Dead at 38 years young

[Rhiannon]

A friend of a friend died last night. He was 38.
He was bitten on the foot by an insect in his garden 4 weeks ago and had been in hospital ever since as it became infected.

Doctors wanted to remove part of his foot to stop the infection but he knew this would endanger his job as a bodyguard to an MP so refused hoping the antibiotics would work.

Insect bites don't kill people in this country I hear you say, no you're right but if you're also diabetic they can. His glucose levels went out of control and he developed a condition called cellulitus.

Diabetes is now the 3rd biggest killer in this country - quote from the Daily Mail yesterday, the day he added to the statistics.

I'm really sorry to hear your sad news, that's really tragic Rhiannon. Our local councillor died suddenly after cutting himself in the garden, it got infected and I think he got tetanus or some like illness, although he was vaccinated. Deaths from garden related injuries are becoming more and more common. Vey sad, our thoughts are with you.

Rhiannon so sorry to hear your news. Its frightening how quickly life can be lost and from such a 'minor' thing like a bite.

Rhiannon
how awful and how scary. My husband is diabetic, my 6 year old has just had an infected insect bite - it could have been him, just as easily. We'll watch out for this now.

Here in SW London there seems to have been a rash of really nasty infected bites - I know 5 people who have had horrendous reactions, all on antibiotics with ghastly swellings on legs, arms, forehead. My son's arm swelled up to twice its normal size overnight - we didn't even know he had been bitten, so the infection must have got in with the bite. Is this happening anywhere else? The chemist said there seemed to be a lot of it about this year.

Thanks for the messages, just wanted to highlight how serious a condition like diabetes can be. It is very important for anyone with diabetes to take care of their feet, not just bites but any break in the skin of their feet.

I have today found out that he also had septacaemia (spelling?) but a post mortem turned out to be inconclusive.

A non-religious service will be held for him on Wednesday.