Saint Andrew’s Net | April 2005 | Vol. XX No. 3 | Page 3

The Rt. Rev. J. Jon Bruno, Bishop of Los Angeles, underwent surgery on Tuesday, March 29, in which his left foot and ankle were amputated in order to stop a persistent staph infection that has not responded to several months of treatment with antibiotics. The infection had settled in the bones of the foot, an area that medication was not able to reach.

“They suggested there were three ways to handle this recurring infection,” Bruno wrote in a letter to clergy and lay leaders. “The first one was to open the foot again, clean it out and go through another course of antibiotics, [which] would have only a 15% to 20% chance of success. The second was a treatment of antibiotics without opening the ankle, and that had an even lower rate of success. The third option was to amputate my left foot and ankle and put me into a temporary prosthesis. This has a 99.5% chance of success. Since this is a localized infection in the porous bone of the ankle, I made a thoughtful, prayerful decision to have the amputation and proceed toward full recovery.”

The surgery was successful. The bishop has been fitted with a temporary prosthesis, which will be eventually be replaced by a permanent one. He is currently resting at home, hopes to return to work soon, and thanks everyone for their prayers.

ONLINE EXTRA: The bishop has relayed his thanks for the many prayers and notes of support he has received from the clergy and people of the diocese. Messages to Bishop Bruno may be sent to the Cathedral Center of St. Paul, 840 Echo Park Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90026, or by e-mail to bishopsoffice@ladiocese.org