took its toll on me. I felt he was being lazy. I am ashamed I felt this way now that I know the real reason behind the way he was acting.