TAMPA — A Florida fisherman will live to fish another day after contracting a scary flesh-eating bacteria while out fishing in the Gulf of Mexico.
According to WFTS, Mike Walton was out fishing Saturday about 20 miles off the coast of Palm Harbor when he was struck by a fish hook.
According to Walton, it was a small prick, something that has happened hundreds of times while fishing.
According to WFTS, Walton stopped by a hospital to pick up some antibiotics for his hand that started to swell up.
By Sunday morning, his hand had black blisters bubbling up all over his hand.
He was immediately taken to Tampa General Hospital and put in the burn unit so he could be treated for necrotizing fasciitis.
At one point, physicians had to consider amputating Walton's arm, but luckily they were able to get inside his arm and get all the bacteria out from his tissues.
According to Walton, he received a skin graft going from his elbow to the palm of his hand.
Doctors told Walton the infection is contained, but he'll have to be on antibiotics for about another month while he heals up.
