What started as a hardly visible pimple on the bum, soon turned out to be a life-threatening bacterial infection.
Discover our latest podcast
39-year-old mother of two, Bridgette Garza, lost a leg after a spider bite on her buttock, caused her flesh to rot. Her family was told she had barely two per cent chance of survival.
‘Like a Green Snake’
Sometime in September 2020, Garza, noticed a pimple on her bottom but dismissed it as harmless. Ten days later, she woke up to find her leg covered in blisters. She was hallucinating as well.
Garza was later diagnosed with necrotizing fasciitis and had to spend more than two weeks in intensive care.
I was in pain with my leg, but I didn’t go to the doctors due to coronavirus. I didn’t want to risk catching it and thought the pain would ease off. But on the tenth day, I was very disorientated when I woke up from a nap. I couldn’t walk on my leg, and my kids said it looked like a green snake was wrapped around my leg.
Two per cent Survival Chance
Bridgette underwent seven surgeries, eight skin grafts and have her leg amputated below the knee. She said her family was devastated, and they had lost all hope of her surviving.
I don’t remember a thing, but when I woke up, the doctor was amazed. I had no idea where I was or how I got there. At this point, I didn’t even know I had half a leg missing. The doctor told me there was a two percent chance of survival, so I felt incredibly blessed. I was also told the surgeries were life-threatening as I could have been a chance of me bleeding out every time.
The former salesperson had to spend four weeks in the hospital. She had to learn to walk again in her new prosthetic leg.
However, she said, although she misses her leg, she feels lucky to still be alive.
I knew I had to get home to my kids, and a pity party wasn’t going to get my leg back. I had to make the best out of the situation and work my hardest to get a prosthetic leg. They said it will take longer because I am Type 1 diabetic, but I managed to walk again within eight months.
Garza hopes that by sharing her story, others in similar conditions would find the courage to continue living and making the most of life.
