NF Survivor - Randolph's Survivor Story

Randolph's Survivor Story

Well around November of 2006 at 10:00, I went to my doctors clinic with a knot on my right butt cheek. My doctor told me I had a spider bite and prescribed a antibiotic medicine for the bite and said it was just a non poison spider. The next few day are in and out some info from my brother and sister. Well anyway my brother said at around 9:00 pm that same night he was at our neighbors when he receive a phone call from me asking for help, When he arrived I was soak in sweat, and was barely breathing, and all I could say was 911, which he did. After arrival at the hospital emergency room, I remember a hugh head from someone who said that he was a surgeon and that I had necrotizing fasciitis and he was not good enough to do the required operation. I remember a little of a helicopter ride to a university hospital. I remember nothing after arrival at the university for two days. Although my sister had arrived at the hospital and the doctor said I was in surgery for two hours and some odd min. And that the disease had advanced so rapidly that it almost reach my lungs and it had started as a bit on my butt. He also stated that he had done all he could do and that he did not think I was going to make it thru the hour because he had to cut a eight inch cut along side my anal opening and go almost to my lung cutting out black and dead tissue, I also lost so much blood that my blood pressure was down and my body had crashed and I was in shock. They tried to bring my blood pressure up but could not. So he allowed my sister to go in to the ICU to say goodbye was the way she said he worded it. After about 4 hours because of the grace of God my blood pressure came up. After about two day I came to. I really didn't know nothing for about four days, at which time my sis told me everything that happen. The surgeon came in and explain to me that I had the incision by my anal canal, and he could not close it so that it would drain infection and all they could do was pack it which they did two time a day which hurt even with a morphine shot twenty min before each packing. for the next two months, I was in the hospital on what the doctor said was three of the highest antibiotic they had. along with the antibiotic they had me on three pain pill and two depression medicine I never could figure out why I was on depression med though, also I was on a stomach medicine to keep from throwing up. I could not eat food,, any food in my mouth and I would throw up. I went from 240 lbs down to 192 lbs in a two month time, until I finally got to a condition that I was able to be transfer back to my home town hospital recoup wing. The doctor at the local hospital had to place IV's in my chest so they could give me my meds and they had placed me on a iv type liquid food, I did find out for some reason I could keep yogurt down put it wasn't enough food I did not have any bowel movement for three month I guess because I had no food in me. Well anyway about a week before my discharge I got a secondary infection and in the middle of the night I was moved to ICU again because they said I had lost two pints of blood where it went was beyond me I didn't see none on me but I stay in ICU for another two weeks and was discharged to my sister house where after I was taken off the antibiotic I started to be able to keep food down about two day after arrival at my sis house, I still had to have in house nurse to come everyday two change my stuffing in my butt area for two more weeks before the wound healed to a point that the padding would not stay in place, I was so week that after another week or so I could move around and actually drive. I guess I finally got back to normal if you can say normal around the middle of april 2007 when the doctor said I seem to be back in form. Although my genital area is numb because I found out they cut there also and it is painful if I try to adjust myself as men sometimes do. Also I am missing a good chunk of my butt cheek so if I have to go to the bath room and try to squeeze my cheeks as you normally would to hold it. It does not work the no. 2 will come out on its own so I have to always make sure that I go before I go anywhere or their could be a accident. I do know I would not wish necrotizing fasciitis on no one and those who have had it as I did I truly feel for you cause it is one of the worst disease that I have ever went through. Also make sure of your doctor. I change my family doctor because the surgeon at the university told me if I had waited any longer I would not have made it as it was he did not think I was going to make it anyway after the surgery, and he said it is because my family doctor did not catch the sign of the disease and he should have done so or at least check closer on my bite, because the whole visit with my family doctor at the time took 3 min because I was a walk in patient.

Randolph
dogbain14@yahoo.com

May 2007

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