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Teen Left Fighting For Her Life After Common Cold Turned Into Sepsis

Teen Left Fighting For Her Life After Common Cold Turned Into Sepsis

She has been placed in an induced coma and is fighting for her life

Claire Reid

Claire Reid

A teenager is fighting for her life after her cold turned into sepsis.

Eighteen-year-old Whitney Martin believed she had a common cold around three weeks ago, when she was left bed-ridden with flu-like symptoms. However, it quickly took a turn for the worse and she was rushed into hospital where she had to be placed in an induced coma.

Whitney was taken to Princess Royal Hospital in Telford but was moved to Wythenshawe Hospital in Manchester for specialist treatment after the illness began attacking her vital organs on 4 May.

SWNS

She suffered heart failure and 'technically died twice' while on the operating table. She is now in an induced coma and relies on two life-support machines.

She's been diagnosed with sepsis and myocardiopathy - a disorder of the heart muscle.

Her mum Suzanne, 38, has quit her job to be there for her daughter.

Mum-of-two Suzanne, of Telford, who is now living in a bungalow for transplant patients on the hospital site, said: "It all started about three weeks ago when she had a cold.

"It was usual flu-like conditions such as tiredness and being hot and cold and we thought she was just being a bit of a drama queen.

"She was fit and healthy girl and we never expected what was to come next as she was such an outgoing girl.

"On the Friday, her blood pressure was too low and her temperature was sky high and I took one look at her and knew I had to get her to a hospital.

SWNS

"She had been due to start a job as a waitress at one of our local pubs the next day.

"Within 24 hours her condition completely deteriorated and they wanted to transfer her to Birmingham by air ambulance for specialist care because they thought she was going to die.

"They didn't have any beds so she went by land ambulance to Manchester. She went straight into intensive care as she suffered heart failure.

"Her heart stopped twice, she technically died twice on the operating table and she only had a 50/50 chance of survival.

"But they did an incredible job and she was put on two life support machines and placed into an induced coma."

Whitney has been hooked up to an ECMO machine which uses an artificial lung to oxygenate blood and a BiVAD machine while helps her heart to function.

She remains in a life-threatening condition, but her family are hopeful she will pull through.

Suzanne added: "It has just been a living hell and every mother's worst nightmare.

"But she is now off one of the machines after her heart started working independently of the BiVAD machine, which the consultant had said is a small miracle.

SWNS

"We are just hoping for the best now, she has picked up but I could still potentially be here another six, nine or 12 months until after Christmas, they are telling me.

"The doctors and nurses have just been amazing and I cannot thank them enough for what they have done for Whitney so far.

"We are just praying she carries on fighting because we've always said Whitney cannot live without me and I can't live without Whitney - she is my little 'mini me'."

Sepsis, also known as blood poisoning, is the reaction to an infection in which the body attacks its own organs and tissues.

Symptoms include slurred speech, shivering, confusion and severe breathlessness. It can occur in both children and adults and can be life-threatening when left undetected.

The condition kills at least 44,000 people each year in the UK and is one of the country's biggest killers, yet is not widely understood by the public.

Featured Image Credit: SWNS

Topics: UK News