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A mother of four became a triple amputee after her dog bit her and triggered a life-threatening sepsis.
Christine Caron was playing rope with her four dogs on May 16, 2013, when three-year-old Shih Tzu, Buster, accidentally bit her hand.
Ms. Caron, from Ottawa, Canada, went to the hospital six days later after experiencing flu-like symptoms and vomiting overnight. She collapsed on her arrival.
Three weeks later, she awoke from a coma and discovered that she was battling sepsis – the body's reaction to an infection, which would have been caused by a dog bite.
The 55-year-old woman was told that she would need to have her right arm and both legs amputated, since sepsis can cause tissue death.
Ms. Caron has since learned to live with prostheses and is now doing everything she can to raise public awareness of sepsis.
Christine Caron, 55, was playing rope with her four dogs on May 16, 2013, when her three-year-old Shih Tzu, Buster (right), accidentally bit her hand. In the photo after amputations with Milo, Cameron, Keeta and Buster
Ms. Caron woke up in a coma to discover that she was battling a sepsis – a life-threatening disease that could be caused by a bite from an infected animal – and that she would then need amputation of his legs and one arm. On the picture at the hospital after the surgery
The mother of four in Ottawa, Canada, has since learned to live with prostheses (photo) and is doing everything in her power to educate the public about sepsis.
Buster had to be adopted in 2015 because he became extremely anxious and protective of Ms. Caron and was aggressive towards other dogs.
Ms. Caron, who is also the owner of Milo and Keeta, but who lost Cameron due to his advanced age in 2016, said: "I was playing with my dog in the garden when he accidentally pinched my hand .
"I did not think it would be a problem because I had it cleaned up right away and the virus did not get infected.
"Three days after the dog's bite, I started to feel dizzy and felt worse from there."
On May 21, Ms. Caron felt extremely weak, breathless and nauseated at work. She went home and fell asleep on the couch.
She said, "I tried to go to the emergency clinic, but it had closed a few moments before, so I went home and went straight to bed." and that's the last thing I've remembered for months. "
After trying to fall asleep, Ms. Caron woke up at 11:30 pm with what she thought were flu symptoms and went to the hospital the next morning.
Symptoms of sepsis include speech or confusion, extreme chills or muscle aches, non-passing urine, severe shortness of breath and marbled or discolored skin.
Ms. Caron said, "I collapsed in an emergency at 7:00 in the morning.
"The next thing I knew was that I was in the hospital after a coma on June 13th.
"It was at that time that I was told that I had contracted sepsis and that the only way to save myself, was to m". amputate the arms and legs.
Sepsis is treatable if it is identified early and in most cases leads to complete recovery.
But Ms. Caron was unaware of the signs and thought she had suffered from an underlying lung problem – bronchitis – during the three months preceding the bite, which tarnished her immune system.
An animal bite can cause an infection because it allows bacteria in their mouth to penetrate deep into the skin.
Sepsis can lead to overdrive of the blood clotting mechanism and cause obstructions in the blood vessels.
When blood can not pass through the blood vessels, oxygen and essential nutrients can not reach the body tissues. The tissue may die and require amputation.
Sepsis had ravaged three members of Mrs. Caron. But, after regaining circulation in her right arm, she was told that she could continue to use it.
She said: "I was initially told that I should be amputated from all four limbs, but the circulation miraculously returned to my right arm – which provided me with the small glimmer of hope. which I had so desperately needed to survive.
Ms. Caron went to the hospital six days after being bitten, suffering from what she thought was the flu after vomiting all night. On the photo with his dog Milo in 2017
Ms. Caron came out of a coma a month after her hospitalization after she collapsed on her arrival. She was able to save her right arm from amputation. On the picture in 2017
Although she has become a triple amputee, Ms. Caron said she is now making the most of her life. She spent seven months in the hospital and her rehabilitation after the bite of a dog.
Ms. Caron received her left prosthetic arm in 2017 (photo). She was able to eat normally and has since begun to practice yoga.
My legs were amputated below the knee on June 22nd and finally my arm was amputated under the elbow on the 26th.
"I was then directly put into rehab to learn how to deal with the loss of multiple limbs and to achieve a certain level of independence."
Ms. Caron was discharged from the hospital to the rehab center on July 8 and in September she could walk with the help of her prostheses.
On December 18, she left the rehabilitation center.
It was not until in 2017 that Mrs. Caron received her left passive prosthetic arm, as doctors wanted her to focus her energy on relearning to walk again.
Mrs. Caron is delighted to have been able to eat with more normality because the prosthetic arm is able to perform basic tasks.
Although she has become a triple amputee, Ms. Caron explains that she makes the most of her life.
Worldwide, one third of people with sepsis die – at least 46,000 people in the UK and 250,000 people in the US die each year from sepsis.
Many who survive have life-changing effects, such as post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), chronic pain and fatigue, organ dysfunction, and amputations.
Ms. Caron said that yoga, her family, and sepsis awareness helped her to live every day to the fullest.
She said: "Over the years, I have tried to become active again after the psychological effects of surgery stopped me.
"My initial goal was to reach the age of 50, five years ago. My new goal is to help raise awareness about sepsis and post-sepsis syndrome – the condition of most sepsis survivors.
"We need to do more to defend and educate, as sepsis does not discriminate, it can happen to anyone!"
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