Hum Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 A Detroit-area woman is fighting for her life against the same, rare flesh-eating disease that nearly killed Georgia graduate student Aimee Copeland. Crystal Spencer, 33, is in serious condition at Detroit Receiving Hospital after she was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, which is more commonly known as flesh-eating bacteria syndrome. The quickly progressing infection is known for its sudden onset and the speed with which it spreads across layers of skin and subcutaneous tissues. Spencer's husband, Jeff, told ABC News affiliate WXYZ-TV that his wife, who had been hospitalized since June 30, has already had a part of her midsection removed, which he says amounts to the size of a small watermelon. "They only give her a 20 to 30 percent chance to pull out of this, not even to make this," Jeff Spencer said. "The surgeon keeps going in and cleaning it and cleaning it. But they're saying it could go either way." more DocM 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacer Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Flesh eating bacteria is probably the most terrifying disease I can think of. You never know when or where you can get it. And once you do, you basically watch your body disintegrate and slowly die. Even amputation isn't 100% fool-proof because if the bacteria spreads, it's basically unstoppable. *shivers* I feel for this woman, and her husband. It must be a horrific thing to go through. ThaCrip 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 6, 2012 Author Share Posted July 6, 2012 Shame they can't wipe out this bacteria, from the whole planet. Or, train it to eat snakes ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacer Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 Shame they can't wipe out this bacteria, from the whole planet. Or, train it to eat snakes ... or hipster doofuses! Xerax 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 I pity and pray for her - been there myself 2 years ago with a particularly virulent strain of MRSA that cost me part of a foot. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cork1958 Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 This has been on the local news here and it's freaky as heck. Agree that this has to be one of the worst/most terrifying things to go through! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bad Boy Nibbler Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 I pity and pray for her - been there myself 2 years ago with a particularly virulent strain of MRSA that cost me part of a foot. This! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LittleNeutrino Veteran Posted July 6, 2012 Veteran Share Posted July 6, 2012 almost as terrifying as Ebola Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sialivi Posted July 6, 2012 Share Posted July 6, 2012 My father had a flesh eating bacteria when I was a kid, about 25 years ago. He was working a late shift when he got a small cut in his right thumb (he's right handed). He went home with a bad headache and within 2 hours he felt so terrible that my mother managed to convince him to go to the hospital, the fact that he agreed was saying something cause he's normally not one to complain about minor ailments. My mother told him to call her from the hospital, which was only a 10 minute drive from our house. When he hadn't called in 20 minutes, my mother got worried and drove to the hospital as well. It was now midnight and the streets were empty. Just two blocks from the hospital she saw his car abandonned on the sidewalk with the door left open. She found him wandering aimlessly in a nearby park, not knowing where he was or where he was going. The hospital started taking tests, cleaning the cut which wasn't any larger than a small paper cut, and wrapped the thumb in some antibacterial dressing. My brother and I had now arrived as well, and when a nurse came to change the antibacterial dressing, the fingernail and part of the finger tip just pealed off. The thumb had turned a nasty blue and purple. The doctor informed us that they would have to amputate the thumb right away since it was progressing so fast, but that my father had to be prepared for the eventuality that it has already spread beyond the thumb, and that they would amputate the hand as soon as they saw any sign that it has spread to the hand. The doctor then talked briefly to my mother in another room, telling her that he didn't want to worry my father too much, but if there was any sign that it had spread to the lower arm they would amputate at the shoulder. No antibiotic had any effect on it so spreading past the shoulder would mean he was going to die. They went ahead an amputated the thumb, half which was now necrotic and black and the rest was deep purple with the skin and flesh pealing off at the slightest touch. Luckily it never spread to the hand. ozgeek 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Growled Member Posted July 7, 2012 Member Share Posted July 7, 2012 I feel for her. Why are we seeing so many cases now? Terrorists? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I feel for her. Why are we seeing so many cases now? Terrorists? 1) better reporting. 2) the over-use of antibiotics for every sniffle etc. has produced antibiotic resistant "super-bugs" that even the most powerful antibiotics have trouble killing. A HUGE problem. 3) a rise in diabetes and other conditions that make their victims, who are often undiagnosed, more susceptable to infection. In my case I noticed a red spot on my little toe after a shower, and even after getting care in no time it was off to the races - and soon got out of control and the tissues started to decompose. After surgery that removed the toe, much of the metatarsal (long bone it was attached to), a good amount of flesh and a skin graft taken from my thigh I was on two high-end IV antibiotics for over three months before it cleared. Even after getting out of the hospital the first time (I was in three times, twice for re-infections) I had a PICC line (long term IV hookup) and had to hook myself up to the bags every few hours - even in the middle of the night. Visiting nurses, etc. etc. Then came the CDC interviews, at which I was informed that the strain involved had a 60% mortality rate. A royal pain, and I'm still recovering. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hum Posted July 7, 2012 Author Share Posted July 7, 2012 I feel for her. Why are we seeing so many cases now? Terrorists? Probably relates to over-population. Wouldn't something like alcohol kill it off, if you put it on immediately ... ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DocM Posted July 7, 2012 Share Posted July 7, 2012 I noted the major reasons. Alcohol maybe but only at the surface. Inside the tissues, and once it gets into the bloodstream, nope. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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