Flesh-Eating Disease Victim ‘Clinging to Life’

A young mother of three suffering from a flesh-eating disease remained in critical condition Saturday.

“She is still clinging to life,” said AM Medical Center spokeswoman Elizabeth Bear.

Ana Maria Serrano Chavez, 30, made it through surgery Friday to clean away dead tissue, and doctors believe they have saved almost all of her right hand except for the middle finger.

But “her limbs remain in very tenuous condition,” said Bear. Chavez has already had her left leg amputated above the knee and her right leg below the knee in attempts to halt a fast-spreading microbe known as streptococcal necrotizing fasciitis. The bacteria are not contagious, but for those who are not immune can be deadly.

“It’s not spreading as rapidly. The doctors believe they’ve contained it but they don’t know for sure,” Bear said. “It’s one of those wait-and-see situations.”

Dozens more donors came forward to help the sick woman and her family. A Pontiac with 82,000 miles on it was contributed to the family, and about 65 envelopes containing donations arrived at the Anaheim Area Credit Union on Saturday, where more than $2,000 has already been collected. A coat and clothes are still needed for her husband, who is of a small to medium build, and clothes are needed for their three sons, aged 8, 6 and 2.

Donations can be made to the “Anaheim Firefighters in Trust for Ana Maria Garcia,” care of the Anaheim Area Credit Union, 2390 E. Orangewood Ave. No. 106, Anaheim, CA 92806. Information: (714) 978-0190.