When Charleigh Chatterton, 27, gave birth to her daughter Alessia in Colchester there were no complications but six days later, she developed a rash on her stomach and was rushed to the hospital. Then, doctors diagnosed her with necrotising fasciitis and told her that she might not survive.
“The doctors said my chances of survival were slim. I think I got diagnosed just in time,” Charleigh Chatterton told BBC adding that her rash was as hot as a boiled kettle and she developed flu-like symptoms.
Even after various tests, the doctors could not figure out the problem and then her condition rapidly declined as the woman was struggling to remain conscious. The scan revealed pockets of gas underneath her tissue after which the doctors realised that it could be necrotising fasciitis.
According to CDC, necrotizing fasciitis is a “rare bacterial infection that spreads quickly in the body and can cause death” and is usually contracted through some kind of break in the skin. It can also enter the body after a blunt trauma.
The woman then underwent surgery and doctors removed a large amount of dead tissue to stop the bacteria from spreading. She was kept sedated for three days and woke up to two large wounds on her stomach, BBC reported.
After being discharged from the hospital after two weeks, she said, “I’m still finding it quite difficult psychologically, but physically I’m doing really well. I’ve got some big scars and some nerve damage but I feel so lucky. I’m here and that’s all that matters. I just want to get the message out because most people have never heard of it and early diagnosis can be the difference between life and death.”
