Diabetic Dad Facing the Loss of His Foot After Being Bitten by a Spider

An actor who has failed to manage his type 2 diabetes is at risk of losing his foot after suffering a spider bite during a boy's vacation.

Matthew Phillips, 44, only realized that he had been bitten when he had returned home after a trip to Las Vegas on June 16th.

The doctors at the Royal Salford Hospital told him that the most likely culprit was a small Brown Recluse – only slightly larger than a 20p but more lethal than a rattlesnake.

However, at this point, the venom had already taken root and had rotten much of the top of his right foot.

The nerve damage caused by years of uncontrolled couple suffering from diabetes implied that the doctors did not even need to resort to anesthetics because they scratched pieces of dead flesh.

Matthew took some pictures of the procedure to warn people who are unaware of type 2 diabetes and can not control it, risking vulnerable feet to infections, ulcers and, yes, spider bites. .

Every day now represents a battle for Matthew to make sure his injury is not infected again.

He does not want to be added to a surprising statistic; It is currently estimated at 169 the number of diabetes-related amputations in the UK each week.

Matthew, a father of two from Whitefield, thinks that he had to be bitten at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas or on his flight back to Manchester, the only times he was barefoot.

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What began as a "little red dot" on her right foot ended in necrosis requiring surgery to remove the infected flesh so that she did not quite lose her limb. He went to the hospital after finding that his wound was swollen more and more. "

"I could have stood on a nail and I would not know it.They cut off all the dead flesh and the dead tissue and it was disgusting.It's the most horrible thing that I have never seen, "said Matthew.

He still has some "poison in my system" that affects his balance and he has trouble walking.

Matthew, married to his wife Joanne, admitted his daughter Ella, 13, and his son Leo fell back from horror when he changed his bandage.

"When I put it back on, they can not stand it, they both start out," he said.

Matthew, who had roles in Emmerdale and other television shows, admitted that his situation was partly the result of his own actions.

Matthew weighed the 20th at the age of 19 but refused to take his medication after being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, imagining he was "invincible".

It was not until the late thirties that he managed to control his diet, reduce the size of his portions and consume less sweet and less fat foods.

But the legacy of his weight problems still persists in the form of nerve damage to his feet.

High blood sugar can damage the small blood vessels that supply the nerves and cause neuropathy.

"I should have taken care of my diet and taken my medicine properly. I should have listened, "said Matthew.

"I continued to eat the wrong things, which is why I did a lot of damage."

Matthew said he hoped people with type 2 diabetes would listen to his story rather than "lose a leg or a foot in the future."

Research has shown that 26,378 people in the UK had a lower limb amputation related to diabetes between 2014 and 2017.

Dan Howarth, head of care at the charity Diabetes UK, said: "Diabetes is a serious disease that can lead to devastating complications, with feet being no exception.

"In the UK, there are 169 diabetes-related amputations every week, which is a shocking number, especially since the majority of them could be avoided if signs of foot damage were detected. on time.

"That's why it's so important for people with diabetes to know how to take care of their feet and check them daily.

"If they notice any changes or foot problems, it is essential that they urgently consult a doctor. a few hours can mean the difference between losing and keeping a limb. "