Teacher, 51, has her feet and hands amputated after a sore throat led to sepsis: ‘Her limbs were black and mummified’

A high school teacher had to have her hands and feet amputated after what appeared to be a common throat infection led to sepsis.

Sherri Moody, 51, from Texas, developed double pneumonia after strep throat bacteria traveled to both her lungs.

When her organs began to fail, her immune system went into overdrive, attacking healthy tissues and preventing blood from reaching her extremities.

Now she says she’s “choosing to be happy” as she learns how to get around in a wheelchair and waits for prosthetics with the support of her husband, David.

“She’s just amazing,” he said Today.com.

Ms Moody’s nightmare began in April 2023, when she noticed her throat was tickling during a school trip and assumed she had a cold.

But her symptoms quickly escalated. Within days, she was fatigued, vomiting, and had a high fever, which then turned into difficulty breathing.

Gasping for air and unable to sleep, Mrs. Moody woke her husband, David, in the middle of the night and urged him to take her to the hospital.

She suffered from double pneumonia, an infection that affects both lungs and is caused by the bacterium Streptococcus. This bacteria usually causes strep throat, which can escalate to pneumonia.

This led to sepsis, the body’s serious and potentially life-threatening response to an infection that is responsible for one in three deaths in U.S. hospitals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

“I quickly realized we were in a serious situation,” Mr. Moody said. ‘I was terrified.’

Two days after Mrs. Moody went to the emergency room, her lungs and kidneys began to fail and her blood pressure dropped rapidly.

Doctors placed her in a medically induced coma and administered drugs such as vasopressors, which combat dangerously low blood pressure by pushing blood to vital organs.

However, this led to poor circulation, which reduced blood flow to her limbs. Mr Moody said his wife’s limbs began to change color within days.

“I literally watched my wife’s feet and hands die,” he said. “They were black and mummified.”

In June 2023, Ms Moody’s legs were amputated below the knee, followed a month later by her arms below the elbow.

Sepsis is a medical emergency that health experts call a “silent killer.” It is caused by the body’s extreme response to an infection.

Sepsis occurs when chemicals released into the bloodstream cause the immune system to go haywire.

Instead of sending infection-fighting white blood cells to attack a foreign invader, it targets healthy tissues and organs.

Infections that lead to sepsis usually start in the lungs, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract, but almost any infection can lead to sepsis — even things as innocuous as paper cuts.

The symptoms can be very similar to the flu, making it extremely difficult to recognize early.

There is no single test for sepsis, but doctors look for signs of infections with measures such as blood tests.

Sepsis can develop into septic shock, which is characterized by a severe drop in blood pressure.

Signs of septic shock include inability to get up, extreme fatigue or inability to stay awake, and a major change in mental status, according to the Mayo Clinic.

The CDC recommends seeking immediate care if you show signs of sepsis. If left untreated, sepsis and septic shock are fatal.

According to the CDC, sepsis affects 1.7 million Americans and kills 350,000 people annually.

Certain groups are more susceptible to sepsis, including adults 65 years and older, children under one year of age, patients with weakened immune systems, and those who have had sepsis in the past. However, anyone can get it.

And when someone recovers from sepsis, they are more likely to experience lasting health problems.

A study in the Journal of the American Heart Association Research found that people who had been hospitalized for sepsis or who had it after hospital admission were 38 percent more likely to be readmitted to hospital for any reason.

This included a 43 percent increased risk of heart problems.

Prior to her diagnosis, Ms. Moody told Today.com that she had never been to the emergency room and lived a healthy lifestyle, including exercising five days a week and eating a balanced diet.

She spent four months in the hospital and a month in a rehabilitation center to cope with the loss of her limbs.

Mrs. Moody uses an electric wheelchair to get around while she waits for the prosthesis. She also has to use a band around her arm to place a fork on so she can eat.

Next in her treatment plan is surgery to repair problems with gangrene – dead tissue caused by infection or lack of blood flow – on her kneecaps. If this fails, doctors will have to amputate above the knees.

Although she struggles with frustration at losing so much independence, Ms. Moody says she tries to keep a positive attitude.

“I’m very strong mentally,” she said. “I just choose to be happy.”

‘That doesn’t mean I don’t have a breakdown every now and then and just cry a little. I won’t let it last long.’