Craig

I had to leave UMass Dartmouth during my second semester of my Junior year.. I was infected with a few different bacterias through an unknown source (doctors don't even know) and it turned out to be Necrotizing Fasciitis, which is more commonly known as the "flesh eating bacteria." The flesh eating bacteria quickly began to eat away at the insides of my leg, my groin area, and my abdomen. I was in the Intensive Care Unit of Metrowest Framingham Hospital for 6 weeks and needed 24/7 constant attention from Doctor's and Nurses to make sure I got better. The only way to get rid of flesh eating bacteria is to cut out any areas of the body that are infected by it, therefore I have had surgery over 11 times so far, not including surgical debridement of the wound or surgical dressing changes to cover the wound up. All of my left hip area is now missing, as well as much of my left medial groin and parts of my abdomen. Much of the skin tissue and nerves that had to be removed from my leg will never be able to grow back so there will always be a big chunk of my leg missing in that area. When the surgical proceures were performed the surgeons also had to take large amounts of healthy skin from my other leg; which caused permanent scarring in those areas.When I was first admitted to the hospital the Doctors thought that my leg would have to be amputated because the flesh eating bacteria was spreaing throughout my body so fast. I was lucky enough to have such a competent and skilled surgical team working on me so they were able to save my leg. My leg will never be the same and I have been told that I wil probably always have chronic pain in those areas for the restof my life; but the entire experience has changed my outlook on everything.I almost died the second night when I had been admitted to the hospital for the Necrotizing Fasciitis. My entire extended family and close friends gathered as they watched me in a coma fighting to stay alive. I now believe that the only way I made it through that night was having so much love surrounding me and also the fact that I was being given another chance in this wonderful life that I have.Here's something that was sent to me in a letter after my life-changing experience happened in the hospital:"I have to admit that it's still hard for me to wrap my head around how you got sick so fast, and almost died. Thank God you didn't. I have to say it was the most frightening thing I've ever gone through, and I'll never forget the look on your mom's face that first Tuesday night, as she was on one side of your bed holding your left hand, and I was on the other sie, holding your right. We thought we were saying goodbye to you. Thankfully we didn't have to say goodbye, and you came back to us. A combination of a miracle, lots of good doctoring, a bit of luck, or even your will to survive - whatever it was I am so happy that it worked" -My Uncle