Credit, Danny Ellis/Personal collection
What appeared to be a simple case of toothache led to a rare heart condition and sepsis, leaving doctors to estimate that Danny Ellis had just a 1% chance of survival.
Danny, a 42-year-old man living in Wales, United Kingdom, began experiencing toothaches in April and went to a dentist, who prescribed antibiotics.
However, the pain kept coming back and only when red spots appeared all over his body was he rushed to the hospital.
Doctors said it was a "miracle" that he survived, after an initial heart surgery failed and a series of strokes occurred - but he managed to recover, contrary to expectations.
The recovery process will continue for at least another 12 months, Danny said, and it's likely he'll need to take medication for the rest of his life; however, small achievements help you move forward.
"At the moment, I can take my daughter to school, and that's enough for now," he said. "I still feel a difference on my left side, I get tired easily and sometimes I forget what I'm supposed to say, but I hope that gets better with time."
Danny said that after his toothache worsened, an x-ray taken by his dentist revealed no signs of infection; he came home with another round of antibiotics.
The cycle of improvement and return of pain persisted for several weeks, and Danny noticed that he was losing strength, in addition to red spots appearing all over his body.
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"The pain was excruciating and I had to take a week off work — something I would never do," said Danny, who runs a shop and bakery.
"The symptoms started to get worse, as did the pain, especially in my legs. I didn't know what was happening."
On Father's Day, Danny felt "disoriented" and "unable to remember what gifts he got." When his wife, Ceri, arrived home from work, she found him lying on the sofa, with bruises all over his body.
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They went to the doctor's office and, after several tests, Danny was rushed by ambulance to a hospital.
"I remember seeing the nurse run out of the room to call an ambulance," Danny said.
When he informed doctors at the hospital that he had a toothache and was taking antibiotics, their expressions "immediately changed." The team requested an echocardiogram — a test that analyzes the heart.
The examination revealed a failure in the mitral valve of Danny's heart; It was also discovered that he had developed sepsis and had fluid accumulation in his lungs.
Sepsis is a serious, life-threatening reaction to an infection and can develop very quickly.
"The marks on my hands turned from red to black — the sepsis was killing me," he said. "At the time, the doctor said I was lucky to be alive. I was fighting for my life."
Danny said he was diagnosed with endocarditis, a rare inflammation of the inner lining of the heart, usually caused by an infection.
According to the NHS, the United Kingdom's public health service, endocarditis most often occurs when bacteria or fungi enter the bloodstream — through the mouth or skin — and reach the heart. That's why Danny's pain initially felt like a toothache.
The agency reports that the most common symptoms are high fever, headache, intense tiredness, joint or muscle pain, night sweats, shortness of breath, loss of appetite or weight loss for no apparent reason.
"They wanted to transfer me to Broadgreen Hospital in Liverpool, but I wouldn't have survived the journey," said Danny.
He had to remain in hospital in the city of Bangor, north Wales, until he was "strong enough" to make the journey and undergo heart surgery in Liverpool. The procedure lasted six hours.
"Afterwards, my brother told me that the surgery had not worked", he reported. "It was the first time the situation hit me emotionally, and I felt a deep sadness. I told my brother I was tired of fighting."
However, a few days later, a doctor informed Danny that they had received special equipment to help with blood clotting and that they wanted to try the surgery again.
On the second attempt, the procedure was successful: the infection was eliminated and the opening in the mitral valve was closed.
After surgery, Danny was told that he had suffered a series of cerebrovascular accidents (CVAs) while oscillating between states of consciousness and unconsciousness.
"When reviewing the medical records, the doctor said it was a miracle I was still alive," Danny said, adding that he was told "the probability of survival was 1%."
Danny was transferred back to Wales to begin his recovery. "At first, I couldn't walk; I didn't have the strength to do anything," he said. "I had lost my independence."
But Danny noticed an improvement after a few weeks. He added: "I walked with my daughter, Harriet, for the first time in months. It was a very emotional moment."
"My family was instrumental in my recovery and a huge help throughout this entire process. That's what helped me get through everything."
Danny was discharged from hospital on August 19th and says that one of the first things he did was visit his dentist. "I knew he was very shaken by the situation."
"It wasn't his fault at all. My case and the way it evolved was something extremely rare," he said. "I take care of my teeth, I brush them twice a day, so there was nothing I could have done differently. To tell you the truth, it's still a mystery."
"I experienced the worst possible scenario. Anyone can have a toothache, but when endocarditis enters the picture, the situation changes completely."
Danny said he was “extremely grateful” for all the support he has received over the past few months. “The teams in Liverpool and Bangor were incredible,” he said.
"I'm meeting the surgeon for the first time since the operation; it will be a very emotional moment," he said, adding: "But it was Ceri who made the first move. She was worried right from the start. If I had waited another day or two, the outcome would have been very different."
"She saved my life."
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