Who is Charleigh Chatterton?
When Charleigh Chatterton, 27, gave birth to her daughter Alessia at Colchester Hospital last month, she had no idea that just six days later she would be back in the hospital fighting necrotizing fasciitis or that they would tell her family that may not survive. New mothers have been warned about the dangers of an aggressive carnivorous insect that nearly claimed the life of a woman six days after the birth of her daughter.
According to the NHS, necrotizing fasciitis, also known as the “flesh-eating disease”, is a rare and life-threatening infection that can occur if a wound becomes infected. Symptoms include severe pain or loss of feeling near a cut or wound, swelling of the skin around the affected area, and flu-like symptoms.
The BBC reports that although Miss Chatterton had no complications in childbirth, she soon developed flu symptoms and a rash after leaving the hospital that she was “as hot to the touch as a boiling kettle”. After returning to the hospital, she was tested several times, but she came out fine, despite being unbelievably unwell.
Scans then revealed that Miss Chatterton had developed pockets of gas under her tissue which were diagnosed as the carnivorous insect. Doctors determined that she needed immediate surgery to remove the dead tissue and prevent the bacteria from spreading.
The new mother said: ‘The doctors said my chances of survival were slim. I think they diagnosed me just in time. After being sedated for three days, Miss Chatterton awoke to find that she had two huge stomach wounds that had to be left open for six days while her body recovered enough to be vacuum pumped.
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After two weeks, she finally felt well enough to leave the hospital and join her little daughter. Now, she says, she is determined to raise awareness about the terrifying condition.
She said: ‘I’m still finding it quite difficult psychologically, but physically I’m doing very well. I have some big scars and some nerve damage, but I feel very lucky. I’m here and that’s all that matters. “I just want to get the message across because most people have never heard of it and early diagnosis can be the difference between life and death.”
Martin Mansfield, deputy medical director of the East Suffolk and North Essex Foundation Trust, said: “We are very pleased to have been able to help Charleigh and very pleased to hear that she is doing so well.”
“Necrotizing fasciitis is a bacterial infection that can be very serious and life-threatening if not detected early and it is a testament to the knowledge and experience of our staff that they detected what was happening and were able to take action very quickly.”
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