March 18, 2010 - a puzzle piece

the doctors have put together another piece of the puzzle - the sores in kristen's mouth are herpes simplex virus. this is the fairly common virus (type 1) that can cause cold sores on the lips and mouth, with outbreaks typically induced by physical or mental stress. in the past two weeks kristen's system has undergone, as one doctor put it, "the most physical stress her body has ever experienced" and therefore the outbreak became particularly intense.

the fact that kristen had been prescribed prednisone for a recent cold sore outbreak (prior to the compartment syndrome event that landed her in the hospital) may have contributed to the unusually devastating bacterial growth in her system. (prednisone and similar steroids suppress immune response which is why they prevent swelling.) it may also be that the breakdown of the mucous membrane resulting from the recent sores allowed the common strepA bacteria into the bloodstream.

this is all conjecture and we may never know the pathway of infection or the explanation for all this with any certainty. meanwhile, she is miserably uncomfortable but healing well.