11/11/2025
Luke, a fit and healthy man in his 40s, nearly died after developing a rare and aggressive infection, all starting from what looked like a minor graze on his elbow.
One Saturday, Luke felt unwell with flu-like symptoms and stayed in bed while his wife Julie, a mental health nurse, went for their usual parkrun. By the time she returned, he had worsened, shivering with a high temperature, weak, and complaining of pain in his arm. Julie noticed redness around a small graze and, concerned, rang NHS 111.
While they waited for a call back, Luke began vomiting and the redness spread. Julie rushed him to the Emergency Department. A nurse quickly suspected sepsis, and doctors acted fast. Blood tests showed Luke was critically ill. One of the doctors raised the alarm for necrotising fasciitis, a rare, life-threatening “flesh-eating” infection.
Luke was taken for emergency surgery. Julie was told he might lose his arm and had to give consent. Surgeons managed to save it, but he was placed on life support in intensive care, suffering from severe septic shock. He underwent multiple surgeries, received a blood transfusion, and was kept in an induced coma.
After two days unconscious, Luke began to recover slowly. He later had a skin graft at Morriston Hospital. ICU staff had kept a journal of his care to help him understand what happened.
Now, eight years on, Luke still lives with post-sepsis syndrome but has regained most movement in his arm. He and Julie now volunteer to raise awareness of sepsis, and Julie credits the quick-thinking medical staff with saving his life.
“It started with what we thought was the flu and a small graze,” said Julie. “But within hours, Luke was fighting for his life. Recognising the signs of sepsis can truly save lives.”
Signs and symptoms of sepsis in adults and older children include:
Slurred speech or confusion
Extreme shivering or muscle pain
Passing no urine (in a day)
Severe breathlessness
It feels like you’re going to die
Skin mottled or discoloured
To read Luke’s full story and to find out more about sepsis, visit: https://orlo.uk/sRGkw
