DOYLESTOWN, Pa. — A Montgomery County business owner is battling a rare and terrifying infection, and his family credits a quick-acting hospital team with saving his life. Peter Atkinson, 49, of North Wales, has been hospitalized at Doylestown Hospital since Dec. 19 with necrotizing fasciitis, often called “flesh-eating bacteria.”
Rare Bacterial Infection Nearly Claims Local Man’s Life
Atkinson’s case highlights the swift and sometimes devastating progression of necrotizing fasciitis, a condition requiring immediate medical intervention.
- Necrotizing fasciitis is a rare but serious bacterial infection that spreads quickly.
- Early diagnosis and aggressive treatment, including surgery, are crucial for survival.
- Sepsis, a life-threatening complication, can develop rapidly from the infection.
- A GoFundMe campaign has been launched to support Atkinson’s family during his recovery.
What is necrotizing fasciitis? This aggressive infection destroys tissue beneath the skin, and can lead to shock, organ failure, and even death. It’s thankfully rare, but when it strikes, time is of the essence.
Atkinson initially thought he had the flu, experiencing a spiking 104-degree fever and noticing a growing mass in his chest. “How did I get this? How did this happen? Apparently, it’s rare, but it’s not that rare because it happened to me,” he said.
Doctors at Doylestown Hospital immediately recognized the severity of his condition. Atkinson recalls, “I showed them, and it was like, wow, not even five minutes later, he came and said, ‘We have to do emergency surgery. We’re going to intubate you.’”
The infection quickly escalated to sepsis, a dangerous systemic response to infection, and his kidneys began to fail, according to family members. This experience brought back painful memories for Atkinson’s sister, Marietta Atkinson.
“Probably one of the most traumatic events in our life, second traumatic event. In 2016, we lost our sister to sepsis, very similar to what Pete had,” she said.
There was a glimmer of hope around Christmas, when Atkinson began to show signs of improvement. His wife, Sherri Paulson-Atkinson, described the emotional strain of witnessing his illness. “My husband is a fighter, he’s a go-getter, he is always busy, and to see him laying there like that was really hard for me,” she said.
Atkinson, who owns a towing company, is currently unable to work. A friend initiated a fundraiser to help support the family, which has already raised $13,000.
“The amount of people that have touched me just in the last couple of days – I can’t fathom the help,” Atkinson said.
Paulson-Atkinson emphasized the family’s unwavering focus on his recovery. “He does everything for us, and we just need him back,” she said.
Atkinson is currently undergoing dialysis and is scheduled for another procedure. He is expected to eventually be transferred to a rehabilitation facility to continue his recovery.
