A British mother of four was put into an induced coma and had to have her hands amputated after contracting sepsis from a bite from the family’s dog, according to reports.
Michelle Ellis, from Plymouth, sustained a minor wound when her dog bit her when she put him in his cage, the Plymouth Herald reported.
After her flu-like symptoms worsened, Ellis was admitted to Derriford Hospital, where she was diagnosed with the potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s infection response damages tissues.
She was then put into an induced coma and dialyzed, according to the outlet valve.
“Her kidneys are still not working and the extent of the damage caused is uncertain at this point,” said Ellis’ sister Melanie, The Sun reported.
She is still unaware of the situation with her hands. They’re waiting to see if she’s strong enough to absorb this, ”she said, adding that her sister has sustained multiple organ damage.
Melanie said it will cost £ 32,000 – about $ 44,000 – for each hand replaced with a prosthesis that needs to be renewed every five years.
Ellis’ daughter, Keana, 24, said the dog’s bite was “about the size of a lit cigarette, so nothing was thought of and she left it – and then this happened.”
The woman’s Facebook page shows her with two dogs, including a pug named Mabel, but it was unclear which one bit her. The dog that bit her would be killed after the tragic incident.
The family runs a fundraiser to raise money for Ellis’s treatment.
“The fundraiser is meant to help pay for her rehab and all the costs that come with it, as well as to give her a little treat when she starts to get better,” Keana told the Plymouth Herald.
Hopefully it will be a nice treat for her and she won’t have any extra worries. Hopefully she won’t have to worry about money for now, ”she added.
Meanwhile, the Ellis family, who has come out of the coma in recent days, has not been able to visit because of the coronavirus pandemic.
“We are not allowed to visit her at the moment, which makes it a lot more difficult. The hardest part is that we weren’t expecting this at all, ”said Keana.
“I now want to raise as much money as possible with the fundraiser and raise awareness so that she has a good quality of life when she gets better.”