Following four surgeries in the past week, Guðmundur Felix’s infections show signs of lessening. The operations seem to be cause for hope, with Guðmundur Felix stating that he expects to keep his arms.
“This isn’t completely finished, but there are indications that it’s heading in the right direction,” Guðmundur Felix stated to RÚV. “I have, at least temporarily, overcome this uncertainty.”
Read more: Guðmundur Felix May Lose His Arms A Second Time
Guðmundur Felix expressed his concern that he may lose his arms a second time last week, when an infection caused him and his medical team to suspect that his body had begun rejecting his arms. After losing both arms to a severe electric shock, his 2021 surgery was one of the world’s first double arm transplants.
His most recent symptoms included swelling in his arms, loosening fingernails, and spots on his arms that may have been an immune response. Following steroid injections under his fingernails, his condition did not improve much, and two weeks ago Guðmundur Felix noticed red spots that had formed on his hands.
Last week, the spots had multiplied significantly. Guðmundur Felix stated to RÚV that it was a clear indication of an allergic reaction. He sent a picture to his medical team, who brought him in for immediate treatment. At the hospital, his team determined that his body was rejecting his arm and began treatment immediately.
He was promptly placed on an aggressive regimen of steroids meant to suppress his immune system for some time. Guðmundur Felix received his last dose of these steroids last Friday. During the night, he woke up with pain in his elbow and noticed that his arm was swelling.
Because of this significant immune suppression, he contracted a serious infection in his arm. In order to ease the swelling, his arm was opened with an incision, which will be surgically narrowed in the coming days. His team expects that the incision can be fully closed in the coming week. Guðmundur Felix is undergoing surgery on Tuesday, where it will be examined. He then needs to be on antibiotics until May 20.
“The worst thing we can do is to do this too quickly. It’s possible that something small could be trapped inside and cause an infection,” he stated.
Although it’s been a particularly difficult couple of weeks for Guðmundur Felix, he reiterated his gratitude for his family and all the support he has received from his fellow Icelanders.
“I have a wonderful wife, a wonderful mother, daughters and friends. That’s invaluable when you’re dealing with a situation like this,” he said.
