South Carolina man shares story after potentially deadly infection leads to leg amputation

By Sydney Shadrix

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    SIMPSONVILLE, South Carolina (WYFF) — An Upstate man is sharing his story to raise awareness about a deadly illness after a small wound on his foot lead to a staph infection, and ultimately, the amputation of his leg.

In February 2020, Steve Rice, then 41 years old, went for a jog. He noticed a small rock in his shoe. As he continued to run, he realized the rock created a small wound.

Rice went home and cleaned the wound. He put a bandage on it and went to sleep.

Then, over the course of about two days, Rice’s behavior changed.

“It was progressive,” Rice said. “At first, I was just irritable, which progressed into hostility toward everyone. I just wanted to be left alone — just wanted to go back to sleep.”

Rice doesn’t remember his actions or much of those two days. But, he said his family acknowledges that he began behaving even more erratically.

“According to my family, I walked around the apartment naked,” he said. “Acting combative [and] talking to people who weren’t here. I was hallucinating.”

Rice’s family took him to the hospital, where he was eventually placed in a medically-induced coma.

Then, he said, doctors saw his foot.

“Finally, a doctor or a nurse noticed the puncture wound on my heel,” Rice said. “Then they investigated the wound and took a scalpel and semi-opened it up, and it was obvious [that it was infected].”

Rice said he was immediately taken into surgery to have his leg amputated.

“What it finally turned out to be was staphylococcus infection which went septic,” Rice said. “It led to osteomyelitis, which is the bone being corrupted or eaten away, and that was my diagnosis for what happened. Of course, my family didn’t know that at the time. I didn’t know that. I had not even heard of that.”

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at least 1.7 million adults in the U.S. develop sepsis. The CDC says anyone can develop an infection, and any infection can lead to sepsis.

For Rice, it was a staph infection.

“According to my doctors, there are many different kinds of staph infections. Mine was particularly viral. It was aggressive and progressed fairly quickly,” he said.

Rice said, since his experience, he feels a responsibility to spread awareness about sepsis and the signs of the illness.

He also said his experience changed his life.

“I have this disposition where every day is a beautiful day and time spent with my children is no longer on autopilot. I’m present in their lives and they’re in mine, and it’s amazing,” he said.

According to the CDC, at least 350,000 adults who develop sepsis die during their hospitalization or are discharged to hospice.

Rice said he considers himself lucky.

The CDC says signs and symptoms of sepsis include: high heart rate or weak pulse, confusion or disorientation, extreme pain or discomfort, fever, shivering or feeling very cold, shortness of breath and clammy or sweaty skin.

The organization says when it comes to sepsis, act quickly.

If you or your loved one has an infection that’s not getting better or is getting worse, seek emergency medical attention.

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