Teen left hours from death after mistaking deadly blood infection sepsis for food poisoning from pub BBQ chicken
A TEEN was hours from death after she mistook blood infection sepsis for having eaten a dodgy piece of BBQ CHICKEN.
Ellie Mayling, 19, began suffering from severe sickness not long after eating barbecue chicken at a restaurant.
But within hours, the college student was rushed to hospital and left fighting for her life after doctors diagnosed her with sepsis – an infection in the blood that can be fatal.
Ellie from Burntwood, Staffs, had to be placed into an induced coma so that her body could recover because her blood was being poisoned.
Shortly after waking from the coma, Ellie's index finger started to turn black and she was warned loss of limbs was common with this type of infection.
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Ellie said: "I had eaten some BBQ chicken at a local pub and it was later that day that I started to feel sick and drowsy.
"It came out of nowhere, I was freezing and I had a really bad headache too.
"I threw up a few times throughout the day and night and I assumed it was food poisoning or a sickness bug.
"I'm so lucky I survived, I never imagined I actually had a life threatening infection.
"Doctors were unable to confirm why I got sepsis."
Ellie can recall turning blue and fainting in her bathroom, before waking up in hospital.
She said: "After a few hours, my mum noticed a rash on my arm and I had a stiff neck, which she thought was meningitis.
";Before she called the doctors it was too late, I had already fainted on the bathroom floor and my lips and nose turned blue.
"I was absolutely terrified and the next few weeks were horrific, I had to go into intensive care before I was placed into an induced coma due to blood poisoning.
"Doctors came to the conclusion that I had sepsis due to my blood being so badly poisoned."
WHAT IS SEPSIS?
Septicaemia, also known as sepsis, is a rare but serious complication of an infection that can quickly lead to multiple organ failure and death.
The blood poisoning occurs when large amounts of bacteria enter the bloodstream.
Bacterial meningitis can lead to septicaemia.
Sepsis can also be caused by viral or fungal infections, although bacterial infections are by far the most common cause.
Ellie's entire family were advised to come to the hospital, as her blood pressure was so low, they were warned they might have to say their final goodbyes.
Ellie's body recovered but then a few days later she started to notice something strange on her hand.
Ellie said: "When I woke up from the coma I started to feel better.
"It wasn't until a few days later that I started to notice my index finger turning black, I had never seen anything like it before.
"I remember the doctor saying to me that some people with sepsis do lose limbs, so I started panicking, not only about my finger but if other parts of my body would be affected too."
Symptoms in children under 5
Your child may look mottled, bluish or pale
Is very lethargic and difficult to wake
Feels abnormally cold to touch
Is breathing very fast or having difficulty breathing
Has a rash that does not fade when you press on it
Is fitting or convulsing
has a high temperature
Refusing to eat or drink
Has not had a wee for over 12 hours
She added: "I couldn't move my finger and I was in absolute agony, it just got more and more black and my family were so worried.
"There was nothing I could do apart from wait to see what happened.
"After a few months the tip of my finger swelled to the point that it fell off, I was fortunate not to lose too much of my finger or any other limb."
Ellie is still suffering small symptoms from sepsis, and knows that it could return at any point.
She said: "I still have short-term memory loss from the sepsis but I've recovered a lot now, I'm hoping to go to university next year and become a teacher.
"I'm fully aware that the sepsis may come back at any point, but it's something I just have to live with.
"I hope my story can raise awareness for other people suffering with symptoms from sepsis, and they visit the hospital earlier to prevent this horrible disease causing any harm."
Symptoms in older children and adults
A high temperature
Chills and shivering
Fast heartbeat
Fast breathing
Feeling dizzy or faint
Confusion and disorientation
Diarrhoea
Nausea and vomiting
Slurred speech
Severe muscle pain
Breathlessness
Not urinating for a day
Cold, clammy and pale skin
Loss of consciousness
If any of these symptoms develop you should seek medical advice straight away.
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