Woman survives battle with flesh-eating bug ©

Doctors react quickly to counter the bacteria that were devouring her arm

By JENNIFER LANG A THORNHILL woman says she’s lucky to be alive — and in once piece ~ after surviving a bout of deadly flesh-eating

_ disease a few weeks ago.

Sue Carson is now recupera- ling comfortably at the home she shares with her husband, Doug, and their three dogs and five cats.

“Pm very lucky, I’m very thankful,” Sue says, gingerly brushing her fingers over an eight- inch scar on her left forearm.

— “TD still have my arm. I still have my life,”

She and her husband say that’s because local doctors were alert

.to. the early warning signs and

acted quickly to save her life.

'Flesh-eating disease is a rare but potentially deadly infection known as necrotizing fasciitis that progresses with awesome speed, as rampaging bacteria literally devour flesh at a rate of up to 3 cm per hour.

Amputation can be necessary

. to. stem the spread of the infec-

tion. Even. so, patients can die within the first 18 hours. For Sue Carson, it all began on

‘April 19, when her left arm started

to feel sore, like she'd sprained it somehow.

—- “I'd been out raking the night before,” she says, adding she didn’t notice any obvious scrapes or cuts.

By 9:30 a.m. the next morning her arm hurt so. badly her husband, Doug, drove her to emergency. The physician on duty, Dr, Greg Linton, knew something wasn't right, Sue says:

_ A blood test showed her white blood cell count was up - a sign of possible infection, He put her on an antibiotic and an anti-infla- matory to bring the swelling down, . He even ordered an X-ray, in case her arm was broken.

They went home, but by din- nertime, her arm still hurt. A lot,

~xThey went back to: the hospital, where Dr. Pieter Van Herk pre- scribed pain killers — but sent her home with a stern warning to come back if her condition got

LUCKY TO BE ALIVE: Doug and Sue Carson reflect on her battle with flesh-eating disease here last month. Doctors stopped the bug before it could consume her arm — or spread farther.

worse,

By 3 am,, she still hadn't slept because of the pain, so they went back to the hospital, where Dr. Linton was on call.

She was admitted and put on an intravenous antibiotic drip, a measure she believes helped slow down the rate of infection so she could be evacuated ta Vancouver 12 hours later.

“] was so sick that 12 hours in emerg was like 15 minutes, the pain was so bad.”

Dr, Linton told them at best Sue was suffering from a serious infection, At worst, it was necro- tizing fasciitis.

The mind-numbing information sank in as she found herself being lifted into the air ambulance.

“I think the scariest thing to me was being air ambulanced out ~ you know something’s really wrong.”

A team of plastic surgeons headed by Dr. Nancy Van Laeken, notified by Linton in Terrace, was ready to operate when Sue arrived at St. Paul’s Hospital in Vancou- ver.

“Dr. Linton saved her life,”

Doug says.

The surgeons made an eight- inch incision in Sue’s left forearm to remove the dead flesh and in- fection.

Fortunately, the flesh-eating bacteria spared her muscles and tendons, .

Remarkably, she was well en- ough te go home less than one week later.

“It feels like God decided it wasn't time to go,” Sue says.

“God ain't ready for her yet and the Devil won't take her!”

“Pm very tucky. I’m very thankful. J still have my arm. | still have my life.”

jokes Doug, putting his arm around Sue. They will celebrate their fourth wedding anniversary in June.

Since _feturning home, Sue has leatned she’s been accepted into the masters of education program at UNBC’s Terrace campus. She starts in July.

don't beleéve a vord ov eet!"

not Othella."

Chris answered back. "I'm playing Dracula,

‘You! BE THE JUDGE | |

Dracula lives on

“| want to suck your blood!” Dracula said.

“More feeling! | vant more feeling,” Alexander, the temperamental Russian director, called out from the back of the university auditorium. ‘I

BY CLAIRE SEANSTEIN

Alexander waved his fist. “At Moscow Conservatory, actorr hadd respect for dyeracter. Ve do finall scene now. Maybe death vill inspire

ou.”

, Chris groaned as he climbed into the coffin. Another actor lunged at him with a knife. “Heyt That thing looks dangarous!” Chris

yelled,

Alexandar was furious. “Dat is vhy you havv protecteey vest!”

The faculty advisor paked his head in the theatre. “Lel me know if you need any help.”

“More eenterrawptions! | can't vork like deas,” Alexander pouted.

During the break, Chris complained to his friend who was playing Renfrew, Dracula's sidekick.

“He's interfering with my interpretation! And these props are ridiculous."

Renfrew bit into a chocolate bar. “Chill, Chris. Alexander's a genius.”

Chris grabbed a piece of the bar. “I'm ihe ona with talent. | don’t need fancy props or fancy direction.”

Opening nigh! soon arrived. Chris was full of adrenalina as waited for his climactle death scene. He ran up to Renfrew. “I've never felt so ‘on’. | AM Dracula, tonight!”

“You're an Inspiration.” Renfrew munched on some peanuts. “By the way, your left fang is loose.”

