Tag Archives: Antibiotics

C Diff Foundation Celebrates National Volunteer Week Worldwide

Posted in C diff Nationwide Community Support Program, C. diff. Radio, Survivor Experience by

National Volunteer Week, April 23 – 29th

The C Diff Foundation celebrates National Volunteer Week, April 23 – 29 to recognize more than 150 members of the C Diff Foundation Volunteer Members worldwide, including Volunteer Patient Advocates, who have collectively donated more than 20,000 hours of volunteer service to the Foundation last year. The theme for this year’s celebration is “Sharing Time, Touching Lives.”

“Through the years the C Diff Foundation Volunteer Members have served as ambassadors of goodwill, service and compassion,” said Angelo Ortiz, C Diff Foundation’s Treasurer and Chairperson of  the Volunteer Patient Advocate Program

The C Diff Foundation, a 501(c) (3)  non-profit organization, established in 2012, and comprised of 100% volunteering professionals dedicated at supporting public health through education and advocating for C. difficile infection (CDI) prevention, treatments, environmental safety, and support worldwide

Not only do the volunteer members provide financial support for the C Diff Foundation’s programs — it is through their dedication and passion that continuously expands the Foundation’s mission.  Some volunteer patient advocates have their own unique C. diff. Survivor Journey which is shared with compassion, dedication, and caring hearts touching patients, students, fellow healthcare professionals,  and residents in the community every day.

Volunteer members will be recognized on November 9th & 10th  during the C Diff Foundation’s
5th Annual International C. diff. Awareness Conference and Health EXPO being hosted
in Las Vegas, NV.  During the annual event the “Volunteer Shooting Star” awards will
be presented along with numerous Volunteer Patient Advocate certificates for service hours.

“We are fortunate to have such kind and giving volunteers,” said Nancy C. Caralla, Foundress and Executive Director of the C Diff Foundation, “It is an honor to recognize those who have selflessly given so much to help educate, and promote the Foundation’s mission worldwide.”

The C Diff Foundation Volunteer Program was organized in 2012 to provide volunteer services, promote community understanding of Clostridium difficile (C. diff.) CDI  Infection Prevention, Treatments, Environmental Safety and Support and to raise funds for special C Diff Foundation patient/family programs.

The C Diff Foundation Members, with  the Volunteer Patient Advocates, successfully promote
“C. diff. Awareness”  nationwide and in fifty-six  (56) countries and host a
U.S. Nationwide information Hot-Line (1-844-FOR-CDIF) to support health care providers, patients, and families guiding them through the difficulties caused by a C. diff. infection.

Volunteers Members serve in 12 different committees;  Host monthly teleconference support sessions; Provide Education highlighting all aspects of a  C. diff. infection and other  healthcare related topics through workshops, community events, and literature with patients, their families, and residents from villages to cities around the globe; Triage Nurses assist patients, families, clinicians with answers to prevention, treatment, environmental safety and support questions Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. EST;  Register support session participants,; Provide IT management; Give clerical and social media assistance to various departments;  Provide a “Global Broadcasting Network” with www.cdiffradio.com with their educational radio
program,C. diff. Spores and More which broadcasts live every Tuesday at 1:00 p.m. EST. We are grateful for our sponsor Clorox Healthcare for making this program possible.  Each episode becomes a podcast and is accessible from the C. diff. Spores and More living library located on the main cdiffradio.com program page. Each November the Volunteer Members gather at the annual conference to both present and provide assistance in making the attendees feel welcome and expand their knowledge base on a variety of health topics that are linked to the main topic ~ Clostridium difficile infections.

For more information about the C Diff Foundation Volunteer Program, please call 919-201-1512 (toll free in USA 1-844-367-2343 ) or e-mail:   info@cdifffoundation.org

C Diff Foundation Volunteers — Helping Us  Help Others and The Beacon Of Light On the Other Side Of Pain and Suffering.

C diff Survivor Roy P. Shares His Journey With Fellow Survivors

Posted in Survivor Experience by

CdiffSurcicorsLOGO2015

In January, the prostate biopsy required both Levaquin and Gentamycin.  One month later, a five-hour oral surgery required ten days of Clindamycin.  Four days after completing the Clindamycin, the C diff symptoms started.

Saw my PCP who prescribed Clarithromycin.  Within three days the diarrhea was worse.  Returned to the PCP, who said I should get to the ER and have lab tests and a CT scan.
One hour after my arrival in ER, I was admitted for C. diff.  I was severely dehydrated. Along with I-V fluids, I got an I-V of Flagyl.  For the next two days, I was connected to the I-V for fluids, but began to eat again, and be able to take the Flagyl in pill form (not an easy thing to do!)
Prior to this event, I had never been admitted to a hospital in my 63 years.  I did not know what C. diff was, nor had I ever heard of it.

On the fourth day, I was released from the hospital and understood I was still infectious.  I continued 12 more days of Flagyl.  Three and a half weeks after the symptoms began, I provided a sample to my PCP who had it tested and the results indicated C. diff toxins were negative.
Since then, I’ve learned more about C. diff and the support available.

I’ve been taking daily probiotics with 10 strains; eating mild foods to allow my colon to recover from the injuries; trying to stick to gluten-free to minimize the challenges to the colon while it heals; and taking inulin fiber to encourage microbe growth.

I sleep well at night, deal with “issues” for an hour or so in the morning, and live a pretty much normal life. I lost a lot of weight during the infection, and I’m swimming and water-walking in the fitness center pool to rebuild those skinny legs. A lot of friends have asked me what happened, and I tell them of the effects of antibiotics, especially when there are multiple applications.  Since most of them are in my same age group, I encourage them to be careful with antibiotics, and to look after their colon and the microbes through probiotics.

My journey’s not over, but I feel I received great medical care at the hospital, have incredible loving support from my wife, and know that there are many people who are there for me.