[BasicPatrick]

A few years ago a friend of mine and others on this board (Captain Pete Kelly) lost his leg from the flesh eating disease that comes from fish.

A short time after that I was fishing the Derby and I woke up wth a sore leg. We went out on the boat and before the day was over my leg was swollen and what looked like a pimple or small spine cut on my thigh was now a red line heading straight for the family jewels. I went to the MV Hospital ER and by the end of the day I had a blood and tissue sample being flown to Boston for testing and I was on my third different IV antibiotic. I was in complete fear, more like terror. For about 12 hours they thought I had it and were having conversations with me about emergency surgery to remove my leg. Serious %$%$%$%$. I got lucky and it was some rare marine infection that caused my blood to become septic in 24 hours. It took two days of IV antibiotics to stop the progression and get rid of the swelling and four days to walk. I was on oral antibiotics for a month.

I now fish exclusively with gloves on and am over the top anal with antibiotic cremes and the like when I do get cut. I would not wish the feelings I had in that hospital bed on my worst enemy.

Also...Biteme...great thread and it was nice to meet you (sort of) the other day. I would have gotten out of the truck but not in that weather.(:>)