Health

Actions

Woman battles flesh-eating bacteria

Posted at 7:45 AM, Jul 06, 2012
and last updated 2012-07-06 07:45:36-04

DETROIT, Mich. (WTVR) – A Michigan woman is fighting for her life after being diagnosed with flesh-eating bacteria. Crystal Spencer’s husband told WXYZ in Detroit that his wife may have come in contact with the bacteria while undergoing a procedure to help with another medical condition.

Spencer, 33, has been in the hospital since June 30.

“They only give her a 30 to 40 percent chance to pull out of this, not even to make this,” Jeff Spencer told WXYZ.

Doctors told Jeff his wife has necrotizing fasciitis, the same type on infection that Georgia grad student Aimee Copeland contracted two months ago. Doctors amputated Copeland’s hands, left leg and right foot. Jeff said doctors so far have removed a part of his wife’s midsection.

“The surgeon keeps going in and cleaning it and cleaning it. But they’re saying it could go either way,” he said.

Jeff told WXYZ his wife got the infection when she had surgery to remove an abscess from her leg. The abscess may have been caused by her Type II diabetes, he said.

"They're saying it's a long road but I'm trying to think for the better that hopefully she does make it.  She's alert but she's not to the point where she can talk or really do much," he said.