Mum, 28, almost died from 'flesh-eating' infection she contracted during childbirth which 'ate away' her abdomen ** WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT** READ MORE: Girl diagnosed with tumour after doctors dismissed lump as wart By Rebecca Whittaker For Mailonline Published: 14:06, 23 August 2024 | Updated: 14:06, 23 August 2024 e-mail View comments An Essex woman almost died after developing a gruesome flesh-eating disease 'ate away' her abdomen days after she gave birth. Charleigh Boyne, a dance teacher from Manningtree, was rushed back to hospital less than a week after her daughter was born in April last year, when she developed an angry rash and shivers that made her bones feel they were 'crumbling'. A CT scan revealed she had the rare, life-threatening infection necrotising fasciitis (NF) that was destroying her skin and muscles.
Following a six-hour operation, Ms Boyne, 28, was put into an induced coma for two days. Charleigh Boyne, a dance teacher from Manningtree, Essex, pictured with Husband Liam, 28, had a normal delivery with her first child in April last year. But six days after taking newborn daughter Alessia home the 28-year-old developed a painful rash on her stomach and was struggling to stay awake Mrs Boyne was rushed to hospital where a CT scan revealed she had necrotising fasciitis (NF) and it was ‘eating away her abdomen’ Mrs Boyne is one of the 500 people a year in the UK who get NF.
According to the NHS , this ‘flesh-eating disease’ can happen if a wound becomes infected. The infection can cause intense pain or loss of feeling near a cut or wound, swelling of the skin and flu-like symptoms. Some patients will later start vomiting, get black blotches on their skin and they may suffer with confusion, according to the NHS.
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which soon left her unable to walk & talk It needs to be treated in hospital straight away and Mrs Boyne was warned by doctors that if they didn’t operate to remove the dead flesh, she would die. 'I went into labour with my daughter and it was pretty standard,' Mrs Boyne said. 'I went home and about six days later I fell ill.
I had a welted rash on my stomach. It looked like a burn. 'The rash was painful and I kept getting rigor shivers where my bones just felt like they were going to crumble.
'I just wanted to sleep. My husband was terrified. 'I went back to hospital and a CT scan showed I had NF and it was eating away my abdomen.
'The doctors came quickly and said I needed emergency surgery or I was going to die. 'It was the weirdest moment of my life. It was like in a film where someone gets big news and everything goes muffled.
It was an out-of-body experience. 'They cut me open and removed everything that was dead. 'When I woke up, I was told it was two days later and that I was going to be ok.
' According to the NHS , this ‘flesh-eating disease’ is a rare, life-threatening infection that can happen if a wound becomes infected Mrs Boyne was warned by doctors that if they didn’t operate to remove the dead flesh, she would die Now, Mrs Boyne suffers from PTSD and has been left with a five-inch scar which she confesses has made her struggle to look at herself in the mirror. She said: 'I’m better physically, but I’m still in the process of healing. I have a callus scar and I have PTSD.
'The scar really affects my confidence. I struggle to look in the mirror. 'I don’t wear clothes where I have my stomach out but in some outfits you can see it because it’s a dent.
' But she says her daughter is thriving and the illness hasn’t put her off having another child. She said: 'Alessia is perfect. She’s loving life.
She’s a happy little bean. We would love to have more children, but I will be very wary.' Mrs Boyne has set up a GoFundMe to raise money for the Lee Spark NF Foundation and Colchester Hospital, Essex, who she thanks for saving her life.
She added: 'I’m walking a half marathon for Lee Spark who helped me come to terms with what happened and for Colchester Hospital who saved my life. 'It’s important to raise awareness. Most people have no idea what NF is.
'As much as it’s rare, it’s still a possibility and it can’t be diagnosed if people don’t know what it is. 'When it comes, it comes quickly. You can get it from a cold or an open wound.
' NECROTISING FASCIITIS: THE VICIOUS FLESH-EATING BACTERIA Necrotising fasciitis, more commonly known as 'flesh-eating disease', is a rare but extremely vicious bacterial infection. 'Necrotising' refers to something that causes body tissue to die, and the infection can destroy skin, muscles and fat. The disease develops when the bacteria enters the body, often through a minor cut or scrape.
As the bacteria multiply, they release toxins that kill tissue and cut off blood flow to the area. Because it is so virulent, the bacteria spreads rapidly throughout the body. Symptoms include small, red lumps or bumps on the skin, rapidly-spreading bruising, sweating, chills, fever and nausea.
Organ failure and shock are also common complications. Sufferers must be treated immediately to prevent death, and are usually given powerful antibiotics and surgery to remove dead tissue. Amputation can become necessary if the disease spreads through an arm or leg.
Patients may undergo skin grafts after the infection has cleared up, to help the healing process or for aesthetic reasons. There are 500 to 1,500 cases reported a year, but 20 to 25 percent of victims die. NHS Share or comment on this article: Mum, 28, almost died from 'flesh-eating' infection she contracted during childbirth which 'ate away' her abdomen e-mail Add comment.
