Below, read Fords story as told to SELFs associate health director Melissa Matthews.
This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity.
Initially I was in shock when I got off the phone.
Monkeypox lesions can initially present as a pimple.
I got off the phone and did a full-body scan,noticing some spotsin the underwear zone.
They looked exactly like the pictures of monkeypox on theCenters for Disease Control and Prevention(CDC) website.
That night I started researching symptoms hoping that my case wouldnt be so bad.
Photo courtesy of Matt Ford.
The California Department of Public Health called me that Saturday and started collecting a lot of information about me.
They wanted to know if I had traveled recently.
From that day on, a nurse has called me daily to ask about my symptoms.
Photo courtesy of Matt Ford.
But I wasnt given any advice on how to actually manage my symptoms.
Photo courtesy of Matt Ford.
Things really ramped up over that weekend.
I was sweating a bunch to the point where my sheets were soaked.
The spots started appearing on other parts of my body, including my face.
I had a virtual consultation with my doctors office that weekend and went for an in-person check-up on Monday.
The office took an abundance of caution when I came in.
I was asked to enter through a back entrance, and the doctor was in fullCOVID-19-style protective gear.
My symptoms quickly progressed after I left the doctors office.
I am not sure Ive experienced anything quite like it.
The doctor also recommended using Vaseline on any really painful lesions, which actually proved to be pretty helpful.
The flu-like symptoms are completely gone, and Im just dealing with the spots now.
Thankfully most of the spots have already become pustules and scabbed over.
In total, I counted more than 25 lesions all over my body.
Its become very real, very quickly, in my various networks.
To people who dont take this seriously, I get it.
I used to be like you too, but my views have changed immensely.
You absolutely do not want this.
Even a mild case is super disruptive.
Im urging people to take this seriously and toget vaccinatedif they can.
You havent done anything wrong by getting this.
