Necrotizing Fasciitis Recovery for Robert Deem
Donation protected
I am reaching out to you because my husband, Robert Deem, has been hospitalized and will receive long-term medical care for at least four months. On February 8th, Robert was admitted to the emergency room at Northside Hospital. My husband presented flu like symptoms all week, but his condition escalated with fever, nausea, and severe abdominal pain. Additionally, doctors discovered a large abscess that had ruptured. It turns out he had an aggressive flesh eating bacteria that was making him sick.
He was diagnosed with polymicrobial Necrotizing Fasciitis also known as Fournier's gangrene. Since necrotizing fasciitis can spread so rapidly, patients often must get surgery done very quickly. As the bacteria tracked through his body it killed tissue and skin, and additionally caused sepsis, a condition that infects his blood. He was immediately sent into emergency surgery to remove the dead tissue, resulting in a 20+ inch incision. Watching my husband deal with the intense pain of the removal of body tissue, and the cleaning and re-cleaning of the wound is one of the hardest things I have ever experienced. This type of infection leads to death if not treated quickly, and we had more than one doctor tell us how lucky Robert was after the first surgical procedure.
The nature of his infection requires the wound to be open-packed and revisited every other day (via surgery under general anesthesia) to remove additional dead tissue caused by the bacteria. At present(2/25), Robert has undergone 10 surgeries in 17 days (including a colostomy) and is expected to have several more before treatment is completed. He is beginning his 3rd week of admittance in the hospital. If all goes accordingly, Robert will need to see plastic surgeons to help create a reconstruction plan and would be admitted to a rehabilitation facility where nurses can continue wound care. After this, in-home care may be needed, followed by physical therapy.
Projected time frame is 4-6 months recovery, leaving him unable to work or draw income during this time. We are reaching out to you for support with medical bills and household expenses that my husband would normally contribute to. This is our immediate need, as he is still in medical treatment. He will not be able to work for several months, and he is very concerned about his ability to help provide for his family.
My husband and I have been happily married for nearly 20 years, and he is a loving father to our two boys; ages 10 and 13. He is a family man at heart, and his greatest joy comes from making those around him happy. He is a talented independent professional photographer with a background in art and illustration. I am a public school teacher at North Gwinnett High School, and have been employed by Gwinnett County Public Schools for for 24 years. Our family would greatly appreciate any financial help you can provide in this time of need, and we feel blessed by a community that is praying for his complete recovery. God has provided us strength and endurance to battle this infection, and He has helped Robert claim victory over each hurdle laid before him. We know that God loves us, and we are clinging to our faith through this.
God Bless,
The Deem Family
Carrie, Robert, Max and Mason
He was diagnosed with polymicrobial Necrotizing Fasciitis also known as Fournier's gangrene. Since necrotizing fasciitis can spread so rapidly, patients often must get surgery done very quickly. As the bacteria tracked through his body it killed tissue and skin, and additionally caused sepsis, a condition that infects his blood. He was immediately sent into emergency surgery to remove the dead tissue, resulting in a 20+ inch incision. Watching my husband deal with the intense pain of the removal of body tissue, and the cleaning and re-cleaning of the wound is one of the hardest things I have ever experienced. This type of infection leads to death if not treated quickly, and we had more than one doctor tell us how lucky Robert was after the first surgical procedure.
The nature of his infection requires the wound to be open-packed and revisited every other day (via surgery under general anesthesia) to remove additional dead tissue caused by the bacteria. At present(2/25), Robert has undergone 10 surgeries in 17 days (including a colostomy) and is expected to have several more before treatment is completed. He is beginning his 3rd week of admittance in the hospital. If all goes accordingly, Robert will need to see plastic surgeons to help create a reconstruction plan and would be admitted to a rehabilitation facility where nurses can continue wound care. After this, in-home care may be needed, followed by physical therapy.
Projected time frame is 4-6 months recovery, leaving him unable to work or draw income during this time. We are reaching out to you for support with medical bills and household expenses that my husband would normally contribute to. This is our immediate need, as he is still in medical treatment. He will not be able to work for several months, and he is very concerned about his ability to help provide for his family.
My husband and I have been happily married for nearly 20 years, and he is a loving father to our two boys; ages 10 and 13. He is a family man at heart, and his greatest joy comes from making those around him happy. He is a talented independent professional photographer with a background in art and illustration. I am a public school teacher at North Gwinnett High School, and have been employed by Gwinnett County Public Schools for for 24 years. Our family would greatly appreciate any financial help you can provide in this time of need, and we feel blessed by a community that is praying for his complete recovery. God has provided us strength and endurance to battle this infection, and He has helped Robert claim victory over each hurdle laid before him. We know that God loves us, and we are clinging to our faith through this.
God Bless,
The Deem Family
Carrie, Robert, Max and Mason
Organizer
Carrie Emerson Deem
Organizer
Buford, GA
