A mother was “minutes away from death” and had to learn to walk again after her chest pains turned out to be a flesh-eating bug destroying her pancreas.
Sam Lewis, 38, had been to doctors three times with chest pains before doctors found a gallstone blocking her bile duct.
After being hospitalized, Sam’s health quickly deteriorated and she was diagnosed with pancreatitis which became necrotizing.
The mother of three spent six months in hospital and had to have half of her pancreas removed to save her life.
Sam now has to eat a strict low-fat carb diet to avoid inflammation in her pancreas – meaning she can no longer have a rash.
Sam, a children’s entertainer, from Bournemouth, Dorset, said: “At one point I was minutes away from death.
“Pancreatitis is bad and it can get you.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow.”
Sam first started having chest pains in 2021 while getting her kids ready for the school run.
She went to hospital but was told she had costochondritis – an inflammation of the breastbone – and sent home on painkillers.
Sam had a similar pain again in March 2022, but after going to the doctors she claims her symptoms were “smothered” by long-term Covid.
But later that month the pain returned, so Sam went to the hospital and was sent for a CT scan, which revealed a gallstone blocking her bile duct.
This had caused pancreatitis – where the pancreas becomes inflamed.
Sam said, “They said we believe you have acute pancreatitis.
“They said ‘we’ll put you on a low-fat diet and you’ll be fine’.”
But things suddenly took a turn for the worst.
She said: “It went from acute to necrotizing overnight.
“My whole body swelled up.
“The gallstones were attacking my pancreas.
“I looked so bloated I was eight months pregnant.
“I couldn’t move my ankles.”
Sam was taken to intensive care and her family were told she might not make it.
She said: “My family came in. It was depressing. I couldn’t breathe properly.
“It was just so scary.”
Miraculously Sam made it, but after two months in Bournemouth Hospital she developed sepsis and had to be rushed to Southampton Hospital.
She said: “They didn’t think I was going to make it through the night.”
Doctors decided to put Sam into an induced coma and operated to remove the dead tissue and half of her pancreas.
A few days later Sam woke up with a drainage bag hanging from her, on an NG feeding tube and unable to walk.
Sam was in Southampton Hospital for a month before spending a month in Bournemouth Hospital. She was able to go home in August 2022.
Sam is left with chronic pancreatitis – where the pancreas is permanently damaged by inflammation.
This means that Sam is now on a very strict diet and cannot eat some of her favorite foods such as a fry and pastries.
She must stick to a low-fat carb diet as the food could worsen her condition and land her in hospital.
Sam said: “It’s something I have to live with.
“I used to love my food.
“I loved going out. Now I refrain from going anywhere in case I have a breakout.
“I can’t even have chips, chocolate, fish and chips. I can’t eat fast food.
“I can’t even go to the bakery.”
It took a year to get back to walking properly and Sam still hasn’t been able to go back to work.
Sam hopes she can “indulge” a little this Christmas – but worries she’ll end up in hospital with a flare-up.
She said: “I’m really excited for Christmas this year.
“I’m about to really enjoy it.”
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