Woman lost half her bum and privates after eating meal on date
A mum ended up with a flesh-eating bug that ate away at her bum and private parts after eating shrimp on a date night.
Lacey Pepper, 47, first noticed something was wrong when she began to feel unwell and achy while driving home from a work trip but put it down to the long journey.
However, within four days things had worsened and she had developed a fever, began throwing up and could barely walk.
When her daughter spotted a blistering rash on her leg, Lacey initially dismissed it as a boil but the next day she was unable to walk so visited her doctor who told her to go to hospital.
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At the hospital, Lacey was told to immediately go to the emergency department where she fell unconscious for three days and her family were told she had contracted the flesh-eating bug necrotising fasciitis and warned there was a high chance she wouldn’t survive.
Lacey had to be rushed into surgery to remove the dead flesh from her left leg, crotch and backside.
This resulted in her losing around 25 percent of her left buttock, percent of the left side of her intimate area and 25 percent of her upper thigh.
Lacey, from Brookhaven in Mississippi, said: "I remember going to get a CT scan and I don't remember anything after that.
"I've been told that the doctor said it wasn't looking good [and that] I might not live. I might lose my leg and I might die.
"They did surgery on me and told my sister I had a flesh-eating bacteria and I had to be flown to another hospital."
Over the next two months, Lacey underwent a further 17 operations to try and rebuild the skin on her leg and even had to learn how to walk again.
she ate a week before while on a date night with her partner might be to blame.
Two years on from the experience, Lacey is speaking out to raise awareness of the flesh-eating bug and urging anyone who has symptoms similar to hers to get them checked out.
The potentially-fatal bacteria can be contracted via minor cuts, insect bites or even raw or undercooked seafood.
Lacey said she didn’t have any cuts or bites at the time and suspects that a fried shrimp meal
She said: I remember when they told me thinking 'where did I get this from?' I don't get in water. I don't even swim.
"I have no idea where I got it from. the doctors don't know. I didn't have any cuts on my body.
"I ate some shrimp while I was in Maryland with my boyfriend a week before I fell ill.
"You can get necrotising fasciitis from shellfish, but it could've been from anything.
"I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I'm very particular about everything I do now.
"I've been left with a big scar and I'm still living with the after effects. I use a cane to walk with.
"If you get a boil, or anything you're concerned about, just go to the doctors."
Claire Reid