A retail worker who contracted a deadly flesh-eating disease through a small cut while at work has revealed the horror medical ordeal that followed.
Yvohn Ray Rosero, 25, spoke to Daily Mail Australia shortly before his sixth operation for the workplace injury that changed his life forever.
Last month, Mr Rosero accidently cut his left index finger on the corner of a metal sign and continued working after washing the small wound.
But when the Sydney man woke up the next morning his finger was stiff and sore.
'I had a fever, chills, and was visibly unwell, but I still showed up to work,' he said.
'My co-worker immediately noticed something was wrong and helped clean and dress the wound again.'
By the end of his shift, the pain had become excruciating and he was rushed to the Westmead Hospital's emergency department at 6pm.
'By that point, the infection had spread all the way to my left elbow. My finger had already turned necrotic,' Mr Rosero said.
The swelling was then accompanied by bruising as the infection took hold.
Mr Rosero's hand quickly blew up while waiting for treatment in hospital.
Mr Rosero has been in ICU ever since after he was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis, also known as flesh-eating disease - a rare but aggressive infection that spreads quickly and destroys tissue beneath the skin.
'Doctors told me that my case progressed alarmingly fast. In just one day, the tissue in my index finger had already started dying,' he said.
'The infection led to sepsis, a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body's response to infection causes widespread inflammation. Thankfully, it was caught early after the first surgery, but the damage had already been done.'
Mr Rosero underwent five surgeries in two weeks to try and save his finger but on Monday doctors told him they had no choice but to amputate.
Before undergoing a skin graft on Wednesday, the retail worker said he was trying to remain positive.
'I feel a bit better but I still can't believe I lost my finger because of a small, tiny wound. I've already accepted it and I'm thankful that I'm still alive. If I didn't go to the hospital that day I could have died or I might have lost my whole arm,' he said.
Mr Rosero, who is from the Philippines, turns 26 next month and has been in Australia for three years, studying a diploma in leadership and management.
The swelling started quickly and grew so fast that doctors couldn't save the finger.
He's started a GoFundMe page to help with expenses while he's out of work and recovering.
His current visa expires on May 16 and he's seeking an extension.
'The healthcare system isn't the same in a third world country compared to a first world country so I still consider myself lucky,' he said.
'I also need hand rehabilitation because my other fingers were affected as well.'
Mr Rosero said he was glad he still had his arm and nine other fingers.
'I'm thankful to the doctors who tried to save my finger. I'm still looking on the positive side and am thankful to the nurses who took good care of me,' he said.