We all know that life can change in an instant.
Before British Alex Lewis got a simple cold, he had never worried about anything.
Days later, his condition was so alarming that even his own son was afraid to hug him.
“Seize the day,” with that phrase many people wake up and start their day.
Doing what we love, what gives us passion and love makes life all the more enjoyable and absolutely worth living.
In 2013, Alex Lewis lived like this too.
Alex had a great career, hung out with his friends, and partied occasionally. He also enjoyed playing golf and loved spending time with his son.
When Alex suddenly got a cold, no one was alarmed.
His wife Lucy Townsend also thought it was nothing serious.
Health deteriorated rapidly
Alex thought his cold would pass quickly and he would soon be able to return to his normal life.
But what started with a simple cold ended in several complicated surgeries and even some amputations. That’s what The Guardian writes.
Alex started getting a fever and discovered blood in his urine when he used the bathroom.
He also started physically deteriorating, and his health declined rapidly.
Everyone agreed by now. This was no ordinary cold.
Alex had contracted streptococcal infections causing sepsis and organ failure.
He wouldn’t live much longer.
Suffering from a severe infection
When you get these bacteria in your blood, you can become seriously ill. It can completely destroy skin and muscles. Streptococci produce toxins that reside in the tissue.
The symptoms are so severe that the bacteria are sometimes called “killer bacteria.” The disease is life-threatening and it’s crucial to act quickly. The infection can be treated with antibiotics.
However, the infection Alex had contracted proved to be unresponsive to antibiotics.
“I called an ambulance and within 8 minutes they were here. In the hospital, I was told I had to bid him farewell. His kidneys were failing, and they were going to put him on a respirator,” says Alex’s partner, Lucy.
After a week in a coma, Alex woke up at the hospital, but with a big change.
Arms and legs amputated
When the infection had spread throughout his whole body, doctors saw no other choice but to amputate all his limbs.
They also had to remove a part of his mouth.
“I remember his legs in the hospital, and how they turned blacker and blacker,” he says. “Up to my hip, I was completely black. I don’t remember what my arm looked like, but my legs very clearly.”
Ten days after the cold, Alex had lost his arms and legs.
Foundation created
Due to his drastic physical changes, it was difficult for his son Sam to approach him.
Alex, now missing part of his mouth, couldn’t even get a hug or kiss from his son because he was scared.
This led the family to eventually create a fund to raise financial aid for Alex to get the means for a better life.
In 2016, the family managed to raise £20,000 to buy a pair of arm prosthetics for him to eat and do things more easily with both hands.
Face operated on multiple times
Years later, Alex says losing his legs was the best thing that happened to him.
Moreover, Alex had to undergo several surgeries on his face and around his mouth.
“The temporary patches were very painful, and I remember waking up and seeing flaps of my skin hanging loose, and I thought something had gone wrong,” he told Metro.
“I had to undergo six or seven surgeries on my face because the only place that still had skin left in my body was my shoulder. They had to open the scar to make it look right.”
Alex’s current life
Today, Alex is still with his wife Lucy and their son.
“I know it sounds crazy, but I think this year was the best year of my life. I have lived more in the past four years than in the past 33, and it made me realize how much I love Lucy and Sam.”
“I had so much regret, so many things I could have done when I still had arms and legs, but I won’t let that happen anymore.”
“I wouldn’t change anything, not for a second.”
The best part of Alex’s incredible story is that he managed to rebuild his bond with his son, and that bond is now stronger than ever, according to him.
“He’s okay with everything now, and what I keep trying to prove is that living with a disability doesn’t have to be a problem. You have to fight for it if you want to succeed.”
What an impressive and inspiring story. What a fighter you are, Alex. We are sending you much support and strength!
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