Thursday afternoon, out of nowhere, I noticed that the left side of my neck was a bit tender and by the evening, it seemed to be swollen a bit. Considering that I’ve never experienced these symptoms before, I decided to go to the doctor’s office Friday morning and have it diagnosed.
The diagnosis was that I have a “deep neck abscess” – a bacterial infection inside the tissues of my neck. Dead white blood cells accumulate, forming a mass in the tissue. Normally, this is caused by poor dental health or after an infection of the respiratory system. Neither is the case for me.
The doctor wanted to admit me to the hospital right away and get me started on strong antibiotics. A bit hesitant to jump straight to that course of treatment, I negotiated and was instead given IV antibiotics on an outpatient basis with the promise to return this morning.
While the swelling and tenderness haven’t become noticeably worse, they haven’t improved, either. I suspect I will have to cave in and be admitted for what will be the second hospital visit in my life.
Thankfully, it is happening at the start of a weekend, so the timing is only a minor inconvenience. Will have to cancel a trip to the farmer’s market Saturday and brunch plans for Sunday.
What I find interesting is that I never had to be hospitalized until I moved to Thailand. I wonder if it is coincidence, the fact that I am getting into my middle years, or perhaps I am really exposed to more bacteria here in Thailand.
christao408 
I hope the doctors will figure out what is causing this. Sometimes these bacteria infections can be very scary. Let us know how things turn out.
That’s true – bacterial infections can very quickly get out of control. Lost a friend that way, in fact, so I do take it seriously.
Wow. Scary stuff. Hope you recover soon. I love your positivity in light of it all–just saw your Instagram post on the food š
Thanks – the funny thing is, despite the infection, I don’t really feel that bad. Unlike when I had pneumonia and I really felt beaten down, this just feels like something minor.
Hope you feel better, man. š
(Also, could it be a *combination* of the both of the factors? :P)
It could definitely be a combination – no doubt! Thanks for the well wishes.
You’re welcome. Are you feeling better now-a-days?
š
Yes, the strong antibiotics seem to be doing their job. As of Monday afternoon, I’m about 90% better and have two more days of treatment.
Great. š
Definitely because you’re getting older. No, I’m kidding, but I hope they get rid of this thing on the double! It’s a good thing you didn’t wait any longer to go to the doctor: infections can be nasty!
Yeah, if I experience unusual symptoms that I cannot easily explain, I do not hesitate to get medical advice.
Scary stuff. A friend of mine experienced this about a year ago, and he nearly died. I hope you reconsider and go to the hospital.
Well, I’m meeting the doctor on a daily basis so am keeping an eye on it and receiving treatment. Will admit to the hospital if it is necessary. Thanks for your comment.
I mentioned something similar to my doctor in Singapore recently to which he replied in a business-as-usual tone, “You now live in the tropics.” š
Welcome to the tropics… prepare to be ill.
Sending good vibes and healing lights in hopes that you do not end up being admitted and heal quickly and painlessly.
Chris, you can hear the concern in these posts – I hope you do get it checked out and visit the hospital (a great one). I’m sure you’re on top of all this but never hurts to say these things.