TAMPA — A Florida fisherman will live to fish another day after contracting a scary flesh-eating bacteria while out fishing in the Gulf of Mexico. <br />According to WFTS, Mike Walton was out fishing Saturday about 20 miles off the coast of Palm Harbor when he was struck by a fish hook. <br />According to Walton, it was a small prick, something that has happened hundreds of times while fishing. <br />According to WFTS, Walton stopped by a hospital to pick up some antibiotics for his hand that started to swell up.<br />By Sunday morning, his hand had black blisters bubbling up all over his hand. <br />He was immediately taken to Tampa General Hospital and put in the burn unit so he could be treated for necrotizing fasciitis. <br />At one point, physicians had to consider amputating Walton's arm, but luckily they were able to get inside his arm and get all the bacteria out from his tissues. <br /><br />According to Walton, he received a skin graft going from his elbow to the palm of his hand. <br />Doctors told Walton the infection is contained, but he'll have to be on antibiotics for about another month while he heals up.
