Grandmother in Manchester left hospital with a gaping hole in her stomach from a spider bite that gave her sepsis
A ‘paranoid’ search for spiders in a ten-year-old grandmother’s bedroom failed to prevent a spider from sinking its teeth into her and leaving a gaping hole in her stomach.
Karen Ashmore, 56, believes she was bitten by the spider while hanging out washing. She says she is lucky to be alive after the bite developed into sepsis.
Mrs Ashmore, who lives in Dukinfield, Manchester, initially dismissed the bite as a heat rash or a small spot, but the area started to feel ‘sore and itchy’.
And when her skin started to peel at the edges, she decided to go to her pharmacist, who told her that she had been bitten by an eight-legged creature. If the bite didn’t get better, she would have to go to the hospital.
A few days later, the wound worsened dramatically: Ms. Ashmore developed a swollen stomach. She was rushed to the emergency room, where doctors told her that the spider’s venom had caused an abscess in her stomach and that she was currently battling sepsis.
Karen Ashmore, 56, who suspects she was unknowingly bitten by a spider while hanging out her washing, says she feels lucky to be alive after the bite developed into sepsis
The abscess, a collection of pus, required urgent surgical removal, leaving a hole the size of a £1 coin and about 2cm deep.
Although Ashmore has made a full recovery, she warns others to beware of the seemingly harmless arachnids in Britain.
“I was obsessed with spiders before all this happened. I would always shake my sheets before I went to bed to make sure there were no spiders in them,” she said.
“I’m not afraid of them, but I am a little paranoid that they might be in the house.”
When she saw the bite, which turned out to be much more serious than expected, she said, “I had just taken a shower and noticed I had a spot on my stomach.”
‘It was only about the size of a thumbtack. As the week went on it started to get sore and itchy so I put some cream on it.
‘But then my skin started peeling off at the edges, so I knew something was wrong. I didn’t know what had happened, all I could see was a red spot.
‘I went to the chemist and they said it looked like a spider bite. They gave me antihistamine cream and tablets and said if it doesn’t improve in three days I should go to the hospital.
‘But the circle around the bite grew bigger and my stomach swelled.’
Ms Ashmore’s stomach began to swell, prompting a rush to A&E, where doctors told her the spider venom had caused an abscess in her stomach — and that she was battling sepsis. The abscess (left) required urgent surgery to remove, leaving a hole the size of a £1 coin and 2cm deep (right).
Mrs Ashmore was rushed to hospital and underwent emergency surgery to remove a section of her abdomen where the spider had lodged its fangs.
She said, ‘TheThey said at the hospital that it has become sepsis and an abscess. They said that it has swollen so much that it has to come out.
“It was very painful. I didn’t know what to think. I went in the next morning at 8am for emergency surgery. They wanted to cut out the abscess.
‘It was the size of a £1 coin and the hole I was left with was about an inch deep.’
Mrs Ashmore was left with an open wound after the operation and will have to wait for the skin to grow back before the area is fully healed.
Mrs Ashmore was left with an open wound after the operation and will have to wait for the skin to grow back for the area to fully heal.
Ms Ashmore is now urging others to always seek medical help if they see a suspicious new spot on their body
She said: ‘I’ve been told my skin will always be very, very thin there. It’s scarred me for life.
‘I never found out what kind of spider it was. You could see where it had its teeth in.
‘I don’t know where it came from. It could have been on the laundry when I brought the laundry in or I could have been bitten when I was cleaning the garden.’
Ms Ashmore now urges others to always seek medical help if they see a suspicious new spot on their body.
She said: ‘I never thought a spider could cause this kind of damage. Sepsis is deadly. I could easily have lost my life. They said it was serious.
I’m paranoid now [since the bite] about all the creepy crawlies. I’m checking every nook and cranny in the house now.
“I would advise anyone to go to the doctor as soon as possible if they see a new spot on their body. I regret not going sooner.”
