A GRAN was forced to have both her legs AMPUTATED - after getting two insect bites while gardening. Josie Rowley was in her garden tending to her plants when she says an insect bit her on her left leg in September last year. The former gardener said she first noticed the two red marks on her leg when getting ready for bed but thought nothing of the 'mosquito bite'-sized punctures.
It was only when the bites grew in size over the next few days and turned into 'gruesome' ulcers that the Irish gran-of-13 visited her GP where she was prescribed antibiotics. But after two rounds of unsuccessful antibiotics and painkillers, Josie was then referred to hospital where she was given compression bands and tried three rounds of leech therapy to tackle the infection. Josie says the compression wraps slowed down her circulation so much her toes turned black, leaving her with no choice but to have both legs amputated above the knee.
The mum-of-six said she's been left devastated by the incident and is shocked something as small as an insect bite has caused this much damage. Josie, from Bantry Bay, Cork , said: "I'm not too sure what bit me because it was only when I was getting ready for bed that I noticed two little round red marks on my lower left leg. "I just thought maybe an ant had crawled up my jeans or some creature.
"The next day they had got a lot bigger and over days they became sore and then turned into these gruesome ulcers and that is when I had the compression bandages put on..