The "clostridium" refers to the spindle shape of this motile bacteria. The "difficile" means that this is one nasty bugger that gives a brutal fight to the finish, i.e. it is obstinate and difficult to eradicate.
My first encounter with CDiff was over ten years ago. Here's how it went down: Husband had an ongoing sinus infection. After many months, he was put on a big horsepill of the antibiotic, Augmentin. He was supposed to be on it for 3 weeks to a month. I think it was within a week that diarrhea started---a known side effect of this drug. He stopped and was put on another.
But the "D" persisted. Two months later, it caught up with him. He became dehydrated and passed out. He was admitted to the hospital and his body sucked up 2-3 bags of IV fluids pretty quickly. He was in for a couple of nights and the diagnosis was C-Diff.
With a toddler and infant at home, it was difficult to visit him but I managed once or twice. And I committed to memory a conversation I had with his nurse. She told me three things:
1) gloves
2)Clorox bleach wipes
3)the smell
Wear gloves at all times when cleaning bathrooms. Buy a product called Clorox bleach wipes and wipe with them all over the place. You will know C-diff by the smell of it----and you will never forget it.
While he was in the hospital, I contracted C-diff. Probably because I had not used gloves when I cleaned the bathrooms nor did I have Clorox wipes around. The spores of C-Diff can live for a long time and sometimes bleach won't even kill them off.
With an infant strapped to my body at all times, it was hard to get to the bathroom in time. It was a brand of "D" that I had never had before. And the smell. I'll never ever forget it. It's a tell-tale odor marked by a sickeningly sweet overtone.
From that day to this, I have never not worn gloves when doing bathroom scullery duty.
After battling it for a couple of days, I came up with my attack plan. I stopped eating. Anything eaten perpetuated the cycle. So my only intake was hydration drinks and broth. I also went to my local health food store and asked the wonderful sales lady there what to do. She said if it were her, she would buy the most expensive probiotic she could afford and take double. I purchased one for $25 by New Chapter. My situation was under control within a couple of days after taking these steps.
Husband was put on the C-Diff antibiotics and eventually his situation abated.
And now we encounter C-Diff again. Husband's father was in and out of the hospital and nursing home starting in October and he contracted C-Diff by December. He was released before Christmas. After living with him again, Husband's mother contracted it and was admitted to the hospital for a week. A week after mother-in-law got home, father-in-law was sent back to hospital with---you guessed it---C-Diff. They have both been together for another week and are apparently out of the woods. But C-Diff can be on-going and an uphill battle for many who contract it---especially those who are elderly and/or immune compromised. These days, if they suspect a patient has C-Diff, signs are placed on the patient's door and masks and gowns are handed out.
I have my weapons of choice in place if we get a direct hit in the household----and this time I will buy an even more expensive pro-biotic.
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