Flesh-Eating Bacteria Survivor Shares Her Ordeal and Road to Recovery

Summerlin Skipworth's Vibrio Infection

• ⚠️ Summerlin Skipworth is a survivor of a rare and dangerous flesh-eating bacteria called Vibrio.
• 🤕 Her ordeal began after falling on rocks at a boat launch on Labor Day in Orange Beach, Alabama, initially mistaking the injury for a broken bone.
• 🩸 By the next morning, the cut on her foot was oozing, red, and throbbing with pain, indicating a severe infection.

Aggressive Treatment and Recovery

• 🏥 Skipworth underwent emergency surgery to remove the infection from her foot and ankle, becoming the first successful case at Thomas Hospital without death or amputation.
• 💊 She is currently on a regimen of five total antibiotics, including a compound antibiotic administered 24/7, and will continue oral antibiotics for at least another year.
• 🙏 Despite the ongoing treatment, she expresses profound gratitude for being alive and able to care for her son.

Rising Vibrio Cases and Public Awareness

• 📈 Vibrio cases are on the rise across the US this summer, with at least 59 cases reported along the Gulf Coast, leading to fatalities in Louisiana.
• 🌡️ Experts attribute the increase to warmer ocean temperatures, which allow the bacteria to spread further north.
• 🦐 Vibrio can be contracted from contaminated water or by consuming raw seafood.
• ⚠️ Skipworth hopes her story will serve as a warning to others about the dangers of Vibrio and the importance of caution.