A local woman who is well-known in the home-schooling community for her kind-hearted spirit, is slowly recovering in hospital following a freak incident which resulted in the amputation of her right leg.
Michelle Wardrope, fell over on her driveway two weeks ago and needed six stitches for the gash on her knee, but unbeknownst to her, this was the start of a terrifying series of events which nearly saw her lose her life.
Michelle Wardrobe (centre) lost her leg from a soil-borne bacterial infection which she was incredibly lucky to survive. Pictured with her son Ollie (left) and partner, Ben Brown (right). Photo supplied
Michelle’s husband, Ben, was elated to finally speak with his wife on Thursday last week following a period of 13 days when she was on life support.
During this time there were some scary moments when doctors said they didn’t know whether she would survive.
“It’s all just been so much to process, and when I finally spoke to her today all I could tell her was that I loved her, and that everything would be ok,” he shared.
When this conversation took place, Michelle had only been awake for an hour and had no idea her leg had been amputated, she simply thought it was numb.
This nightmare series of events began two weeks ago when Michelle dashed outside in the rain to call her nine-year-old son in for dinner.
It had been raining heavily that day and she slipped forward on the steep driveway, tumbling to the ground and receiving a deep gash on her knee.
The family went to Proserpine Hospital where she was given six stitches for a seemingly standard injury.
She went to bed normally that night but woke up after a few hours with her leg throbbing.
After discussing the sensation with Ben, the couple knew this was not normal and she returned to hospital.
Ben explains it had been a whirlwind ever since.
Within a few hours at hospital Michelle’s leg had swollen up and she was airlifted to Mackay Hospital where she was put on life support.
Ben, and the couple’s son Ollie, raced down to Mackay in the car to be by her side.
In less than 72 hours the majority of Michelle’s leg was removed and eventually this extended further, her leg amputated from the hip down, including some of the cheek of her bottom.
Michelle had caught a soil-borne bacterial infection from the run-off streaming down the hill from the vegetation above their house and onto the driveaway where she cut her leg.
This type of infection is extremely life-threatening, with the doctors telling Ben, most people do not make it through the first 48 hours.
The bacteria forms a gas which tracked up Michelle’s leg and it was very lucky to be caught.
“They performed a little miracle,” said Ben.
“We were told she wouldn’t make it, and we are forever grateful that she did.
“We have been through a lot of hardship including losing three children, who passed away a little after birth, 17 years ago.
“We are now blessed with our beautiful boy. It’s just us three and we are positive-minded people who would take the shirts off our backs for anyone.”
Michelle is now in hospital in Brisbane, having just woken up from a 13-day coma.
Over the past week she has been reunited with her family, but she has also had to process and start to comprehend a life with only one leg.
Ben is a self-employed painter and the family have limited means of income while they navigate the next few months of finding accommodation down in Brisbane and learning about the recovery process.
Despite this, Ben remains resolutely grateful.
“I would like to thank the whole community for their support, and I would like to say a special thank you to all the hospital systems – we are so very grateful,” he shared.
“We still feel like we are in a movie, I still think I’m going to wake up – it all happened so fast, words cannot express what we have been through.”
If you wish to help the family by easing the financial load, you can donate to the GoFundMe page entitled ‘Michelle’s Fight For Life”.
Michelle being transported from hospital for life saving surgery. Photo supplied
Michelle and her son, Ollie in happier times. Photo supplied
