A relative recently got very sick. At the ER they found his white count very elevated. They started doing cultures of his blood to look for infection. Strep, and another infection were found, but they couldn't trace the site. They did special heart tests to rule out infection involving his heart. He was put in IC care for a few days because his blood pressure was dropping too low. He was infused with different antibiotics. When his white count went back to normal range (about a week in the hospital), he went home. He had to go in for bloodwork a week or so later to do cultures again to make sure the infection was gone. It took five days to get the results, and the infection was gone. They never found the site of infection. He didn't really have a fever, just terrible chills, and shaking. He got to the ER the same day, and they said it was a good thing. Odd stuff. He had diverticulitis for many years, and was due a scoping. Abdominal CT showed some intestinal inflammation, but it was ruled out as a cause. He'll have GI follow-up later. I guess he's fine now, but tires easily. The hospital he went to had an excellent infections disease staff since they were a teaching hospital.

It must be a scary experience, one you don't want to have to worry about all the time. Can you find a teaching facility that will let you come in for a second opinion? If this relative got through this, and passed his follow-up culture tests, it must be something that is successfully treated with the proper medical care. It sounds like they got right on top of things.