‘Leg for a life’: B.C. man looks forward after amputation due to flesh-eating disease

globalnews.ca:

Vancouver firefighter Christopher Won said he is just feeling lucky to be alive after a devastating diagnosis on his vacation forced the amputation of his lower leg.

Won contracted necrotizing fasciitis, a rare, life-threatening disease, while travelling with his family in Asia.

“On the tail end of the Singapore phase, literally the morning that we were leaving Singapore, I woke up and my foot was a bit sore,” Won told Global News.

“It was difficult to bear weight but, you know, you think you’re getting old and spent a lot of time walking. We’ve been on our feet the entire vacation.”

However, he said by the time they got to the airport and on the plane, the pain was excruciating.

They landed in Hong Kong and Won said he tried to elevate his foot to relieve any pressure but nothing was working.

Won knew he had to go to the hospital.

At first, doctors thought it was compartment syndrome but once they went in to take a look, Won said they knew it was necrotizing fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease.

On Valentine’s Day, Won had surgery — the first to take a look at the disease and the second to amputate his lower right leg.

“I don’t know that I have fully processed it yet,” Won said about losing part of his leg.

“I’m thankful to have my life. It’s a small sacrifice, leg for a life, with my family for the rest of my life. As far as processing it or even mentally, preparing myself, I think now that it’s done, I don’t think about why…. I don’t think about how things could be different. I just think about what I need to do to get home.”

Won said they still don’t know how he contracted the infection. He has still not been cleared to fly home to Vancouver.

“Sheer randomness, you know,” he said. “I don’t think you can live