| Psychological consequences | “I panic all the time and my anxiety is through the roof” |
| “Never was depressed prior to infection. Now life as I knew it has drastically changed. Sometimes I feel I will never feel normal again.” |
| “I have documented PTSD, anxiety and panic attacks directly related to the trauma of having a family wide endemic outbreak of C. diff effecting all members of my family” |
| “I have felt suicidal because of it many times.” |
| Physical consequences | “I don’t have the energy anymore to be physical, I am too tired to do anything!” |
| “My sleep cycle is messed up, due to always being in so much pain. I have trouble falling and staying asleep, then during the day I often feel tired.” |
| “Lost 50 pounds all muscle tone lost skin and bones malnutrition” |
| “I throw up for no reason (even if I havent eaten yet)” |
| Relational impact | “I feel like everyone is afraid of me.” |
| “My family treats me like a leper.” |
| “Other people don’t seem to understand how my life changed post CDif.” |
| “There is a social stigma associated with c-diff. People never consider you “cured”. I am sometimes excluded from activities due to the type of illness it is.” |
| Adaptation impact | “I have to wear adult diapers. If I don’t wear them, then I have it on my mind through the night that I will have another accident.” |
| “I can’t eat anything other than the BRAT diet!” |
| “I don’t travel far from home anymore” |
| “Work going to outdoor summer activities like parks, hiking, amusement parks, biking, swimming. Anything that takes me away from a bathroom or a place to clean up and change clothes after accidents” |
| Professional and financial impact | “was already in financial trouble. I am on the verge of loosing everything.” |
| “I lost my job of 12 years mostly because my productivity went down” |
| “I can’t work at all” |
| “After 6 months of being on disability I am bankrupt. It has ripped through our house financially and caused “ |
