August 5th, 2026 - we went to Dr. Balaszy’s office and seen the PA first, as usual. But, I wanted to explain the changes I was seeing in the bandages. I have always taken pictures of any concerning areas and of course taken pictures all along the way to see and compare the healing process. ((Thank God)). After the PA heard my concerns and looked at the leg and calf, she said it’s been doing so well until now. I said I think truthfully the past 2 visits we’ve been regressing very slowly, until last weekend when it turned fire red, was heated to the touch, extremely swollen, Ben claimed it felt heavier than usual and he complained of aches all weekend long. So, she wrote for him to have STAT blood work done and we exited the ortho office and to the lab we went to check in. Well we sat and waited and we waited, it became lunch time so we eased to the cafeteria, Ben said nothing looked good so we walked out and back to the lab waiting area. (We been here just over 2 hours now…) and we’re both antsy and ready to leave, said we were going to 15x’s if we said it twice! Well my back was to the passer by’s and Ben was facing them as we were deciding if we were just going to go on home and have his lab work done at home. He in mid sentence says “well babe I want you to look who it is. You meant you were going to see him before you left this hospital today” (and I did)! I turned around and there stood the man with the answers, the man that saved Ben’s life last year here on Earth with God’s absolute guidance: Dr. Balazsy! I almost just ran and hugged his neck. He said Ben what’s up buddy, what are you doing here. He said well we wanted to see you and the PA said you would be contacting me to discuss my choice to want to amputate because you were concerned with the rehabilitation process. He said well I was waiting for more information on WHY you wanted to amputate because I had been asking her weekly how things were going with you…she always said great then one time said he wants to amputate, and that was it. So, I explained our journey and my concerns as I pulled out my phone and opened up my photo album called Vibrio Vulnificus Nightmare. I explained the redness, the swelling, the odor, the pain, the weight, the stuff we use…as he looks down at Ben’s leg he goes oh man it should’ve went way down by now. He said the inside of your ankle looks awfully thick skinned and swollen and a year later it shouldn’t be anywhere near that size, he thumbs through my pictures on my phone and said okay amputation needs to happen for you to have any quality of life at this point. He said we’re going to be using ManifestPO prosthetic company. They will attend all your appointments and surgery from here forward. Dr. Gordon is his name, he said I want you to go meet him right now, I will call him when I get through with the surgery I am headed upstairs to do right now but you get in touch with him in the meantime and we’ll be amputating next Friday the 14th. You will be admitted on Thursday the 13th to labs, medication preparation and first thing Friday morning around 6am I will proceed with amputation. So, just like that our lives will change AGAIN! 4 - 6 weeks of healing completely BEFORE getting 1 of 3 prosthetic leg/foot. We called Dr. Gordon and set everything up with him and his staff to be on board with surgery and establishing patient charting and etc…he is absolutely amazing already! Super kind,

patient, understanding, and he truly cares! We got a general timeline of events to look forward too. The do’s and don’ts after surgery, and Ben seems to be taking it all in. He’s so ready to be OUT of so much pain. He’s knows it’s not going to completely go away but the heaviness of the leg and the bandage changing pain will be done and gone for sure! He’s feels his quality of life will absolutely improve once he becomes completely mobile again! But for now we are just taking this day by day.

227 days into this traumatic event and we’re still changing bandages every single day and adjusting to what has been forced to become our new norm. The affected leg is 8x’s the size of the unaffected leg. Ben’s really struggling with accepting this affected leg remaining this large forever. He says it’s extremely heavy and it sends what feels like electric shocks throughout his leg uncontrollably when he over exerts himself, when the weather changes, when he doesn’t elevate it regularly throughout the day…so, life has changed for us drastically! Thank you for all the caring love and support!

