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Man Ends Up In Hospital For A Month After Dismissing Rare Condition As Flu

Man Ends Up In Hospital For A Month After Dismissing Rare Condition As Flu

He had Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A man has ended up in hospital with bleeding eyes and 'reptilian' scales all over his body, after dismissing a sore throat and other symptoms as flu.

Thirty-three-year-old Kevin Mannion ignored his cold-like symptoms and refused to see a doctor, thinking it would pass.

However, six days after first experiencing the symptoms he was rushed to hospital after his eyes and mouth became shut closed by blisters one morning.

Kevin was taken to Warrington Hospital where doctors informed he had a rare condition called Stevens-Johnson syndrome.

He ended up spending a month in hospital, while doctors fought to get him well again. Stevens-Johnson syndrome is usually caused by an unpredictable reaction to medications, however it can also be caused by an infection, according to the NHS.

Credit: Cavendish Press

Tanya Jackson, Kevin's fiancee, said: "My heart broke at the sight of him. I never could have imagined a sore throat could be so dangerous. He looked horrific, he was trembling violently and blistered beyond recognition.

"His blisters began to bubble and he developed reptile-like scales on his back. His eyelids became so swollen and puffy they looked like lips. His lips blackened and the skin inside and around his mouth blistered, then flaked off. And his mouth was so swollen shut with abscesses, I thought he was going to die.

"As a typical bloke he refused to get help, so I didn't think it could have been serious. But two days later he developed cold sweats and uncontrollable shivers and started hallucinating. Still he refused to get help not wanting to make a fuss.

"One morning the children wanted cuddles with dad. Aaron stared in horror and asked me what was wrong with his daddy, and Eva's lip began to quiver. To see him in such a state must have been so traumatic."

Credit: Cavendish Press

After a month in hospital, Kevin was sent home, where he spent another month recovering before he was well enough to go back to work. He still has a 'crackle' in his lung and has been left with scaring on his back.

Tanya went on: "It was horrifying. The doctor's fears intensified our own. I assumed Kev was going to die. I honestly thought I'd lost him, but Kev is a fighter.

"I just hope that by sharing his story, it will raise awareness of this potentially deadly condition. Stevens-Johnson syndrome could have killed my Kev, but he was one of the lucky ones. But still, I find it hard to believe all this stemmed from a sore throat."

Featured Image Credit: Cavendish Press

Topics: Hospital, NHS