VALDOSTA — The article about necrotizing fasciitis, also known as the flesh eating virus, published in the Times’ last week prompted a former Valdosta resident to contact the newspaper to share his tale of survival.

“I wanted to share my story at this time as there is a lot of coverage of current cases but few on those who survive,” says Mark Wood, who battled the disease in 2009. “It’s very therapeutic.”

Although Wood is now a pastor of a church in West Virginia, he still has family in Valdosta and many ties to the community, especially to Dr. Quinten Pulido and Dr. Willie Saurina, whom he credits with saving his life.

Wood’s tale begins as so many mystery novels do — with an ordinary day. However, on this day in December 2009, he stated he was experiencing flu-like symptoms, and took over-the-counter medications, but by that evening, the symptoms were accompanied by extreme pain. Wood said the pain appeared to be coming from a small inflammation on his buttock. Following a night’s sleep, Wood said the area had grown to the size of a golf ball.

“I went to work (at U.S. Press) and called my primary care physician, Dr. Craig Bishop, to get an appointment. (He said) it looks like a blocked duct that was also infected, gave me an antibiotic and something for pain, and said if it did not get better in a couple of days, he would send me to a surgeon to have it lanced.”

Wood said he went home and “had what I would describe as one of the worse days of my life. As the day progressed, I got weaker and weaker and the pain intensified. I called Dr. Bishop’s office and they got me a same day appointment with Dr. Quinten Pulido.”

According to Wood, Pulido agreed with Bishop’s diagnosis and scheduled him for a surgical procedure the next day. During the surgery, Dr. Pulido discovered the large and deep pocket of infection and it was diagnosed as necrotizing fasciitis.

“The pain overall could be described as a dead man walking. The pain certainly did not match the ‘injury.’ The infection site felt like I was being tortured from within: stabbing, burning, twisting, pulling, etc. It was constant; non-stop.”

Wood said the reality was that the pain he was experiencing was the pain of his flesh “being killed.”

Quickly, what was thought to be a routine procedure became anything but, and Wood said after the initial surgery, his organs began to fail. A second surgery was scheduled and “contingent on if I lived through the night. I did.”

Wood was told before going into the second surgery, amputation was a real possibility as they had to remove all of the infection. What was thought to be a small inflammation became a wound site approximately “12 inches long and 7 inches wide on the outside. Same dimensions on the inside with a tunnel branching out about 7 inches toward the side of my hip. Its depth went all the way to my spine and affected my sciatic nerve.”

By the third surgery, the infection was gone. Wood said Dr. Saurina started him on an aggressive antibiotic regimen and prescribed 14 hyperbaric oxygen treatments.

In all, Wood spent eight days in the hospital and then another six weeks at home recovering, with home health nurses caring for him.

Wood said the infection was diagnosed as Group A Strep, but there was never any conclusion on how he got it.

“Dr. Pulido’s main concern was keeping me alive. I agreed with him.”

Wood has-long lasting health issues from his bout with the flesh eating bacteria, including a weakened immune system and bouts with “brain fuzz” which he says is common among survivors.

The near-death experience transformed Wood. He left Valdosta and his job in 2010 and is now a pastor in West Virginia “serving the God who rescued me from death and encouraging people going through various difficulties in their lives.”

He credits the experience with radically changing his life, and “in spite of the pain, emotionally and physically, life is indeed sweeter after going through this.”

Crediting his recovery to the power of prayer and his faith, Wood says, “I believe that my survival is nothing short of a miracle.  From being on death’s doorstep with a rare, deadly infection one day and home in little over a week is divine intervention.  I prayed, my family prayed, my church family  and friends prayed.  God certainly heard and answered those prayers and gifted two fantastic doctors who I will be eternally grateful to.”

Wood advises others to be aware of the bacteria and to practice good hygiene. “I have become almost a germaphobe. I can’t be too careful. Early diagnosis is key, and when in doubt, go to the ER. Time is crucial. I had just hours to live when I was admitted.”

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