BOYNTON BEACH, Fla. — A Palm Beach County man is sharing his survival story after a rare flesh-eating bacterial infection nearly cost him his life and left him with thousands of dollars in medical debt.
Andy Stough's scars and bandages tell the story of a battle he is still fighting.
WATCH BELOW: Boynton Beach man survives flesh-eating bacteria after 101 days
"I am lucky to be standing here with my arms and my life," Stough said.
In March, Stough said he was landscaping by the Intracoastal Waterway when he got cuts on his hands and his work gloves got soaked with rain.
"It was a three-day process of being and looking fine to having my hands and arms looking like a big blood blister," Stough said.
What he thought was a minor infection turned into a rare flesh-eating infection that left him hospitalized at Bethesda East Hospital in Boynton Beach for 101 days, including a month in the ICU and in a coma for five days.
"I was one day away from having my arms amputated and another day away from possible death," Stough said.
WPTV connected with Dr. Olayemi Osiyemi with the Palm Beach Health Network, a local infectious disease specialist, to learn how people can contract the infection.
We asked Osiyemi whether it can be contracted from having minor cuts on your hands, getting into the water, doing landscaping, or using soil.
"Absolutely," Osiyemi said.
Osiyemi also says that while the condition is rare, he has seen cases in Palm Beach County.
"It's not common — but when you do see it, the impact can be huge," Osiyemi said.
Four days before his birthday, Stough was released from the hospital. He is still physically recovering and now faces a new battle of overcoming nearly seven figures of medical bill debt.
"I got a second chance," Stough said. "I'll never have full movement of my hands and arms again. But that's the little stuff now."
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