From back pain on Christmas Day to having EVERY limb amputated days later: The devastating illness that turned a dad's world upside down - but he vows to fight back and walk again

A fit and healthy father's world was turned upside down when a pain in his backside turned out to be a flesh-eating infection that left doctors with no choice but to amputate all four of his limbs. 

Mick O'Dowd, a father-of-two and mechanical engineer from Sydney, was in 2018 diagnosed with strep - a common infection which made its way into his bloodstream and turned septic. 

On Christmas Day that year he went to hospital to check on a pain that developed in his glute.

Mr O'Dowd was sent home with the wrong diagnosis of sciatica, a type of nerve pain in the lower back. 

But when the pain persisted and the infection took hold, he was rushed to the resuscitation ward of Canterbury Hospital, with doctors giving him a 20 per cent chance of survival.   

Mick O'Dowd (pictured with his daughter Amelia) was a regular father-of-two and mechanical engineer living in Sydney with his wife Katharine

The O'Dowd family, pictured left to right: Five-year-old Tom, Mick, Katherine and Amelia, age eight

His wife Katharine O'Dowd, 47, told Daily Mail Australia the road to recovery had been long and painful since his lower arms and legs - plus swaths of dead skin from his face and torso - were removed, but he hopes to walk again. 

'He has long term goals, like returning to work in some capacity, going on family camping trips and scuba diving, but in the short term - he's be really excited to stand up,' she said.

'It would allow him to cook and take himself to the toilet - things we don't think about take a lot of effort for him.' 

Mr O'Dowd, who was diagnosed with necrotizing myositis which kills muscles, is slowly learning to use prosthetic limbs and goes to regular physiotherapy and rehab sessions, but infection left over from the septic episode has delayed the process.

Earlier this year, doctors had to scrape out more dead muscle in his right shoulder joint and leg, shortening the amputation sites further.

Doctors discovered the father (pictured with his wife Katherine and children) had a bacterial infection which was causing a flesh-eating disease called necrotizing myositis and giving him septic shock

Aside from being a quadruple amputee, Mr O'Dowd's skin was left weakened by the flesh-eating bacteria 

'That has been a setback because he can't use a prosthetic on that arm for six months after the surgery. After that, he can get prosthetics for that arm and his legs,' Ms O'Dowd said. 

With a comparatively healthy left arm, Mr O'Dowd has been able to trial a range of electronic prosthetics with fingers that move, giving him hope for the future and moving towards showering and feeding himself.

Mr O'Dowd's skin was left weakened by the flesh-eating bacteria.

Chunks of blackened and dead flesh were also removed during the septic episode and were replaced with healthy skin from other parts of his torso.

Mick O'Dowd hopes to cook, play with his children in the playground and scuba dive again (pictured before his illness)

Mr O'Dowd is slowly learning to use prosthetic limbs and goes to regular physiotherapy and rehab sessions

Mr O'Dowd (pictured after surgery in 2019) was preparing his children's presents on Christmas Day when a pain in his buttock got so bad he decided to go to hospital

When children Tom, 5, and Amelia, 8, are ready, they hop on their father's electric wheelchair and he gives them a ride to school

'His skin is very sensitive and fragile because so much of it is grafted, and it takes a long time for grafted skin to become strong, and the donor sites are now scar tissue and that takes a long time to heal,' Ms O'Dowd said. 

'Managing his skin fragility will be part of his life, but other than that, the rest of his organs have recovered.'

Each morning, two carers arrive at the family home to get the father ready for a long day of medical appointments while Mrs O'Dowd, an urban designer, prepares for work and ensures children Amelia, eight and Tom, five, are ready for school.

When they're dressed with their bags packed, the children hop on their father's electric wheelchair and he gives them a ride to school before the carers take him to physiotherapy and specialist appointments.

At the end of the day, Mr O'Dowd picks the children up and they ride with him to the park.

At the end of the day, Mr O'Dowd picks the children up and they ride with him to the park (O'Dowd family pictured in the Blue Mountains, west of Sydney)

Mr O'Dowd would like to get a four-wheel drive wheelchair so he can go on the playground wood chips without getting stuck

'One thing he really wants to do is get a four-wheel drive wheelchair so he can go on the playground wood chips with the kids,' his wife explained.

'He tried it once in his regular chair and got stuck, and innocent bystanders had to help him out,' she laughed.

The family plan on making the big purchase using more than $200,000 donated by kind-hearted strangers through Go Fund Me over the past two years.

Mrs O'Dowd said they money goes towards paying carers, future prosthetic limbs and electronic wheelchairs to ensure her husband can move around and help them go on family outings again.  

What is Necrotizing Myositis? 

Myositis is a rare condition that affects the muscles. The term myositis means 'inflammation of the muscles'.

Necrotizing Myositis is when it kills cells in the muscle.

The main signs are muscle weakness, painful or aching muscles, tripping or falling, and extreme tiredness after walking or standing.

Myositis is usually caused by an underlying problem with the immune system, where it mistakenly attacks healthy tissue.

In July 2019, a heart-warming video emerged on the fundraiser page that showed Mr O'Dowd eating by himself for the first time since his operations.

The father lifted his right arm, with a spoon attached to a bandage, and moved it towards his mouth.

Trembling, but with great determination, he was able to take a few sips of soup.

Mrs O'Dowd wrote alongside the footage: 'Here's a little video of Mick learning to feed himself.

'This was only his second go at it and his arms still don't have much strength – but you can see for yourself how determined he is.'

The devastating turn of events began on that Christmas Day 2018 hospital trip, when he was prescribed anti-inflammatory pills for nerve pain but it got worse so he went back the next day.

Mr O'Dowd rapidly deteriorated and was rushed to a bigger hospital where he was put on life support.

Doctors discovered he had a bacterial infection which was causing a flesh-eating disease called necrotizing myositis and giving him septic shock.

The infection caused Mr O'Dowd's limbs to become gangrenous and they had to be amputated to prevent the infection spreading further and to keep him alive.

'Mick is one of the most determined people you will meet, he has never before given up on anything and it is clear that he doesn't plan to start now,' the GoFundMe page states

After his first surgery, doctors told his distraught wife he would most likely die within three hours, recommending that she say goodbye.

The family do not know what the future holds, but Mrs O'Dowd said the family are focusing on adjusting to life with a quadruple amputee.

'The kids are resilient and they're super happy to have their dad home from hospital,' she said.

She also thanked friends, family and kind strangers for their ongoing support.

'So many strangers we don't know have helped out - it has been humbling and life changing.'