David Trinks

On 10/3/2020 I went to bed at midnight. I woke up at 3am to go to the bathroom, I noticed there was blood coming out from between the toes of my right foot. I went to touch it to investigate, and all the skin sloughed off, I immediately drove to the nearest Emergency Room, I did not have any pain, redness, swelling, nor was it warm to the touch but being a diabetic it was of extreme concern. (Sepsis and Diabetes)

While sitting waiting for 2 hours to be seen, my right great toe began to turn blackish. After the two hours wait, I had an X-ray, that showed two foreign bodies embedded in my foot (indeterminate), but I was in need of the services of a vascular surgeon, I received a rapid COVID test (negative) and they drew blood cultures, I was quickly transferred to another hospital that had a surgeon available. The ER surgeon looked at me and stated, “Of all the emergencies we see here, this was the most emergent” – He notified me that I would at a minimum, need a trans-metatarsal amputation (loss of my toes)- but ultimately, I woke up with my right foot amputated, at the ankle. It was determined that I had “wet” gas gangrene (clostridium perfringens) and if I had waited an additional two hours, I would most likely be dead (from the sepsis), or minimally would have resulted in an above the knee amputation. (Sepsis and Amputations)

Three days later I underwent a revision of my leg to a trans-tibial amputation (about 4 inches below my knee) to provide for a better outcome with a prosthetic – I spent 8 days in ICU with triple antibiotics, fluids, O2, insulin drips, and was released to a rehabilitation facility for 8 weeks. After three months I was fitted with a prosthesis and am learning to walk again and adjusting to living as a limb loss survivor.