Andrew Emmerig, of Brisbane, nearly loses arm to ocean bacteria while on Sunshine Coast

A fit and healthy Brisbane father nearly died and will never have feeling in his arm again after a bacteria invaded his arm at a popular Sunshine Coast caravan park. Warning: graphic content and pictures.

Andrew Emmerig, of Brisbane, nearly loses arm to ocean bacteria while holidaying on Sunshine Coast. Picture - contributed.

A fit and healthy Brisbane father nearly died and almost lost his arm after contracting a waterborne bacteria while holidaying at a Sunshine Coast caravan park over Christmas

Andrew Emmerig, 48, of Warner, has spent every Christmas holiday since he was born at the Cotton Tree Caravan Park.

Last Christmas, however, a deleterious bacteria believed to have been contracted from the ocean nearly forced doctors to amputate his right arm.

The fire sprinkler fitter was staying by the ocean in a caravan with his wife and two sons, aged 9 and 13, when the morning of December 29, 2023, he noticed a minuscule but painful bump on his right bicep.

He didn’t know it at the time but streptococcus A bacteria had entered his blood stream, possibly through a spider bite.

Within 18 hours it was life-threatening.

Andrew Emmerig, of Brisbane, nearly lost an arm due to ocean bacteria while holidaying on the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Contributed.

“It kills within 24 to 48 hours,” he said.

“The bacteria is very fast.

“It gets into your muscles and kills you.”

Mr Emmerig said that night he took a turn leading to his eventual hospitalisation at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital.

“I had hot and cold shivers, fevers, gastro symptoms and was vomiting non stop,” he said.

By midnight he had stopped vomiting.

By 1am he was experiencing a stabbing, unbearable pain in his arm.

“It felt like a fire under my arm especially in the elbow,” he said.

Andrew Emmerig, of Brisbane, nearly loses arm to ocean bacteria while holidaying on Sunshine Coast. Picture – contributed.

He went to the hospital and doctors immediately administered him morphine and prepped an operating theatre.

“I was in and out of it with the pain and morphine but my wife said nothing came up in pathology and doctors wanted to send me home with antibiotics,” he said.

“But then one surgeon saved my life.

“He said he wanted to take a look inside my arm and that’s when they found it.

“They said you might lose your arm which was scary.

“I was concerned but they said life is the most important thing.

“First save my life then we can try to save my arm.”

It took two weeks in hospital and four operations to eventually rule out amputation.

Andrew Emmerig, of Brisbane, nearly loses arm to ocean bacteria while holidaying on Sunshine Coast. Picture – contributed.

“I was in ICU, on heavy drugs and was hallucinating and even in a coma for a bit,” Mr Emmerig said.

Despite his deteriorating condition, Mr Emmerig said he’d never forget seeing his arm at its worst.

“You could see everything, it was overwhelming,” he said.

“The veins and bones and all of that disgusting stuff.

“Every time I’d get a bandage change it was awful but at least you don’t feel any pain because your nerves are gone.”

More than two months and eight surgeries on and Mr Emmerig is still unable to feel or move his arm, and will need years of rehabilitation.

“The healthcare that I’ve received has been unbelievably good,” he said.

“Have had skin grafts and am still working with the doctor who saved my life.

“But mentally it’s been tough and sometimes feels like I’m going backwards.

“I just want to go back to work and my life and being active.”

Andrew Emmerig, of Brisbane, nearly loses arm to ocean bacteria while holidaying on Sunshine Coast. Picture – contributed.

His arm was saved but Mr Emmerig said he would never regain feeling or full movement.

This comes after another serious case on the Sunshine Coast when doctors told a grandmother she would need her leg amputated after a bacterial infection from the beach caused it to “look like a piece of beef hanging at the butchers”.

“I’ve been going there for 48 years and nothing has ever happened,” Mr Emmerig said.

“It’s very rare and they told me I’m very unlucky.

“My blood pressure went to zero twice and I nearly died, it was very serious.

“Doctors said the reason I survived was because I’d been so active and healthy my entire life.”