Bartonella, you will never look at a cat the same way again

Bartonella is a pretty common disease commonly referred to as
cat scratch fever. Most people who contract it get a mild form of conjunctivitis (eye
infection) as a result.

I, unfortunately, contracted a different strain. My infection
presented itself when many of the lymph nodes in my body swelled up. This was
followed by shooting pains, general aches and pains (like with the flu), and
constant fatigue and headache. In other words it sucked, and I mean sucked
hard.

Now I have had the flu a few times in my life. It is a miserable
ten day experience. My experience with the influenza virus is why I happily
get a flu shot every year. My Bartonella infection lasted over a month. It
has taken three different antibiotics, blood tests, sleepless nights, and living
in general suck-itude.

So you are now trying to reassure yourself…This has got to
be pretty rare right? Wrong. Forty percent of all cats carry the Bartonella
bacteria and don’t show any symptoms. They are plague carriers we invite into
our homes because they are so cute and furry.

And here’s the worst part, I didn’t even get a cat out of the
deal. Most folks who get his infection, recover and then live a happy life
with their new cat knowing that once infected by their cat’s particular strain
they are immune. I received my gift from a friend’s cat. My wife and I were
cat sitting. My wife got the eye infection, I won the bacterial infection jackpot.

That’s where I have been. I apologize for the lack of updates,
but I haven’t been off having fun. I am back. I am healthly. And I am keeping
my eye out for cats.

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