A German man, Georg Winterling, was inflating an old air mattress when he suffered a minor flesh wound on his finger. This cut, however, became infected and got Winterling worried. Doctors reassured him that he had nothing to worry about, but things only went downhill from there. He soon developed sepsis, and he had all four limbs amputated.
Videos by Wide Open Country
According to DW, Winterling's initial flesh wound developed into a blister after inflating his air mattress. This had him worried, leading him to visit a hospital. Doctors, however, told the 40-year-old that his injury was not that serious. However, what he didn't know was that his injury would change his life forever.
Back at home, just a few days after visiting the hospital, Winterling started having issues breathing. He was immediately admitted to the hospital. Right then and there, doctors discovered the truth. Georg Winterling was suffering from sepsis.
According to Mayo Clinic, sepsis is described as a serious condition that happens when the body reacts improperly to an infection. This directly affects the body's organs and can lead to septic shock. Septic shock, in turn, can lead to severe damage to the lungs, kidneys, and liver, among other organs, potentially causing death.
Amputation
In the case of Winterling, his initial flesh wound became infected due to some mouse droppings that contaminated the air mattress. Due to the severity of his condition, doctors had to put Winterling in an induced coma to save his life.
This means that the oxygen in his body diverted to his vital organs, like his heart, his brain, and his lungs. This led to his arms and legs not receiving sufficient oxygen, prompting doctors to amputate his four limbs.
"I was completely unaware of what sepsis is and what it can lead to in the end," Winterling told DW. "I have only learned recently about how bad sepsis can be. In most cases, it leads to death because it is not recognized properly, in that respect I was very lucky to have survived it and still be sitting here today."
While he now has prosthetic legs and has made substantial progress, Georg Winterling oftentimes feels overwhelmed with how things happened. "There are days when I want to go into the woods and scream my head off," Winterling said. "They do happen and happen often."
However, he remains positive that he will recover as much of his former life as possible. "Things will continue to progress. If one approach doesn't work, there's always another," he said. "And finding that new approach becomes the important thing to do."
