A scratch did this: Mother reveals how a tiny graze turned into a flesh-eating bug that left her with a huge hole in her leg and fighting for her life within a matter of HOURS
- WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
- Liz Hewat, 51, from Chisholm, Australia, developed red bumps on her lower leg
- Was later rushed to Canberra Hospital and diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis
- Doctors were forced to cut out a large section of her skin and muscle 20cm long
A mother-of-four has revealed how she was left battling for her life after a break on her skin caused by a scratch left her contracting a flesh-eating bug.
Liz Hewat, 51, from Chisholm, Victoria, whose terrifying ordeal began when she scratched at the red bumps on her skin, was rushed to Canberra Hospital where her worst fears were confirmed and she was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis.
In an effort to save her life, doctors were forced to cut out a large section of Liz’s skin and muscle – measuring 20cm long, 10cm wide and 6cm deep – before carrying out four more surgeries to scrape away the infection.
Liz Hewat (pictured with her husband Andrew), 51, from Chisholm, Victoria, was diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis soon after developing red bumps on her skin
Liz first noticed itchy red bumps on her skin and scratched at them before contracting the flesh-eating bug in September 2017. Pictured: Liz’s leg at 10.43pm
After developing red bumps, Liz saw he leg swell up and become red by 11.22pm (left). As her leg became worse, Liz said she became delirious due to the pain by 12.57am (right)
By 4.51 am the mother had developed black spots on her skin which spread to her knee over the next few hours
Lix had been spending time with her three youngest children, Edward, then 17, Victoria, 15, and Henry, 13, during the school holidays when she noticed little itchy red bumps on the inside of her lower right leg.
The mother, whose eldest son, Charles, 19, had recently moved away, said: ‘I hadn’t used any new skincare products or had any underlying skin conditions, but whatever had caused the bumps was making them itch like crazy. ”I’m sure it will go away on it’s own, I thought.”’
However a few days later, Liz, who had just a month earlier seen a man on a medical show contract the bug after cutting his leg on a rose bush, realised she had broken her skin and cleaned the wound with Dettol before covering it with a bandaid.
She said: ‘I realised I’d mindlessly scratched the red bumps on my leg so much I’d broken the skin.
‘I cleaned it with Dettol and covered it with a BAND-AID to stop germs from spreading. When I woke the following day, though, my calf was swollen and red.’
Liz (pictured in the ICU) was kept in the hospital for five weeks as doctors carried out four more surgeries to scrape away the infection
Surgeons were forced to cut out a large section of Liz’s skin and muscle (pictured) – measuring 20cm long, 10cm wide and 6cm deep in order to save her life
The mother, who had been suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for the last 14 years, initially assumed the red bumps were just another flare up.
With Liz’s husband Andrew at a meeting, and her children Edward and Victoria planning to stay at friends’ houses that night, Liz set about making a batch of spaghetti Bolognese.
After sending her children on their way and retiring to the sofa, the mother realised her skin was getting progressively worse.
She said: ‘By 5.30pm I couldn’t bear to put any weight on my leg as I cooked dinner.
‘By now, the redness had spread from my ankle to my knee and the area felt like it had been badly sunburned.
Liz (pictured with son Edward two weeks before contracting flesh-eating bug and right with daughter Victoria) initially assumed the red bumps were just another flare up
‘Suddenly, I felt a shiver wash over me, so I wrapped myself in a fleece blanket and went to bed with a hot water bottle.
‘But the pain in my leg was so excruciating, I couldn’t even handle the pressure of the bedsheet on top of it. I’ll feel better once I sleep, I convinced myself.
‘By the time Andrew got home at around 10pm, I was completely delirious. That’s when he noticed a tiny black spot on my ankle.’
As the black dots spread to her knee over the next few hours, husband Andrew called an ambulance and the mother was rushed to hospital where her worst fears were confirmed by medical staff.