5 month mark :/ Well as you all know, it’s been a long journey for Ben and unfortunately it’s not over and won’t be over for quite a while still… :/ doctor has said numerous times “a year/at least a year to get back to some what of a normalcy”…Ben’s never given up and fought extremely hard to speed up the healing process and recover! Dr. B said if he had graphed where he thought Ben would be today back at then beginning- he’s beyond triumphed those thoughts! So, that’s a good feeling to us. I am changing the bandaging daily now, due to it still drains significantly through the bandages and his jeans. But there’s been no reversing in progress and for that alone is a major blessing!

Life has drastically changed for every one of us in our household. The kids have truly adapted a whole lot better than I ever imagined and that alone is so much more than I could ever ask for! We all pitch in to help Ben, put his socks and shoes on, it takes a lot longer for us to get ready to leave the house when going anywhere…as he’s not quite as fast as he used to be. Ben stays cold all the time when we’re a very hot natured family; so that’s been adjusting for us all…Ben doesn’t get around as well as he used too due to the heaviness of the cautionary mind state he’s created for himself to protect that leg and foot. But, he’s truly been doing well. He hasn’t given up; I will not let him! So, please continue all those awesome prayers. They’re all working! Thank you all again for keeping up with Ben and I throughout this journey…

I am reaching out in lieu support for my fiancé' - Benjamin aka "Ben" West who is only 38 years, a very hard worker & a loving family man that loves the outdoors.

Just a normal fishing trip with his Dad & kids & I...He contracted the flesh eating bacteria 'Vibrio' from the Gulf - we were in St. Joe under the intercoastal bridge catching blue crab & mullet on 8/23/2025. Benjamin began complaining of serious burning in his foot & ankle & it began to swell terribly. It was the worst pain he's ever felt & he kept telling me his leg felt to be on fire. So on 8/25/25 he was given a misdiagnosis of cellulitis & sent home on antibiotics. The antibiotics sent this bacteria hay wire. It began to blister & Benjamin started to decline extremely fast. His blood pressure was 84/46 when we got to the ER..((in less than 24hours (8/26/25), he was being worked up at Bay Medical in Panama City, Fl. with the most amazing doctors & nurses God could've blessed us with.))

( The DEATH zone & breeding ground that very awful night)

8/26/25 changed our lives forever - We never would have believed he would be on deaths door step, a ventilator & highly possibly becoming a amputee of his entire left leg. Doctors exact words were if it gets to your hip & above - "your good as dead" & "luckily you got here when you did, because the outcome wasn't going to be this". But with God on our side we have been through 2 surgeries where the doctor has taken the infection filled tissue & removed it, luckily as of the 2 surgeries on 8/26/25 and 8/27/25, the bacteria had not gotten into the muscle, which was amazing news. It did effect his left leg from the knee down but had NOT spread any as of 8/27/25. He has a concerning spot at the base of his toes that they are going to watch very closely. His next surgery is 8/29/25.

We still have a series of surgeries ahead of us & doctors say a LONG LONG road of recovery once we leave the hospital. Which leaves all our financial obligations including his health insurance completely on me...so I am going against my shame/pride & want to - reaching out for the help of any one that wants to donate; I can't thank you enough for the thoughts & most importantly the prayers...keep them coming - there definitely working.

He is my best friend, my soulmate, my rock, a wonderful father, a great provider and his only concern before going into surgery was - what about all our bills. I told him I would make it happen the best I could - I didn't care what we had & didn't as long as I had him when we were done with all this, NOTHING ELSE MATTERED!

Mine & Ben's request - STAY OUT OF THE WATER GUYS! PLEASE!!! Do NOT take the risk, this is a nasty nasty bacteria that's taking people lives & if not their lives, their limbs...it is NOT worth it I promise & IT CAN HAPPEN TO YOU...Benjamin is a very HEALTHY 38 year old man with NO HEALTH problems that became septic in less than 24 hours & fighting for his life...please pass this along!!

Ben and Bernie Stewart a Vibrio survivor from Pensacola; that drove over to meet Ben after hearing his story on the news! On 9/6/25.