It's just heartburn, right? A mom learned that she was just minutes away from dying after developing flesh-eating bacteria in her torso. She was experiencing strange chest pains.
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38-year-old Sam Lewis soon learned that flesh-eating bacteria was tearing through her pancreas. After visiting three doctors, they finally found a gallstone blocking her bile duct. But that was just the start of her medical nightmare.
Her health quickly declined as doctors realized flesh-eating bacteria had necrotized her pancreas. She ended up spending six months in the hospital and having half of her organ cut away.
"At one point I was minutes away from death. Pancreatitis is evil and it can take you. It's hard pill to swallow," she said. According to the mom, she first noticed chest pain while getting her kids ready for a school run.
Doctors initially diagnosed her with inflammation and gave her painkillers. Fast forward several months later, and she developed a similar pain. But doctors thought it might be Covid. A month later, a CT scan showed the gallstone blocking her bile duct.
Flesh-Eating Bacteria
Sam said, "They said we believe you have acute pancreatitis. They said 'We're going to put you on a low fat diet and you'll be fine'."
However, it quickly turned to flesh-eating bacteria. She said, "It went from acute to necrotizing overnight. My whole body swelled up. My gallstone was attacking my pancreas. I looked so swollen I looked like I was eight months pregnant. I couldn't move my ankles."
It got to the point where doctors told her family that she might not make it. She said, "My family came in. It was heart-wrenching. I couldn't breathe properly. It was just so scary."
Doctors ended up putting her into a coma to remove the dead tissue and operate. Fortunately, she managed to survive, but she has chronic pancreatitis now.
Doctors made the decision to put Sam in an induced coma and operated to remove the dead tissue and half of her pancreas. She's had to stick to a very strict diet as a result.
She said, "It's something I have to live with. I used to love my food. I used to love going out. Now I refrain from going anywhere. In case I get a flare up. I can't even have crisps, chocolate, fish and chips. I can't have fast food. I can't even pop to the bakery."
