SURPRISE, Ariz. (AZFamily/Gray News) — The decorations are up and there’s a wreath on the front door of a home in Surprise, Arizona, but Christmas won’t be the same for Ed Rivas and his family.
The beloved husband and father recently had the lower half of his leg amputated after a sudden medical crisis.
“He went through so much in such a little time I wasn’t sure he was coming home, honestly,” Maria Rivas, Ed Rivas’ wife, said.
A few months ago, the 49-year-old father cut his foot while the family was on vacation in Florida.
Ed Rivas didn’t think much of it, but when they got back to Arizona, his foot swelled up and turned purple.
He raced to a nearby hospital and was told he had an infection that had spread to his bloodstream.
Within days, doctors told him they needed to amputate his left leg.
“They did a total of four surgeries, and the first three surgeries were to save the foot and rid it of infection,” said Ed Rivas. “I was in the hospital for 15 days, but I don’t remember all 15 days.”
The West Valley dad has spent the past 16 years helping others as a nurse in Arizona and California.
Now, he’s the one in need of assistance.
It’s a transition that Ed Rivas admits has not been easy.
“Everything takes a lot longer,” said Ed Rivas. “Getting dressed takes longer, going to the bathroom takes longer, getting here and getting there takes longer.”
Ed Rivas can’t work right now, creating financial challenges for his family.
A GoFundMe page has been set up to help pay the bills.
Ed Rivas said he’s determined to get his life back and return to helping others.
“I hope to get a prosthetic and I do plan on going back to work without any restrictions,” said Ed Rivas. “My goal is to get back to work.”
Ed Rivas does not know what he cut his foot on or what led to the life-threatening infection.
Doctors told him what he experienced was extremely rare, and it’s good he went to the ER when he did.
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