Sam Tozer

This survival story is about my husband Sam Tozer. In June of 2014, we traveled from Arizona to Washington state to do some volunteer work at a Christian Camp. We do new construction, repair work, remodel, upholstery, sew curtains for cabins……anything they need. Since Sam was 73 years old at the time he contracted sepsis, the doctors asked me what kind of lifestyle does he lead? When I told them that he is very active, always doing construction work, climbing ladders, and staying busy all the time, and he doesn’t smoke or drink, they said good, because for a man his age, if he was sedentary, he probably would not make it. His active lifestyle would help him in his recovery process as well.

Sam was on life support for two weeks, then in rehab for a week before coming home.

He had accidentally cut his finger real bad with a skill saw the first part of June, and had to have surgery to put it back together. So he didn’t get to do any work for three weeks. Then the doctor told him he could go back to work after the stitches came out, just keep it clean and don’t over do it. Well he didn’t know the meaning of “Don’t Over Do It” then (he does now!) and went back to work on full throttle! By the end of that week he was pretty tired, and it had been unusually hot that week (for Washington) and he over did it. His immune system was in the tank!

Our little Lhaso Ahpso dog was not quite 3 yrs old at the time and evidently she licked an open wound somewhere on his body. In construction you always have an open cut or something going on! Since his immune system was in the tank, he contracted a rare blood infection from bacteria in the dog’s mouth called Capnocytophaga Canimorsus. Seventy-five percent of all dogs and cats have this bacteria in their saliva, and it is a natural thing. But if your situation is “JUST RIGHT” – low immune system or auto-immune disease, have had your spleen removed, or abuse alcohol – and it gets in your blood, you can get this. That’s what the infectious disease doctor told us.

SO WE NEED TO WARN PEOPLE ABOUT LETTING THEIR DOG LICK THEIR WOUNDS (which he use to let the dog lick him all over as he had always heard that a dogs mouth is cleaner than a humans).

Since being back home I have done some research and I found out that a lot of people let their dogs lick their wounds, they say they heal faster! Beware!! A woman in Canada (52 yrs old) was bitten by her little dog accidentally, she survived but lost one arm and both legs from the infection!! Sam is very fortunate. Today is Oct 18, 2014, with all limbs in tact, his mind is working great, and back to work…….a little bit! Our church is building a 14,000 sf building, so he goes over to be with the guys, supervises a lot, and is teaching some of the younger guys how to do the plumbing and cut the wood for the stairs. I feel very blessed that he’s had such a wonderful recover (although the doctors told him to take it easy for six months) and he is. When he gets tired he comes home and sits in his recliner with his laptop for a couple of hours! We will celebrate 51 yrs together in Dec. and thank God every day for his recovery…..especially for a man his age!!

Source: by Mary Tozer (Sam's wife)