<div>Our good friend Carter Beshears has been fighting a pretty major toe injury that has lead to serious infection in his toe &amp; bone. . His parents, Tony &amp; Heather, have made many trips to UK &amp; Shrines Hospitals, some for days at a time. Everyone knows how expensive living out of a hospital gets , not to mention gas and other expenses back and forth . Plus, I'm sure they'll have lots of medical bills coming...As if that wasn't enough Heather has now used all of her personal days at work and is having to be off work, unpaid while attending to Carter's needs. I'm asking our family, friends and community to reach out with whatever donation you might could make to help them with unexpected expenses of this. But most importantly, I ask you for prayers for Carter to heal fullyand be unaffected by this in the end . Also pray for Mom and Dad, none of us want to see our babies hurting . If you cannot donate thanks for your prayers &amp; please share so we can help them out!   Anything helps!  Thank you all so much.   A little more about his story below.

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<div>In mid June Carter cut his toe on a rock while diving into the lake. It seemed like a small injury at the time—just a tiny cut—but that cut has now turned into every parent’s nightmare.

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<div>Multiple trips to UK &amp; Shriners Hospital. Carter and has been battling a severe infection. He started on oral antibiotics shortly after the injury, but once we were admitted, they switched him to IV antibiotics.

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<div>On June 27, the doctors opened the wound, drained it, and sent it off for culture. They were sent home on medication, but on June 29, received a call from the ER nurse at UK with the results: the culture showed E. coli and Aeromonas, both bacteria commonly found in lake water. His antibiotics were changed immediately to target those specific infections.

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<div>Dr's thought we were on the right track, but by Friday evening, his toe looked worse—it was oozing more and clearly not improving.

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<div>Since being readmitted to hospital, they’ve had to reopen and drain the wound again—and this time, they also removed his toenail. The infection had then spread to the bone in his middle toe, and some of the bone had already begun to erode, so the knuckle in front of toe had to be removed, during surgery, they discover Carter has Clostridium septicum.

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<div>What is Clostridium septicum and what does it do in a wound?

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<div>Clostridium septicum is a rare but extremely dangerous type of bacteria. It doesn’t need oxygen to survive, so it can grow deep in tissues—like inside wounds or surgical areas—without a large or visible cut.

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<div>When it enters the body, it can cause a very serious infection that spreads fast and damages healthy tissue. It produces toxins and gas, leading to what’s called gas gangrene, a life-threatening condition where tissues die rapidly. It can also enter the bloodstream and lead to sepsis, which is the body’s extreme response to infection.

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<div>Why it’s so serious: The mortality rate

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<div>One of the reasons doctors treat C. septicum so urgently is because of how dangerous it can be. The mortality rate (risk of death) for this kind of infection is very high—between 45% and 70%, even with treatment.

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<div>If the infection spreads into the bloodstream or causes gas gangrene, the chances of survival drop even more, especially if there’s any delay in treatment. That’s why immediate antibiotics, surgery, and close monitoring are critical.

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<div>Who is most at risk?

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<div>People with weakened immune systems, cancer (especially colon cancer), or bowel conditions are more vulnerable. Sometimes C. septicum infections are the first sign of an undiagnosed internal problem, so doctors often do more testing after it shows up.

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<div>How it’s treated:

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<div>•	Antibiotics by IV (into the vein) are started immediately.

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<div>•	Surgery may be needed to remove any infected or dead tissue.

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<div>•	Hospital care and close follow-up are essential, even after things improve, to catch any signs of the infection coming back.

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<div>Why your care team is being so cautious

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<div>Because this bacteria is so aggressive and unpredictable, even three weeks between appointments can feel like a long time when infection is the main concern. The culture results showing Clostridium septicum are a big deal—so your medical team is likely on high alert, and you should feel empowered to speak up about any new symptoms or concerns, even between visits.

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<div>The doctors are doing everything they can to get the infection under control and prevent further damage. Carter has been through so much already, but he’s staying strong.

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<div>Please, please keep him in your prayers—for complete healing, for strength, and for the doctors to have wisdom and guidance as they treat him. We’re believing for full recovery, and we’re so thankful for the love, support, and prayers from all of you!!

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joslyn flynn

Anonymous

Suzanne Stafford

Charlotte Bray

Bryan Hogue

Kim Pierce

Thomas Johnson

Penny Strohm

Alicia Colliver

Lucinda Mullins

Help Carter's Battle Against Severe Infection

Help Carter's Battle Against Severe Infection

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