This is only a bug bite…
Nathaniel (Nate) is a hardworking truck driver who cherishes family time and working on his cars in his spare time, has always lived a healthy and active lifestyle.
“One day I was at work I started getting chills or flue-like symptoms. It’s the first time in my life that I hallucinated.” recalls Nate, a man not known for complaining. But this time, he knew something was seriously wrong, so he decided to go to the hospital.
No time to lose
Despite initial misdiagnoses, Nate found hope in the expertise of Dr. Duda, who swiftly identified the necrotizing fasciitis and initiated urgent surgical intervention.
Over the course of a few hours the syndromes had spread to his entire leg and even traversed the groin up into his lower right abdomen.
Dr. Duda told Nate that he was at the risk of loss of life or limb and that he needed surgery right now. “I will be seeing you for a long time because we´ve got a lot of work ahead of us.” Dr. Duda told Nate.
That´s when I first heard about Necrotizing fasciitis, a flesh-eating disease, Nate told us.
Desirée, Nate’s devoted wife and a medical social worker, vividly recalls the gravity of the situation.
“It was at that point that we realized how serious it was. It was that day that Nate told us his goodbyes because he didn´t think he was going to see us again.”
The odds were not in their favor
Through the haze of anesthesia, Nate’s steadfast companion, Desirée, remained a beacon of strength, a source of comfort and hope during these difficult times.
With odds stacked against him—50/50 at best—Nate faced the prospect of life-altering surgery, with amputation looming over him, which was initially planned as a hip disarticulation. After 5-6 surgeries just to try and get the infection under control and preserve his life, they decided to try Kerecis in hopes of salvaging any potential tissue.
Even in Dr. Duda’s view, the chances of Nate keeping his leg were very slim.
“It did seem like we were looking for a miracle at that time… and we got one.” Dr. Duda recalls.
The people behind the healing process
The Kerecis products that Dr. Marcus used at various stages of the healing process was SurgiClose and a fragmented fish skin (SurgiClose Micro) which is suitable for uneven surfaces.
To everyone´s surprise, Nate is now back with his family, he has started walking again, spending time with his kids and working on his cars. Nate´s mission is to start jogging again and hit the gym.
Nate’s remarkable recovery stands as a testament to resilience and the steadfast support of loved ones, and the efficacy of the Kerecis products in the hands of a talented medical professional dr. Marcus Duda.
What is Necrotizing Fasciitis?
Necrotizing fasciitis is a type of severe skin and soft tissue infection (SSTI) that leads to the death of muscle fascia and subcutaneous tissues. This infection usually spreads along the fascial plane, an area with limited blood supply.
