“ STINKY MISHAP “

Dr. Kenny Khoa Vu is my primary care Doctor and in 2009 was instrumental in helping me with a skunk bite! My son, Noah, called me one morning to tell me there was a skunk in his garage where he lives with his family in the wide open countryside of Maryland’s Eastern Shore. He knew when I was younger, growing up on a 200 acre farm very close by that I handled all kinds of native mammals, birds, and reptiles. So, I rushed over to his house to see what I could do. When I got there the skunk was in the back yard, I went out to check on it and found blood on both sides of its head, his tail was dragging and it had a slight limp. I caught the skunk to check him out closer and I got careless trying to examine him and he bit me on the thumb! It was at that moment that I suddenly realized that the skunk could have rabies and I needed help immediately !! I put the skunk in an animal carrier to transport him to the Department of Agriculture where I knew to go for testing animals for rabies. However, I was told the skunk could not be alive so I had to go home, 15 minutes away, shoot and kill the skunk and take it back to the Dept . Of Ag. … I would not know the results until the next day! It was a very long night!! Not wanting to waste a minute, I then drove straight to Dr. Vu’s office without an appointment, and he took care of this emergency right away by calling The Infectious Disease Doctor, Dr. Ramesh Vemulappali, who took me into his care immediately. He explained thoroughly the facts of rabies and sent me to the ER where he had called ahead of my arrival and notified them to begin the necessary series of anti rabies vaccine shots. Everyone was extremely helpful and caring! The next day I was notified that the skunk tested POSITIVE for rabies! After making it through the series of anti rabies shots, there was much more to this ordeal! The thumb bite became infected even with oral antibiotics and next, IV antibiotics, and to make a long story short was sent to John’s Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland for surgery on my thumb. I stayed in isolation for about a week before I was released , still needing a silver strip inserted into a small area left open, to prevent bacteria and further infection. Finally, my thumb healed!! When Dr. Vu announced he would be joining MDVIP I knew immediately I would be staying on as his patient. I feel very comfortable with and have great respect for Dr. Vu, not only because he is a Doctor, but he always seems happy, is easy to talk with, and takes the time to really listen when we get involved in meaningful conversation. He takes interest in a sport I’ve enjoyed for many years, throwing tomahawks and double bitted axes, and I’ve told him if he ever got the chance, I’d be glad and honored to share the skill of this sport and how put a tomahawk or double bitted axe in the bullseye!