A 29-year-old mother from south-west London was forced to have three limbs amputated after she developed sepsis following the birth of her twins.
Khedidja Teape’s legs, hand, fingers and nose were left blackened and needed removing after her life-threatening ordeal.
The mother-of-four is now raising awareness of the dangers of sepsis and the vital importance of prompt treatment.
Ms Teape, known as Deesh or Deesha, gave birth naturally to her “beautiful” twins on April 12 last year and returned home with them following day.
“Little did I know that this joyous moment would quickly turn into a life-altering journey,” she later wrote on a Gofundme page.
The mother began experiencing stomach pains shortly after arriving home, which worsened over coming days.
“Despite my concerns, medical professionals initially dismissed my symptoms,” she told on Gofundme.
By April 17 her symptoms had worsened dramatically, leaving her vomiting, shivering, unable to eat, and “on a whole feeling like I was going to die”. She made a “desperate” call for an ambulance.
She later told The Sun: “If I hadn’t called an ambulance when I did, doctors said I might have died in my sleep.”
Ms Teape was rushed to St George’s Hospital, where she was diagnosed with a Strep A infection which had developed into sepsis.
She spent a week in an induced coma, and woke to find her partner and family had been told to “prepare for the worst”.
She “miraculously” survived, but was shocked to find the sepsis had caused extensive damage to her body.
“My feet/legs, hands/arm, and nose were black,” she said. “How did this happen? I didn’t know what was going on.”
Ms Teape was told both of her legs and her left hand would have to be amputated.
She initially refused, wanting to see if her body could heal, but said: “After a while it became apparent that the limbs were dead and I had to make the tough decision to go ahead with amputation.”
In two operations last August, her legs were amputated to below the knee and her left arm to below the elbow. The fingers on her right hand were also removed.
“Adapting to this new reality has been physically, emotionally and mentally demanding,” she told on Gofundme. “But I’ve really smashed it and become resilient.
“Life goes on right? I also got children to raise! I'm now on the path to rehabilitation, but my journey is far from over.
“With four children under 10, I face unique challenges in adapting to this new chapter of my life.”
Speaking to The Sun, she told how she has now received fitted prosthetics, and is now able to walk independently, as she looks after babies Zakari and Zalaysia.
“Now, I can carry my twins in the crook of my right arm, and lift them up too,” she told the newspaper. “My family are happy to have me home.”
“My life may have been flipped upside down, but at least my babies, and my older kids, still have their mum.”
She said she is keen to raise awareness of sepsis, and urged people to “listen to your gut” when feeling unwell.
The UK Sepsis rust says around 245,000 people are affected by the condition each year, with at least 48,000 dying from a sepsis-related illness annually.
“It destroyed my body, and nearly killed me,” Ms Teape told The Sun. “If you have experience any of these symptoms, call 999 immediately.”
What are the symptoms of sepsis?
Symptoms in children include:
- blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast
- a weak, high-pitched cry that's not like their normal cry
- not responding like they normally do, or not interested in feeding or normal activities
- being sleepier than normal or difficult to wake
Symptoms in adults include:
- acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense
- blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
- a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- difficulty breathing, breathlessness or breathing very fast
Ms Teape’s Gofundme page has so far raised more than £40,000, to help cover costs such as therapy, mobility aids, and support for her family.
Supporters have described her as “an inspiration”.
One NHS midwife who donated wrote: “Your story and strength is remarkable. I am so sorry your symptoms were initially dismissed. Your children are so very lucky to have such a might strong woman as their mother.”
Another donor wrote: “You are such an inspiration, when you’ve been dealt such a tough hand your outlook on things and positive attitude truly amazed me.”
Visit the fundraising page here.
