Man lucky to be alive after being a victim of a flesh eating bacteria

A father of one narrowly escaped with his life and had to have most of his skin removed and replaced with grafts after contracting flesh-eating bacteria in his elbow.

Chris Gordon, 44, a special ed teacher in New Ulm, Minnesota, woke up with a softball sized lump on his elbow.

He went straight to his doctor in the morning but he was told not to worry that it was likely just some kind of inflammation, likely bursitis or cellulitis, and to sleep on it.

But within hours, he was drowsy and sick, and that evening he rushed to the ER, where doctors realized his situation was much more serious.

He was airlifted to the Mayo Clinic where he was diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis, a bacterial infection that destroys skin, fat and tissues around the muscles.

'Thankfully I didn't need to go into isolation,' said Chris.

When he could finally leave the hospital, he was still given physical therapy as both an inpatient and outpatient for about eight months.

I have become an 'acting' fitness coach to my friends online. It's nice as I like to help them reach their own goals as well.

'If you're alive you can truly thrive.

'Do everything to the best of your ability and look for ways to help others around you do the same.'

DailyMail