Liz had skin taken from her thigh (pictured) in order for doctor’s to perform a skin graft
The skin from her upper thigh was used to perform a skin graft on her calf. Pictured: Liz’s leg after skin graft
Liz was left with a huge gaping hole in her leg as doctors battled to remove the infected tissue
Liz said her doctor was satisfied with the graft (leg pictured now) and she was eventually allowed back home to recover
She continued: ‘He took a photo on his phone to show me, and I was horrified. It looked just like man from the show who had necrotising fasciitis. ”My flesh is dying,” I cried to Andrew.’
At the hospital, doctors confirmed to Liz that the flesh-eating bug had been caused by a break in the skin by the scratch and she was immediately prepped for surgery, where doctors would try to remove the extremely vicious bacterial infection.
Liz asked a doctor what was happening, and he bluntly told her: ‘You will either lose your leg or die.’
Terrified, she begged Andrew to tell their children she loves them.
Liz (pictured with husband Andrew and four children Edward, Victoria, Henry and Charles) said Andrew took nine months off work to be with her every step of the way
The mother-of-four now believes she has been given a ‘second chance at life’ and has since lost 80kg
The following day, Liz awoke in the ICU and was told that despite cutting a large section of skin and muscle, measuring 20cm long, 10cm wide and 6cm deep and going from her knee to her ankle, surgeons had managed to remove the infected area.
She said: ‘As a size 28, I’d struggled with my weight all my life.
NECROTISING FASCIITIS: THE VICIOUS FLESH-EATING BACTERIA
Necrotising fasciitis, more commonly known as ‘flesh-eating disease’, is a rare but extremely vicious bacterial infection. ‘Necrotising’ refers to something that causes body tissue to die, and the infection can destroy skin, muscles and fat.
The disease develops when the bacteria enters the body, often through a minor cut or scrape. As the bacteria multiply, they release toxins that kill tissue and cut off blood flow to the area.
Because it is so virulent, the bacteria spreads rapidly throughout the body.
Symptoms include small, red lumps or bumps on the skin, rapidly-spreading bruising, sweating, chills, fever and nausea. Organ failure and shock are also common complications.
Sufferers must be treated immediately to prevent death, and are usually given powerful antibiotics and surgery to remove dead tissue. Amputation can become necessary if the disease spreads through an arm or leg.
Patients may undergo skin grafts after the infection has cleared up, to help the healing process or for aesthetic reasons.
There are 500 to 1,500 cases reported a year, but 20 to 25 percent of victims die.
‘Incredibly, doctors revealed that because I was a bigger person, the extra flesh on my calf meant the bug didn’t have a chance to get all the way down to my bone.
‘I couldn’t believe my extra weight had helped save my life.
‘When a doctor lifted the covers to show me my leg, I was horrified. Sealed with a vacuum dressing to help remove the gunk inside, it still looked angry and red.
‘Despite that, I was just so grateful to be alive.’
The mother, who now believes she has been given a ‘second chance at life’, then underwent a further four surgeries to scrape away the infection over the course of five weeks.
She also had a skin graft on her calf with skin taken from her upper thigh.
She continued: ‘Once my doctor was satisfied the graft had taken, I was allowed home but my recovery was far from over as I needed my dressings changed daily and a wheelchair to get around.
‘Thankfully, Andrew had taken nine months off work to be with me every step of the way.
She added: ‘With a second chance at life, I knew I needed to embrace it to the fullest and prioritise my health.
‘So I changed my diet, cutting out all junk food and soft drink, instead opting for smaller meal portions of lean protein and veggies.
‘Now, more than two years on from developing the infection, I’ve lost a whopping 80kg (12.5stone) and am wearing a size 18.
”’We’re so proud of you,” the kids often say.
‘I’m sharing my story in the hope that others will understand the importance of seeking medical help right away when something doesn’t feel right. Your health isn’t worth the risk.
‘I didn’t let you beat me, I now think whenever I look at my wound.’
The mother (pictured with family) is now sharing her story in the hope that others will understand the importance of seeking medical help right away
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