A mosquito bite 13 years ago almost ended this mother’s life
Here’s a good reason why we should never take bug bites lightly.
Most people think that bug bites are nothing serious and can heal automatically or be treated with simple medication. But tell this to Jorja Austin and you’ll hear a life-changing story.
The mother was fighting for her life after a mosquito bite she suffered 13 years ago left her in critical condition.
what is a mosquito
A gnat is a small two-winged fly resembling a gnat. They include both biting and nonbiting forms and typically form large flocks. Most often they fly in large numbers, called clouds.
Jorja was bitten while mowing her yard in 2009. At the time it seemed like an ordinary bug bite with some redness and swelling in her leg.
But that was not the case. The four pinprick-sized bites on one of her legs took a long time to heal.
Not knowing what it could be, Jorja initially thought the wound would not heal due to iron deficiency. This later developed into a rare disease called pyoderma gangrenosum.
Pyoderma gangrenosum is a rare, inflammatory skin condition in which painful pustules or nodules become ulcers that grow progressively.
The agony began when the wounds on her leg turned into sepsis, a serious condition due to the presence of harmful microorganisms in the blood or other tissues and the body’s reaction to their presence, possibly leading to malfunction of various organs, shock and can lead to death.
Her condition required her to be hospitalized in Essex earlier this year. She once had to tell her family that both her legs had to be amputated to save her life.
This year, miraculously, she recovered from the state of celebrating Christmas for the first time in 13 years. But 13 years of torment had a profound impact on her life.
“I had no life and was in agony for 13 years. I lost my two little boys to my poor health. It got out of hand. You wouldn’t believe my legs finally got better. I’m so happy and over the moon after she’s been so frustrated for so long,” she was quoted as saying by the Mirror.
Jorja was diagnosed with a rare condition two years after the bite. It even migrated to her other leg.
