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THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING AWARE Handling a medical emergency, a personal experience Words by Filippo Von Schloesser If you come to the United States, even as a tourist, here are some important tips that can help you —in case your health is at risk. I would like to share a personal medical situation that occurred to me last August. Unexpectedly two large pimples, one on my left arm and another one appeared under my right armpit. To obtain medical assistance, I went to Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami. I was attended by a PA and explained to her my health conditions and explained that I suspected the pimples could be a MRSA (Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus). MRSA is like a super bug. It is actually a bacterium responsible for several difficult-to- treat infections in humans. Epidemiological data shows MRSA is more common in the USA than in Europe. And unfortunately, it is quite common if you go to the beach or if you have previous clinical history. It can quickly lead to death if it is not detected and appropriately cured with a specific antibiotics. The Infectious Diseases American Association has defined the guidelines to detect this scary bacteria. They include a sampling (antibiogram) in order to check how it has to be treated, or to exclude the risk of MRSA. In my case, they were not implemented at Mount Sinai. I was dismissed in three minutes with a prescription that, instead of killing the bacteria, fed it! Needless to say, I had to pay a medical bill for $660 dollars. After two days, my condition got a lot worse. I went to a private doctor who immediately realized the serious nature of my condition. He sampled the infection and gave me the correct antibiotics to cure me.