The Impossible Just Became Possible

I used to tell people, jokingly, that I spared them from necrotizing fasciitis because, statistically, it’s so rare that they will only meet one person with this disease in their lifetime. Well, I can’t say that again as a personal family/friend has just passed through the worst of a bout with that nasty, cruel bacteria. His elbow and arm were affected and he has made it through the worst. It looks like the infection is under control and his surgeon has just grafted his affected area and the grafts took. So, he’ll be going home this Friday.

He’s pretty beat up, but rallying back. I can’t overstate the value of having friends and family close by, going through this along with you and for you in prayer, care, and advocacy with the healthcare providers, even if the victim is “out” or in a coma.

This was a classic case, in which three events took place, which often don’t and end in disaster or even death. Our friend:

  1. Visited a pharmacist, who told him to go immediately and seek medical attention.
  2. Took the pharmacist’s direction and went to his local Emergency Room
  3. Was attended by a surgeon, who made the immediate diagnosis of necrotizing fasciitis, stabilized him, debrided him, and sent him immediately to a large hospital with the facilities and personnel to handle this sort of thing.

Thank God, he not only survived, but received excellent care and a good result!

When it comes to the flesh-eating bacteria, I really do love happy endings!

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