Dad of 2 Leaves Dentist’s Office with Bleeding Gums. A Month Later, He Had 3 Limbs and His Hand Amputated

NEED TO KNOW

• Texas dad of 2 Davon Vanterpool developed sepsis and purpura fulminans after, his wife claims, bacteria entered his bloodstream through inflamed gums

• His condition led to the amputation of three limbs and his right hand to stop the spread of infection

• A GoFundMe has been launched to support his recovery and help with medical care and accessibility needs

A dad of two had three limbs, as well as his hand, amputated after going into septic shock following a dental visit that left his gums bleeding.

Davon Vanterpool, 34, had visited the dentist on Dec. 29 for a routine exam. As his partner Alicia Wilder, 31, tells Kennedy News and Media, “His gums were really inflamed when the dentist was in there poking in his mouth and it caused bleeding in his gums.”

“Everyone has bacteria in their mouth, but in Davon’s situation the bacteria entered into his mouth because there were multiple pathways created in his gums,” Wilder claimed, explaining that Davon left the appointment with his gums “severely inflamed and bleeding.”

After the appointment, Davon returned to their home in Denton County, Texas. Alicia says she went out to run errands, but when she returned home 45 minutes later, his condition had declined considerably: “I knew everything was terribly wrong. He was shaking and shivering uncontrollably. He said ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with me. I’m so cold and I can’t stop shaking.’ He was throwing up and then he had diarrhea.”

Alicia rushed him to the hospital, where his condition continued to deteriorate. He went into sepsis — which is when the body responds improperly to an infection — and was put on life support when his heart stopped.

Dental infections can be a source of sepsis, End Sepsis explains, as “bacteria invade the pulp of a tooth or the surrounding gum tissue. The infection can cause pain, swelling, and redness in the affected area. The infection can sometimes spread to other body parts, including the bloodstream, and lead to sepsis.”

That’s what Alicia believes happened to Davon. “He was otherwise a very normal active person, dad and worker every day prior to that day.”

Davon developed an additional complication, purpura fulminans, a “rapidly progressive” condition that the National Library of Medicine explains causes the skin to die.

“When your muscle tissue dies it releases a toxin that can spread to the rest of your muscles. If you don’t stop the source then you’re going to die and go into septic shock again,” Alicia said, explaining his hands were “very necrotic.”

“I had spent time trying to massage his hands trying to create blood flow. Unfortunately that wasn’t working. His hands turned black and hard,” she said, explaining that when doctors tried to remove the dead tissue “that essentially stirred the pot and he went into a second round of septic shock.”

On Jan. 23, Davon’s entire right leg, his right hand, his left leg below the knee, and his left forearm  were removed.  “I was literally forced to allow the amputation to save his life. I was shocked and terrified and I was so scared,” she said.

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“Davon has such a loving and positive heart and even in the midst of scariness and being nervous and tragedy he is over here giving me a thumbs up and a big smile trying to be positive,” she said.

The family has started a GoFundMe to support them as Davon will need considerable care and an accessible home and vehicle.

“Despite everything Davon has endured, he remains strong in ways that amaze me. Even in critical condition, even while he cannot speak, he is present and he communicates. He participates in therapy, even when it is incredibly hard and even if he needs breaks. He fights through nausea, unstable vitals, and intense pain every day,” Alicia said.

“His resilience is not loud or dramatic. It is steady and determined,” she said, “and I believe that mindset will play a large role in his long-term recovery and I will be supporting him every step of the way.”

PEOPLE has reached out to the family for more info.

Read the original article on People