A Baton Rouge man, who is a cancer survivor twice over, is in the ICU after being exposed to a flesh-eating bacteria.
According to the family’s page on YouCaring, Dick Empson contracted the bacteria while on an annual family beach vacation in Mississippi and is currently in the ICU at a hospital.
The family said Empson was placed in a medically induced coma after doctors amputated Empson’s leg to try and keep the bacteria from spreading.
Doctors were concerned about the bacteria, which had moved into his blood stream, reaching his kidneys, liver and heart.
His family reported that Empson is slowly being taken off the sedative and is alert. He is still considered critical, though Empson’s daughter stated on Wednesday that “his vitals are still looking good as well.”
Empson’s nieces, Elizabeth and Angelle Daggett, are posting updates about his condition on a page they created for their uncle on YouCaring, a crowdfunding site.
They are asking for help with medical expenses for not only the hospital visit but future rehab.
“Our Uncle Dick is an amazing man with a contagious smile and beautiful heart who never thinks twice before helping others,” said his nieces in the initial post on the YouCaring page. “Now he and his family could use some help. If you can donate anything at all, it would be so greatly appreciated.
Even the smallest amounts help more than you know.”
Anyone interested in helping out can make a donation to the family’s YouCaring page.
