A woman narrowly escaped losing her leg after being bitten by a false widow spider in a garden in Staffordshire.
An afternoon spent outdoors turned into a terrifying ordeal for Bella Lamorte when she was bitten by a spider the previous week.
The 39-year-old was visiting her partner in Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, last month when the incident occurred while she was seated outside.
The copywriter, hailing from Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, experienced a pulsating sensation on her right ankle that evening, but upon awakening the next morning, she found herself ‘barely able to walk’.
She recounted, ‘I visited my partner in Stoke, and they had just trimmed the grass. We were sitting outside, and I had on fishnet tights, but I felt nothing biting me.
‘It wasn’t until I went upstairs later that night that I noticed the throbbing just above my ankle. I have never been allergic to insect bites previously or experienced any reactions.
‘The following day, I felt uneasy and I could hardly walk by Tuesday. The pain was excruciating. I had to crawl up the stairs. My foot was incredibly swollen. It felt like someone was perpetually stabbing a dagger into my foot.’
Sepsis following the spider bite.
After contacting medical services on 111, Bella proceeded to Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Buckinghamshire, where she received antibiotics and was instructed to return a few days later.
However, within a week, Bella’s foot had swelled significantly due to an infection spreading from the bite.
To complicate matters, a frightened Bella was informed that she could have lost her foot or even her leg had she not sought medical attention, as her body was combating sepsis.
Bella stated, ‘The pain was unbearable. The doctors indicated that they needed to perform surgery to remove the necrotic tissue since some of it had become infected.
‘They told me that I could have lost my foot or my leg. The medical staff confirmed it was indeed an insect bite, although they were uncertain if it was a spider. Yet I came across another case where a woman had been bitten by a spider, and my wound resembled hers perfectly.
‘I am convinced it was a false widow spider. They advised me that my life could have been at risk because of this.’
‘My sister had experienced sepsis before she passed away, and if it hadn’t been for her loss, I doubt I would have been as vigilant about my health.’
The infected tissue on her foot was excised during surgery, resulting in a substantial opening. She is currently awaiting plastic surgery for a necessary skin graft on her foot.
She is now able to walk again but remains anxious about insects.
Bella expressed, ‘I am on my feet again but still limping. It was terrifying to contemplate that I could have lost my life. I sometimes walk barefoot in the garden, never considering that something like this could occur. It has made me hesitant about going into the garden again.
‘You wouldn’t expect this in a garden in the UK. It has certainly made me reconsider wearing my fishnets outside!’
‘I simply want to alert others about these risks. I wouldn’t want anyone else to endure a similar experience. I could have easily lost my leg; it was horrifying.’
She mentioned that she now feels ‘hyper-aware of insects now.’
‘I would advise everyone to be cautious regarding what is in their garden. I worry about the possibility of a vulnerable individual being bitten,’ she added.