Doctors were unable to identify this deeply painful infection. Wayne's chemo came to a halt and he was prescribed the strongest intravenous antibiotics available. Even these did nothing. As the infection in his sinus and left eye rapidly spread, five specialists became involved: Infectious Diseases, Neurology, Otorhinolaryngology, Opthamology and Haematology.
It became necessary to debride (remove) the infected tissue in his sinuses and beside his left eye to identify the type of infection Wayne had contracted while immunosuppressed. This first surgery, on 17 June 2004, involved incising a deep hole on the left side of his nose, resulting in the loss of sense of smell and removal of the muscles that controlled left eye movement. Wayne wore an eye patch from this date on to cover his wound.
Wayne post surgery
With this intrusive surgery came the discovery that Wayne had a rare, deadly fungal disease, called mucormycosis. The treatment options for this involved continued intravenous anti fungal medication, combined with complete removal of the infected tissue. By now the infection had advanced even further and was forming a growing abscess in the frontal lobe of his brain. The surgery required for removal of the infection in Wayne's case would have been overwhelmingly disfiguring.
His situation was such that, on 20 June, his extended family and friends were called in for prayer support. The surgery was not pursued. His parents, Ruth and Bruce, remained in the hospital room with him while family trickled in and out, a few at a time. Wayne was a shadow of his former self. The distress of his family increased suddenly when, while some of his cousins were in the room, Wayne had a grand mal seizure.
Still he held on. Surprising everyone, Wayne was stable enough to withstand a second surgery on 24 June to clear further infection from his sinuses. This, however, was followed a week later by another seizure.