Issue:
November 2026
The FCCJ’s president reports on his harrowing medical ordeal.
Every hospital stay is different, and this was my first as an emergency patient with gangrene.
Here's my odyssey so far: I developed a serious infection caused by necrotizing fasciitis, often called flesh-eating disease. It targets the soft tissues of the scrotum, genitals and perineum, and has an average 20% mortality rate, rising to 90% if not treated promptly. Before emergency surgery, the doctor explained that the infection extended to my stomach and groin, and that loss of my scrotum was a possibility.
I recoiled but said let's proceed.
Four hours later, I awoke to a better prognosis and my hospital stay began. It has been unforgettable in many ways. I didn’t eat before being admitted, so fasting with hydration wasn't all that hard. I was still a new patient and very grateful. By day three I was on a liquid diet, which consisted of okayu thrice daily.
The staff were very professional and doctors were extraordinary in explaining the disease, which they said was unlikely to have been caused by food. The nurses were literally my lifeline 24-7. I asked many questions, often impertinent, but they answered all with poise and purpose.
And so my recovery began. I became curious about my surroundings and my caregivers. Kawasaki Municipal Hospital was founded in 1936 as an infectious disease treatment site and evacuation center. It's now a 15-story clinical training hospital and emergency care facility. The average doctor's day is 12-20 hours long, after which they sleep at the hospital. In addition to Kawasaki Municipal, many doctors work at multiple hospitals.
How they diagnosed my case will always amaze me. Gangrene was first recorded in Japan in 1916, and reportedly fewer than 50 cases occurred until 1945, likely due to misreporting. Apparently this necrotizing fasciitis predator is much more common now, so I am truly lucky, as the first doctor sent me home with meds for fever.
The groin swelling and diarrhea had become very intense in the next days, and I was starting to lose my faculties. I'm reasonably sure I would have joined the 20% cohort without timely hospitalization. I became convinced that another week on my own and I would have died; this flesh-eating bastard wanted a blue plate special and lights were on and shining at Chez Sloan. After the surgery, I had two wounds that were the focus of doctors – in my stomach and rectum. One was described as "large."
Most hospitals outside Tokyo don’t have a dedicated swim lane for dealing with foreigners. To the degree I was cognizant, I may have received special treatment, but I didn't feel that way.
Some staff moments have been precious. One staffer gave me a hearing test like Garrett Morris with hands over her mouth. I started laughing and she asked why; I said I hadn't seen that technique in a while. Another, less funny, was the midnight nurse trying her hand at IVs like a junior who screwed up too many times. I have the bruises to prove it.
It's hard to compare Kawasaki with other hospitals, as I'm only early in my stay. Rehabilitation will be a huge factor in ensuring my release, and I have had exemplary rehabs at another hospital, with the staff pushing my boundaries for mobility and pain. I expect the same.
And lest I paint this experience as an easy road to recovery, gangrene treatment means doctors probing the wounds vigorously, which really hurts.
When I first tried to stand up, it was clear my optimism about recovery blinded me to my condition. I'm sure there are unforeseen challenges ahead, but friends and family have been great, and as my narrative hopefully shows, so have the men and women of Kawasaki Municipal Hospital.
Stay tuned.
Dan Sloan is president of the FCCJ.
