Gazette story 8/19/06
August 19, 2006
Woman with flesh-eating bacteria moved to Denver
21-year-old has had 4 operations to remove tissue
By CARY LEIDER VOGRIN - THE GAZETTE
A 21-year-old Colorado Springs woman battling a case of flesh-eating bacteria is being treated at a Denver hospital, where she remains in serious condition. Since being diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis in early August, the woman has undergone four operations to cut away dead tissue in her chest and the left side of her neck. The rare and dangerous condition attacks soft tissue. Her family has requested that she be identified only by her first name, Shayla, to protect their privacy. The woman began experiencing symptoms of infection two days after giving birth, her father said. The infection is believed to
have started at an intravenous site in her neck. It occurs when an invasive strain of group A streptococcus enters a cut or scrape. The bacteria multiply quickly and give off toxins that kill the tissue. The woman gave birth at Penrose Community Hospital, was moved to Memorial Hospital after being diagnosed and then was transferred to the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver. Her father said it’s unknown if she’ll need more surgery. “We gotta start moving forward,” he said, “and right now, we’re not moving forward.” He said that his daughter’s temperature has been around 103 and that she’s breathing with the aid of a respirator. He said she is awake about 10 minutes of every hour. “I think she understands because I asked her if she remembers me telling her stuff from the day before and she shakes her head yes,” her father said. “She knew she had the spot on her neck, and I told her when they went in to cut it out, it was a lot more than they thought.” The woman’s baby, a boy who was born two months early, remains at Penrose Community Hospital. Donations can be made to a medical fund to help Shayla and her family at any Wells Fargo Bank branch. Donations should be made to account No. 3112243377. CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0236 or cary.vogrin@gazette.com
(~Thank you Cary Leider Vogrin)
Woman with flesh-eating bacteria moved to Denver
21-year-old has had 4 operations to remove tissue
By CARY LEIDER VOGRIN - THE GAZETTE
A 21-year-old Colorado Springs woman battling a case of flesh-eating bacteria is being treated at a Denver hospital, where she remains in serious condition. Since being diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis in early August, the woman has undergone four operations to cut away dead tissue in her chest and the left side of her neck. The rare and dangerous condition attacks soft tissue. Her family has requested that she be identified only by her first name, Shayla, to protect their privacy. The woman began experiencing symptoms of infection two days after giving birth, her father said. The infection is believed to
have started at an intravenous site in her neck. It occurs when an invasive strain of group A streptococcus enters a cut or scrape. The bacteria multiply quickly and give off toxins that kill the tissue. The woman gave birth at Penrose Community Hospital, was moved to Memorial Hospital after being diagnosed and then was transferred to the University of Colorado Hospital in Denver. Her father said it’s unknown if she’ll need more surgery. “We gotta start moving forward,” he said, “and right now, we’re not moving forward.” He said that his daughter’s temperature has been around 103 and that she’s breathing with the aid of a respirator. He said she is awake about 10 minutes of every hour. “I think she understands because I asked her if she remembers me telling her stuff from the day before and she shakes her head yes,” her father said. “She knew she had the spot on her neck, and I told her when they went in to cut it out, it was a lot more than they thought.” The woman’s baby, a boy who was born two months early, remains at Penrose Community Hospital. Donations can be made to a medical fund to help Shayla and her family at any Wells Fargo Bank branch. Donations should be made to account No. 3112243377. CONTACT THE WRITER: 636-0236 or cary.vogrin@gazette.com
(~Thank you Cary Leider Vogrin)
posted by The Family at 11:18 AM
1 Comments:
I first read about this while in Colorado because my own daughter was giving birth at 32 weeks.
It sounds to me that the hospital ){Penrose)sould be picking up the expense of this since they poked her 35 times causing the open wound that the strep bacteria got into. Is the hospital not taking responsibility for this? Someone needs to get legal counsel.
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