Page 4 - COPR-Feb2018

Patient story

Connie Davidson, flesh-eating bacteria patient:

Mercy Health physician and plastic and reconstructive surgeon Neil Kundu, MD,
treated patient Connie Davidson throughout a remarkable, months-long health
crisis, helping her survive flesh-eating bacteria and a series of other serious
illnesses so that she could regain her health and return to her daily life.
Davidson, a teacher in her early 50s, started feeling unwell during the Christmas
holiday in 2016.
“All the kids were coming down with a virus,” she recalled. “I had the same
symptoms — throwing up and diarrhea — but they didn’t go away.
I was going to a Christmas Eve church service with my sister and felt so Neil Kundu, MD
unwell I asked her to take me to the urgent care, where they started
blood work on me.”
Davidson thought she’d get a prescription for antibiotics and be on her way but instead found herself speeding toward
Mercy Health — West Hospital in the back of an ambulance.

“I started to find out how sick I was,” she said. “In one hour, my arm had turned black.”
Davidson had developed necrotizing fasciitis, better known as flesh-eating bacteria. It affected over 30% of her body,
necessitating the removal of her armpit lymph nodes, some right chest muscle, her right flank and a significant area across
both sides of her chest.

Her weakened state left her vulnerable, and she developed infections in her wounds and blood. She was transferred to The
Jewish Hospital — Mercy Health for her care on January 2. Unrelated to her condition, she developed a perforated colon
with diverticulitis and swelling of the small bowel, possibly from previously undiagnosed Crohn’s disease, as well as a bone
marrow reaction.
“Any one of these health issues would likely be a cause for admission to the intensive care unit. Having them all together is
unfathomable,” said Dr. Kundu, who took charge of her overall care when the patient came to The Jewish Hospital in a
critical state. “She was in the hospital for three months. Six weeks of that was in the Intensive Care Unit. The first stage of
her treatment was to keep her alive.”
As her health improved, Dr. Kundu performed nearly 40 procedures to ensure Davidson had no residual infection or open
wounds. That was the second stage of treatment and the procedures restored the majority of function to her arm.
She’s recovered so well that she enjoyed a much-needed short break over the summer.
“I went on a day trip with friends to a campsite. While I didn’t feel strong enough to stay, it was so wonderful,” says
Davidson. “I’m feeling much stronger now — pretty incredible actually. I get tired and I’m not where I was, but I can get out
of bed and put my makeup on.”
It’s still a mystery how Davidson contracted necrotizing fasciitis and she has the following advice for people:
“I would say be careful. I was a preschool teacher and a chronic hand washer and I got sick. Be sure to live your life
every day.”
Davidson looks forward to returning to work and hopes to take a vacation this holiday season. She has a special message
for her Dr. Kundu and her care team:
“I thank God that he saved my life. I would also like to give a shout out to the staff at The Jewish Hospital. They were my
family for the four months I was there. Those are the people that help you get through each day. When I saw those friendly
faces each day, their smiles and kind words meant so much.”

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