I Am Afraid I’ve Got A Low Grade E-Coli Infection
December 7th, 2006
Listen. I had Taco Bell a few weeks ago.
When I normally go to Taco Bell, it’s every once in a blue moon, since eating Taco Bell is like eating death in the form of a burrito with sour cream, yet that death burrito tastes like heaven. So, it’s sort of a heavenly, death-like experience with sour cream, that I rarely enjoy but wholeheartedly do when time and body image permits. Such a moment arrived a few weeks ago, I had a burrito with sour cream and onions.
And now I’m afraid I’ve got a low grade E-Coli infection.
If you have read the news lately, you’ve seen that Taco Bell had to recall a ton of onions being spread across this great nation of ours and slathered with beans into a warm, sweet, spicy tortilla home. And while the E-Coli outbreak really hit a fever pitch over the last few days, people were being served said E-Coli onions for the last week or so.
Which just made me wonder if I happened to ingest said E-Colified burrito-heaven onions.
I immediately looked up the symptoms. First of all, symptoms start about 7 days after you are infected with the germ, or 7 days after you’ve eaten a double-fried, beef Mexi-melt with onions and cheddar.
Check!
The first sign of E-Coli is severe abdominal cramps that start suddenly. After a few hours, watery diarrhea starts. The diarrhea causes your body to lose fluids and electrolytes (dehydration). This makes you feel sick and tired. The watery diarrhea lasts for about a day. Then the diarrhea changes to bright red bloody stools. The infection makes sores in your intestines, so the stools become bloody. Bloody diarrhea lasts for 2 to 5 days. You might have 10 or more bowel movements a day. Some people say their stools are “all blood and no stool.” You may have a mild fever or no fever. You may also have nausea or vomiting. If you have any of these symptoms — watery, bloody diarrhea, cramps, fever, nausea or vomiting — the online soothsayers suggest that one try to get to their doctor right away.
I thought back to my health issues over the last few days.
Yes, I had been privy to a sudden abdominal cramp. It was following a meal in which I drank water while I ate the food instead of drinking water AFTER (like people say you’re supposed to) — but it’d never caused such a sudden abdominal cramp before. So, that startled me, now that I knew the symptoms of E-Coli. After thinking about the fact that such a thing could very well be the signal of E-Coli, I started to feel sick and tired.
Two more symptoms of having an E-Coli infection.
At that point, I started obsessing and worrying over having a possible E-Coli infection. I had more sudden stomach pains, sweating, and pains in my lower stomach where the intenstines reside. Upon re-looking at the symptoms, I noticed that E-Coli can also cause (yes you guessed it) sores in your intestines. That was what I was feeling. The symptoms freaked me out and I started having hot flashes, which could also be considered “a mild fever or no fever” — since they come and go like the tides.
Course, I didn’t have any of that watery diarrhea.
And that’s why I’m afraid I’ve got a low grade E-Coli infection.
Had there been blood and watery diarrhea (which in my opinion must be the most serious of all E-Coli symptoms), I would probably consider the fact that I have a full-grade E-Coli infection. But since there’s no watery you know what, it’s probably just a low grade infection.
And since I’m not an infant or an elderly person, I should be able to fight it.
But damn you Taco Bell onions. The fear is still there.
That has to be the most disturbing post i’ve ever read at WFME!
Comment by jimi — December 7, 2006 @ 8:22 pm
I knew that would get Jimi out of the darkness.
Comment by Pauly D — December 7, 2006 @ 8:24 pm
Ewww. I mean ewwwww. Sour cream?
Comment by Pierce — December 8, 2006 @ 3:19 am
Living in the center of this latest outbreak has given me pause not only when I order out or go to the salad bar but also when buying fresh veggies as well. Heck, I am using onion powder in all my meals that call for chopped onions now. As for Taco Bell. Living in a rural area that employs countless illegals every summer to pick the crops, I can’t help but notice of all the fast food joints around, I never see a Mexican in Taco Bell. That is sign enough for me to stay away E Coli or not.
Comment by Jerry — December 8, 2006 @ 7:54 am
Chalupas..yummmmmmmmmmmmm
Well, Pauly, next time drive closer to the border and not Taco Bell. You’ll do much better.
Comment by monkeyinabox — December 8, 2006 @ 9:29 am
sounds like you are experiencing sympathetic contractions. that’s so sweet!
when i was near the due date for our first kid, not only did my husband get abdominal cramps, he also began nesting (which was great because i was not at all inclined to scrub the bathtub or dust the shelves).
Comment by dgm — December 8, 2006 @ 9:52 am
I’m eating lunch right now and can’t finish this post.
I had to stop at “…watery diarrhea…”
I’ll catch up later - and the shits and giggles can begin!
Comment by Kathleen — December 8, 2006 @ 11:56 am
why is it only healthy food (not taco bell, but you know, onions, spinach, lettuce) can make you sick like this? You’re better off consuming three cans of, ohh, I don’t know, cat food, a day. Have you ever tried that? You should write a letter to a cat food company first to make sure it’s ok.
Comment by jacquie — December 8, 2006 @ 1:07 pm
PS… get well soon sweety.
Comment by jacquie — December 8, 2006 @ 1:07 pm
PPS… OMIGOD, you haven’t posted today. I hope you are still alive and well. How will I live without my daily WFME and Pauly D?
Comment by jacquie — December 8, 2006 @ 1:10 pm
PPPS… because, when it really comes down to it, it really is always about me.
Comment by jacquie — December 8, 2006 @ 1:11 pm
Well, I reckon, it could be low G. E. Coli.
What’s your current blognosis
How does it feel… on the hole?
They’re always down there, E. Coli; down there in our guts fomenting world abdominion and just how easy it would be to end this…this man made charade-without so much as breaking a gene sequence.
‘course….. should you have a taste for, and eat at places that serve macerated dog… do do - if you will- then, more power to you.
There, but for the grace of God, E. coli.
Comment by Daniel — December 8, 2006 @ 11:29 pm
Pedialyte will help keep your electrolytes up, Pauly. It works better than Gatorade.
Comment by Amy — December 9, 2006 @ 8:21 pm
after eating tacos and burritos at del taco i had explosive diarrhea and had to vomit at the same time….this was around 6 hours after eating…twice to the restroom within 15 minutes…what should i do???? can i sue del taco ????
Comment by dennix — December 29, 2006 @ 12:36 am