jswordy
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2012
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That's why I like my food cooked. Or as I tell folks, I like my parasites cooked, plus whatever else is in there. There are 50 some million nematodes for every human on this planet. Think about that next time you eat something. Ever been to a meat packing plant? You might give up hot dogs and baloney..
In 1998, I was part of the Ballpark Franks listeria outbreak that laid low the Southeast and killed something like 15 people in the South. I would never have known this, except I watched NBC News and they had a story that listed the number on the product. I still had the package with a few left in it in our freezer, and it was a match.
The news was saying it mostly affects old people or people in poor health. That's BS. I was 40 years old, a non-drinking bodybuilder and in great health, but ran a 104-105 fever and was ill for a little more than 3 weeks, most of that time in severe illness. I have never been so sick in my life! My gut was in constant clench. That was the worst – the constant, solid gut clench and pain. For most of the first 2 weeks, I couldn't sleep more than a few exhausted minutes at a time. Couldn't work. Most of my time was lying in bed in a fetal position.
I was misdiagnosed by my doctor, who did not provide me antibiotics, even when I asked for them. He gave me muscle ralaxers to try to unclench my gut. In desperation, after finding the package number match I went to a "doc in a box" clinic and got antibiotics.
Two things came out of that experience. First, that doctor was history! Second, I did not eat another hot dog for 26 years. I ate my first one in 2024. I have had only three since, including that one, and I will never eat a Ballpark Frank again.
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