Amber DeWitt, 31, narrowly survived a rare and aggressive infection that developed after her emergency c-section, leaving her with an open wound and a lengthy recovery journey. Amber, a business manager from Dallas, Texas, initially welcomed her first child, Weston, in what she described as a “healthy, normal pregnancy,” despite an unplanned c-section due to her son’s breech position. However, joy turned to fear when a flesh-eating bacteria, known as necrotizing fasciitis, infected her c-section incision soon after she returned home.
Shortly after being discharged, Amber noticed persistent pain and developed a fever. Suspecting a mild bacterial infection, doctors initially sent her home with antibiotics. “They suggested I put a sanitary towel over the wound to help with the moisture,” Amber recalled, adding that, in hindsight, she believes it may have worsened the infection, via the Daily Mail. As the pain intensified and a dangerously high fever set in, Amber’s husband, Andrew, rushed her to Baylor Scott and White Hospital, where an MRI scan revealed tissue damage around her incision.
Doctors soon realized the severity of her condition: the infection had become necrotizing fasciitis, a life-threatening condition that rapidly destroys healthy tissue. Amber underwent emergency surgery to remove the dying tissue, leaving an 8cm-deep and 7cm-wide wound. Doctors prepared Andrew for the worst, warning him that Amber was “unlikely to survive” the night.
Placed in a medically induced coma, Amber faced two additional surgeries as doctors fought to control the spread of the infection before it reached her vital organs. When she finally awoke three days later, Amber learned she had defied all odds. “They had to cut away pounds of skin,” she shared, comparing the excised tissue to the size of a softball. Reflecting on her ordeal, she expressed gratitude: “I’m so grateful to be here and to be able to watch my son grow up.”
Despite her survival, Amber’s road to recovery was challenging, involving five surgeries, six days in the ICU, and eight days in general care. “It was a very difficult time,” she said, adding that her early days as a mother were overshadowed by physical and emotional challenges, as she was initially too weak to hold her newborn. Financial struggles compounded her trauma. “I didn’t have health insurance, and the cost of treatment put me off seeking medical help sooner,” she admitted.
Now fully healed, Amber wants to raise awareness of necrotizing fasciitis, encouraging others to “listen” to their bodies if something doesn’t feel right. Although she bears the physical scars of her battle, Amber’s resilience has inspired those around her, and she credits her family’s support as a crucial part of her recovery.