Chris pushed past him. “There's my cue. i'm

off fo add more glary to the art,”

The audience watched in rapt attention as Dracula's nemesis attacked. “Your blood suck- ing days are over, Count Dracula.” He thrust the knife into Chris.

The audience gasped in delight as the fake blood spurted, Cr at least, what seemed to be fake blood,

Chris fall onto his fellow actor, whispering into his ear. “The protective vest didn't work! That's MY blood!”

Forgetting his injury for a moment, Chris fin- ished the scane. “Goodbye crue! world.” Then he collapsed into the coffin.

Within minutes, Chris was rushed to the hospital.

He suffered serious injuries. "I'm suing the school! This is all their fault!"

In court, Chris was heavily bandaged. “Your Honour, the faculty advisar should have pro- tected me from this dangerous fight scenes. Universily regulations prohibit weapons on campus. The university is liable for the teacher's negligance. Make them pay."

The university balked. "Your Honour, The faculty advisor volunteered his time for the ‘show, Thal wasn’t part of his regular duties so we're not liable.”

Is the university liable? You! Be The Judge. Then look below far Ihe court’s decision.

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YOU! BE THE JUDGE - DECISION: “Pay Dracuta for his Injuries,” Judge Bill ordered the university. “Rithough the faculty advisor was acting In a nonacademic capacity when he offered to help out with the show, he was still responsible for enforcitg university rules. The university Is lable for his negligence."

ased on a case from Texas. If you havea similar problem, please contact Wright & Mardipos In Terrace, B.C. We are

dts by use of the current legal iss from across the county fa for discussion and debate. Ta provide compelling entertain-

the ch characters and the scenarios in the case. Any resemblance to real people ts purely calnci-

dental, In the interest of clarity and brevity, the legal issues in the case have been greatly reduced and sinplified. Clalre Bernstein is 4 lawyer and nationally syndicated columnist. Copyright 2001 Hatka Enterprises. C28-10 (A9-1)

ment, we have fictionalized the names, th

A former counsellor at the Ter- race Correctional Centre, she'll continue working part-time as the coordinator of the Community Readers and Writers program.

Necrotizing fasciitis is caused by a number of common bacteria, including Group A streptococcus,

Many people carry this bacter- ia in their nose, throul or on their skin without becoming ill.

The main symptom is ait infec- tion around a cut or bruise that is much more painful that it should be and spreads very quickly.

Accompanying swelling and high fever are other symptoms.

Sue came forward with her story because she wants people to be aware of the symptoms.

She says don't ignore pain.

“If you have a liule cut and pain that’s totally out of propor- tion, go to the doctor now — not tomorrow.”

The odds of anyone in British Columbia developing necrotizing fasciitis is just three to seven’ in l million. «s+ ‘5 :

But as many as one- -quarter | to one-third of those who get it die as a result.

16" Anniversary Celebration Sale

The Terrace Standard, Wednesday, May 29, 2002 - A3

Rie ~ News In Brief

Park poopers panned

IT’S the Grand Trunk Pathway, not the Grand Trunk Poopway.

That’s city council's message to dog walkers who take their pooches fo the tinear park but don’t clean up after their pets.

“If you point it out to people they'll tell you what to do with yourself,” councillor Marylin Da- vies observed when the topic came up at a com- mittee meeting Friday.

Councillors asked bylaw. enforcement officer Dave McMurdo what can be done to crack down on offenders.

“Il can see a dog da its doo-doo and write a ticket,” McMurdo replied. “You have to catch it in the act.”

He was asked to occasionally patrol the pathway for violators.

Suspected arson probed

LOCAL RCMP continue to investigale a possible case of arson near downtown Terrace.

A house at 4606 Scott Ave. was set aflame May 16. Police and firefighters say they suspect the fire was deliberately set from within the house, where the majorily of the damage was concentrated,

A red jerry can was located near the residence and examined, police say,

The residence was not occupied at the time of the fire and no onc was injured, police say.

If you have any details about the cause of this fire please contact Terrace Crimestoppers at 635- TIPS or 635-8477.

Green award time

DO YOU know of an individual, organization or group that has made a significant and positive con- tribution to B.C.’s environment?

Nominations for the annual minister's environ- mental rewards are currently being reccived by the Ministry of Water, Land and Air Protection.

To be eligible for an award, an individual or or- ganization must have been key j in responsible en- vironmental practices, promoting public awareness or identifying, reducing or solving an environ- mental problem, Deadline for nominations is June 14, 2002. For more information phone (250) 387- 3344 or email Darren.Brown@geins8.gov.be.ca.

Fed grant funds training

TERRACE'S 16/37 Community Futures will get a $62,850 federal prant for two new business and technology training programs,

Working in partnership with the Gitxsan Wet'suwet’en Education Society and the B.C. In- stitute of Technology, the program will provide aboriginal entrepreneurs with on-line training in business plan development.

Funding forthe program is part of a four-year snorthermt skills” ‘development ‘project, set to run from | 2001 to*2004:""**

The project hopes to diversify local. economies through knowledge-based jobs and industries.

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