She thought it was just a “simple” pain on her wrist for having some rather rough sex, but a young mother died from a rare flesh eating disease that was left undetected by doctors when she first had her painful wrist checked-up.
Care assistant Katie Widdowson, 24, shared to her attending doctors she had hurt her wrist after agreeing to be restrained for their lovemaking by her boyfriend in the bedroom. She was diagnosed with just a simple strain and immediately sent home. She had to be rushed back to the hospital, the following day, however, when her condition took a turn for the worse.
It was later discovered that the mother of one from Castle Vale in Birmingham was actually suffering from the flesh eating bug, Necrotising Fasciitis and died from a bacterial infection shortly after she was rushed back to the hospital.
An inquest has been set to determine the accountability for the young mother’s death. Her partner chef Dean Smith told the inquest that they had been together for five and a half years and that she had a young child.
Smith said that Widdowson sent him a photograph of her hurting wrist the following day and complained that the pain was so much that he could not even move it. She proceeded to Good Hope Hospital in Sutton Coldfield only to be given with mere painkillers because what was bothering was merely diagnosed as strain. She developed blisters the following day, however. She was rushed to another hospital, Heartlands Hospital but suffered a heart attack in the ambulance.
Assistant Coroner Emma Brown said that Widdowson already complained the first visit to the hospital that she was suffering extreme pain in her left wrist and was unable to feel her fingers, and that the pain was even spreading up her arm.
The coroner said her temperature, heart and pulse rate were all abnormal and therefore she should have been admitted and observed every 30 minutes. But in spite of having seen two doctors and having an x-ray, she was told she had a sprained wrist, and was immediately discharged. The coroner said that Widdowson should have undergone a major surgery.
The hospital staff including doctors then had “clear failures “on their part. Brown said: “They flagrantly ignored the policy that was there for the very situation Katie found herself in. Her early warning score was six and should have resulted in regular and ongoing observations and further investigations. These were not carried out. If Katie had remained in hospital, it is clear that her death would have been avoidable.“
Brown concluded that such mistakes amounted to a gross failure to provide basic medical attention. She said that Widdowson’s death was due to Necrotising Fasciitis contributed to by neglect.
Widdowson’s is planning to take legal action over the negligence that contributed to their beloved’s death.
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