Sanford woman nearly loses life from flesh-eating bacteria
>> BIG NEWS, BIOGEN AND EISAI.
BOTH COMPANIES WITH A PRESENCE
IN RTP. THE HUSBAND OF A
SANFORD WOMAN IS THANKFUL SHE'S
ALIVE AFTER A NEAR-DEATH
EXPERIENCE WITH A RARE
BACTERIAL INFECTION. AND THIS
IS TAMMY RUSSELL. HER HUSBAND,
WE FIRST TOLD YOU ABOUT THIS
STORY LAST NIGHT. TONIGHT WE'RE
LEARNING NEW DETAILS ABOUT WHAT
HAPPENED, INCLUDING HOW DID THE
COLLABORATION BETWEEN HOSPITALS
TO SAVE HER LIFE.
>> ASHLEY ROWE EXPLAINS HOW THE
NIGHTMARE EXPERIENCE UNFOLDED.
>> IT WAS THE MORNING OF JUNE
6TH. KEVIN RUSH SAYS WHILE HE
WAS GONE, HIS WIFE TAMMY HAD
CUT HER THUMB, REMOVING AN
INGROWN, HANG NAIL. 3 O'CLOCK
THAT AFTERNOON
>> SHE CALLS ME AND TELLS ME
SHE'S GOT SOME REAL BAD GOING
ON WITH THEIR HAND THAT SHE WAS
GOING TO GO GET A LOOK THAT
DRESS AS SHE GOT MEDICATION
FROM AN URGENT CARE SENTIR
SOMEHOW WAS MISDIAGNOSED.
RUSS SAYS LATER SHE COLLAPSED
IN THE BATHROOM WITH HER HAND
SWOLLEN AND BLACK.
>> HE CALLED 9-1-1 AND SHE WAS
TAKEN TO CENTRAL CAROLINA
HOSPITAL. WE'VE GOT TO CCH.
THEY KNEW IMMEDIATELY THAT
SOMETHING WAS BADLY WRONG.
AND I'LL TELL YOU, THEY GOT THE
WHEELS IN MOTION. SHE HAD A
RARE BACTERIAL INFECTION.
NECROTIZING FASCIITIS. WE DON'T
SEE VERY OFTEN, ESPECIALLY IN A
SMALL RURAL COMMUNITY LIKE
THIS. DOCTOR, RICHARD SLUSHER
SAYS TRANSPORTING HER BY
HELICOPTER TO DUKE OR UNC WAS
CONSIDERED. IT WOULD BE TOO
LATE. THINGS WOULD GET INTO
THE BLOOD SYSTEM TO GET BACK
TO REMIX EP TO SEE ME GO INTO
SEPSIS. MAKE YOU GO INTO SEPTIC
SHOCKING DUCK. THEY HAD
CONSTANT CONTACT WITH EXPERTS.
KEVIN ROSS ASKED FLUSH OR WHAT
HE WAS GOING TO DO FOR TAMMY.
HE SAID FIRST, I WANT TO TRY TO
SAVE HER LIFE. HE SAID I'M
SUCCESSFUL. TRY TO SAVOR HAND.
HE SAVED HER LIFE AND THE
OPERATING TABLE LATER, ADU CAN
SURGEON TOOK CARE OF HER WOUNDS
WITH SKIN GRAFTS. THEY HAD TO
AMPUTATE HER THUMB,
UNFORTUNATELY, BECAUSE IT WAS
2 INFECTED AND WE COULDN'T SAY
THAT A MINOR LOSS GIVEN THE
ODDS THAT WERE AGAINST HER
THOSE GUYS KNEW THEIR GAME.
THEY KNEW GOT TO EXECUTE THE
PLAN. THEY PULLED IT OFF.
MY ASHLEY ROWE, WRAL NEWS.
>> AND ACCORDING TO ONE HEALTH
SITE AND THAT ISING FRESHLY
ITIS OCCURS AND ONLY ONE OUT OF