Frank Oborski, a council member from Wyre Forest District, is urging pet owners to seek medical attention promptly after a seemingly harmless scratch from a stray cat led to a life-changing infection and the eventual amputation of her leg.
The incident occurred when Ms. Oborski was petting a stray ginger cat, named Jaffa, who scratched her leg with its claw. She applied antiseptic cream and covered the 3cm (1-inch) wound with a plaster, thinking little of it.
However, weeks later, her leg began to ache, and she visited her GP, who diagnosed her with cellulitis, a serious bacterial skin infection. The infection spread rapidly, and within weeks, her entire left leg below the knee was covered in painful ulcers. Ms. Oborski underwent months of grueling hospital treatments.
After two years of persistent pain and ongoing medical struggles, Ms. Oborski made the difficult decision to have her leg amputated.
Now, she is warning others about the dangers of animal scratches, particularly from stray animals. “If you have an infected animal scratch, treat it with caution,” she advises. “I’ve lost my leg as a result. If it’s your own pet and you know they’re fairly clean, that’s one thing. But if it’s a stray, be very wary.”
Despite the devastating loss, Ms. Oborski continues to care for Jaffa, who now lives with her and her other four cats. She explained, “I was feeding Jaffa when he just slashed my leg. My own cats are fairly clean, but I don’t know where Jaffa’s been. I remember rubbing Sudocrem antiseptic cream over the wound and putting a plaster over it, then just ignoring it. He didn’t deliberately set out to hurt me, but the wound wouldn’t heal, and my leg was in constant pain.”
The infection worsened over time, and by September 2022, Ms. Oborski’s condition took a turn for the worse after her bandages were replaced with adhesive dressings. She recalls, “What neither the nurse nor I realized was that I was allergic to the dressings, and my whole leg erupted into a mass of ulcers.”
Despite numerous hospital visits and treatments, a consultant eventually told her that the leg might need to be amputated within two years. “I said to him, ‘In that case, take it off now,’” she shared. “I made the decision quickly because I was tired of daily doctor visits. If I was going to lose the leg anyway, I might as well do it sooner.”
On October 24 this year, Ms. Oborski underwent surgery to have her leg amputated. Remarkably, she is recovering faster than expected. “Most people are still in bed after such an operation, but I’m out driving the car. It’s an automatic, so I don’t need my left leg,” she said.
She added, “I think it was the right decision. I’ve learned to use the stair rider and have made adjustments at home, like removing the bedroom and toilet doors. Even though my leg is gone, I can still feel the sensation of it, like it’s sitting right here on the desk with me.”
Ms. Oborski’s experience serves as a stark reminder of how seemingly minor injuries, like a cat scratch, can lead to severe and lasting consequences if left untreated.
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