Fateful crab pinch leads to near arm amputation, fight for life

Kenny Watts, an energetic 53-year-old Greenwood native, credits his team at Beebe Healthcare for saving his life and restoring the functionality of his left hand after a fateful crab pinch. Kenny was pinched on his left hand while cooking crabs at his home in August 2017, and he ended up contracting vibrio vulnificus, a flesh-eating bacteria, leading to a fight for his life.

“At first I didn’t think much of it after the crab pinch, and continued to cook. Then the next night, I became extremely sick and my co-worker luckily came by to check on me, as I had not answered my phone. When things took a downward spiral quickly, my girlfriend drove me to Beebe’s Emergency Department in Lewes on Monday,” said Kenny.

“We drove instead of taking an ambulance, as I was adamant about going to Beebe, my hospital of choice. I would have been routed elsewhere had we not driven,” he said.

“On my way to the hospital, I was incoherent. The last thing I remember was an orderly or volunteer asking me could I get into the wheelchair, which I could not. I was in a coma for four days and on life support for two days at Beebe in the ICU. It was not until Thursday that I woke up, and everything was recounted for me,” said Kenny. There was a strong chance of amputation, as the bacteria had spread up Kenny’s arm.

“During my stay at Beebe, I saw Dr. [Scott] Olewiler, who specializes in infectious diseases. Dr. [David] Sopa performed the first two surgeries on my hand while at Beebe,” said Kenny. He had a total of five surgeries on his hand, two at Beebe and three in Baltimore.

After Kenny’s surgeries, he entered Beebe Healthcare’s Wound Healing Program, and then transitioned to Beebe’s Physical Rehabilitation Services for occupational therapy. Kenny worked with Katie Merk, OTR/L, an occupational therapist at Beebe’s Rehoboth Beach Health Campus, for about nine months.

“I started my OT sessions with Katie in November 2017 and finished in July 2018. I originally met Katie while in the hospital at Beebe, as she also works inpatient. I can't say enough good things about her, but then again I can't say enough about the whole team of doctors, nurses, and therapists at Beebe. They are caring, compassionate, and knowledgeable. As many times as I've been to Beebe – and that's quite a few times over the past eight years or so – I’ve always been treated well by all. It's my hospital of choice. Nearly all of my doctors are in the Beebe network, with the exception of my foot doctor,” said Kenny.

Beebe’s occupational therapists work with a variety of individuals, including those recovering from falls, surgeries, or chronic diseases and inflammation. OTs also work with people who have trouble performing everyday tasks such as getting into or out of a car, getting dressed, preparing a meal, or even being able to hold a pen to sign their name.

Kenny was eager to return to work. He owns a janitorial services company, and he credits OT for helping him make progress. When Kenny first began OT, he couldn’t bend of any his fingers or even move his hand. After hard work and multiple sessions with Katie, he regained full function of his left hand.

“In addition to my motivation to return to work, I wanted to be able to participate in certain favorite pastimes of mine. I love to shoot pool, and now I can play again. Also, I was able to attend Bike Week this year, and hold the clutch on my motorcycle. These are all things that make me happy and feel like myself again,” said Kenny.

Kenny continues to practice the exercises at home that he learned while in OT at Beebe.

“Going back to OT and Katie, Beebe has a gem right there. I got so I couldn't wait to get there, just to sit and talk to her while she worked on my hand. She is the biggest reason that it functions the way it does today. I still keep her in the loop about my progress and concerns,” said Kenny.

"Kenny and I worked as a team to work toward our goals of increasing his overall independence and function of his left hand. Teamwork is important to help achieve the best possible outcome," said Katie Merk. “Kenny was very motivated and dedicated to his OT appointments.”

Kenny said, “After all this happened, I saw my family doctor and he said to me, ‘Good to see you again, Kenneth!’ At that moment, my doctor emphasized to me the weight of those words. I came to the realization of the severity of what I had been through, as apparently I only had a 5 percent chance of survival during my ordeal at the hospital. I feel great today, going strong and trying to live life to its fullest.”

Beebe Healthcare leaders are thoughtfully investing in expanding its presence in Sussex County, making excellent, innovative and accessible care a reality for friends, families and neighbors for future generations. Beebe team members are excited to be opening a new Rehoboth location in late October at 19324 Lighthouse Plaza Blvd., Rehoboth Beach. For more information, call 302-260-7346.

To learn more about Beebe Healthcare’s Physical Rehabilitation Services, go to www.beebehealthcare.org/beebe-rehab-services. The program is dedicated to achieving a safe and speedy return to pain-free, productive independence through physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech/language pathology.