Tag: medical

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Real Life

Boyfriend eaten by flesh-eating bug!

Jessica was looking forward to spending a romantic Valentine’s Day with her boyfriend of seven years, James. But shortly beforehand, James started feeling poorly. The pair went to his GP, who prescribed antibiotics and sent him home. Just hours later, James was delirious and slipping in and out of consciousness. He was rushed to hospital, where doctors discovered he’d developed the deadly condition necrotising fasciitis – a flesh-eating bug – and his skin was rotting away. Giving James only a 30% chance of survival, doctors put him in an induced coma for three weeks as they battled to save his skin.

Thankfully James survived the terrifying ordeal and the couple bravely shared his story in Pick Me Up to raise awareness.

 

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Real Life

I broke my spine fleeing sex attacker!

Jemma Rixon hit the headlines in 2014 when she broke her back after jumping out of a window to escape sex attacker Craig Cantwell. After appearing on ITV’s This Morning and featuring in UK magazines and newspapers such as Real People, the Mirror, Daily Mail and Daily Star, Jemma has bravely shared her story with Australia’s That’s Life to help raise awareness for other victims of sexual attacks.

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Real Life

Scarred for life after Valentine’s Day spring rolls catastrophe

Mercedes was looking forward to spending Valentine’s Day with her new boyfriend, Simon. In fact, she was intending to rustle up her speciality dish of pork and cabbage spring rolls. But as she drizzled oil into the pan, it set alight. As the flames soared, Mercedes ran towards the kitchen door – tripping her cat, Turbo, and flinging the scorching oil all over herself. After being rushed to hospital in an ambulance, Mercedes underwent several painful skin grafts and is now scarred for life. Hoping to use her story to inspire other women, Mercedes says that she and Simon are still very much in love but will definitely be getting a takeaway this year.

Her story was published in Pick Me Up.

Categories
Real Life

Son’s allergic reaction almost burnt him alive

Little Declan Bitmead-Ellis was left fighting for his life after a one-in-a-million allergic reaction to tonsillitis medication led him to develop the deadly condition, TEN (toxic epidermal necrolysis). Mum Ashleigh watched in horror as his skin burned from the inside and his eyes fused shut. Now recovered, the brave six-year-old is back at school but has to wear special sunglasses to protect his eyes from the sun.

Proud Ashleigh shared Declan’s story in Pick Me Up.

 

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Real Life

My son is the real-life Pinocchio!

 

Ollie Trezise is a happy little boy who loves splashing in his paddling pool and playing with his big sister. But there’s something very special about him…he was born with an encephalocele, which meant that his brain grew through his nose! As a result, when the adorable tot grew, so did his nose – just like the Disney character, Pinocchio.

Proud mum Amy Poole shared her story in this week’s Chat magazine to help parents of other children with visible disfigurements. She’s been at the receiving end of cruel comments from strangers about Ollie’s appearance but says she wouldn’t change him for the world.

If you’ve ever been taunted because of your appearance, organisations like Changing Faces can help.

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Real Life

So anorexic that Mum planned my funeral

 

As soon as Niamh Wynne learned about calories in her biology lesson at school, she began limiting her intake. Over two years, the now 18-year-old lost a dangerous 7st 6lb and developed anorexia. Things got so bad that mum Ann planned her funeral. Now fully recovered, Niamh is sharing her story to raise awareness for girls suffering from eating disorders.

As seen in the Sun.

Categories
Real Life

Boy almost blind after horrific allergic reaction to antibiotic

 

Adorable Declan Bitmead-Ellis, 6, has been left almost blind after a horrific allergic reaction to the commonly-prescribed antibiotic Amoxicillin. Soon after taking the drug, his skin had peeled off and he was fighting for his life in intensive care. Doctors later diagnosed him with toxic epidermal necrolysis (TENS), which has a 30% mortality rate. Now back at school, he’s been left almost blind and has to wear special sunglasses to protect his eyes.

As seen in the Metro, Mail Online, Mirror and Sun.

Categories
Real Life

My son is the real life Pinocchio!

 

When little Ollie Trezise was born, his mum, Amy Poole, was shocked to see a lump the size of a golf ball on his nose. The now 18-month-old was born with a rare birth defect called an encephalocele, which meant his brain was growing through a sac on his nose. As Ollie grew, so did his nose – just like the Disney character, Pinocchio.

His mum spoke out in today’s Sun to raise awareness of the condition. Read the full article here.

Categories
Real Life

WORLD EXCLUSIVE: Woman becomes first adult to get robo spine

 

Deirdre McDonnell has broken medical history after becoming the first adult in the world to get an amazing ‘robot’ spine that is controlled by magnets. The MAGEC rod, which was developed to combat scoliosis in children, has completely transformed her life. Now doctors are hopeful that the operation can be performed on other adults, many of whom have had to undergo a series of painful procedures in an attempt to straighten and lengthen their spine.

Her story made the front cover of the Irish Sun and Irish Daily Star, and also featured in the Irish Mirror, Metro, Irish Daily Mail and Irish Herald.

Read the full Irish Mirror article here.

If you’ve had your own amazing medical breakthrough, contact me on charlotte@hotspotmedia.co.uk.