A 44-year-old father from Michigan will have both hands and arms removed after strep throat complication.
A Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital spokesperson declared that a 44-year-old dad from Grant Rapids is scheduled for multiple amputations, following a severe strep throat infection. Kevin Breen from Michigan will lose both arms and feet after he suffered a grave and rare strep throat complication. The man declared that despite losing his arms and feet, he feels lucky to be alive.
Kevin Breen, a 44-year-old father from Grant Rapids, Michigan, recalls feeling ill after Christmas. For a couple of days straight, the man had been experiencing severe abdominal pains. Seeing that the pain wouldn’t go away, Breen decided to check himself into the local Spectrum Health Butterworth Hospital.
After consulting Breen, the ER doctors prescribed him a couple of painkillers and told him to return if the pain does not subside in a few day. Breen went home and took his medication as ordered. However, after just a couple of days, the man saw that the pain wouldn’t go away, and decided to return to the hospital.
During his second visit, the ER doctors decide to subject Breen to exploratory surgery, as he showed all the signs of a ruptured ulcer. When the surgeons opened Breen’s abdomen, they saw approximately 1.5 liters of pus. Breen’s situation grew more desperate, as his internal organs began to shut down.
To prevent any permanent damage to his organs, the surgeons decided to sacrifice Breen’s hands and feet by redirecting his blood flow. Although Breen’s condition was stable, the doctors were nowhere near identifying his condition. However, after observing a small irritation Breen had on his abdomen, the doctors concluded that the man might have suffered a rare strep throat complication.
The man’s lab results confirmed that he had a strep throat infection, which he must have contracted from his son. After identifying Breen’s condition, the doctors informed him that his only chance of survival was for them to amputate his gangrenous hands and feet.
Over the next weeks, Breen will be subjected to four surgeries. Given the extent of his injuries, the surgeon will need to remove both of his arms and the lower part of his legs. Although the perspective of becoming an invalid is frightening, Kevin Breen told the reporters that he’s happy to be alive and that these things won’t matter as long as he can be home with his wife and son.
Image source: Pixabay
Melissa Gansler
