A COURAGEOUS mother has revealed how giving birth to beautiful twins quickly turned into an unimaginable nightmare that cost her almost all of her limbs.
After having a healthy and natural birth, Khedidja Teape, 29, from South West London, developed postpartum sepsis and was just minutes away from death.
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The mother of four miraculously survived, but had to have both legs, her left arm, one hand and some fingers amputated.
Now, Khedidja is boldly speaking out to raise awareness about this deadly disease and what symptoms to watch out for.
Khedidja says: “If I hadn’t called an ambulance at that moment, the doctors said I could have died in my sleep. People need to be aware of how dangerous sepsis is if they don’t act quickly.
“Sometimes I ask, ‘Why me?’ But mostly I’m grateful that I’m still here to be a mother to my children.
“Now I can carry my twins in the crook of my right arm and lift them too. My family is happy to have me home.”
In 2023, Khedidja, owner of a crafts business, and her partner of 12 years, Shawn Ayton, 32, a plumber, were expecting twins.
Khedidja says: “We were already parents to a boy and a girl, Zackai and Zanaya-Li, and we did not intend to have any more children.
“It was a huge shock, but we were excited to expand our beautiful family.”
“The pregnancy went well and when I was five months old we discovered we were having a boy and a girl again.
“When my due date was three weeks away, we had a baby shower with family and friends. I was anxious and excited about the twins’ arrival.”
The following month, in April 2023, Khedidja had a slow, natural labor over the course of a few days at St George’s Hospital in London.
She gave birth to her son, Zakari, and 45 minutes later, her daughter, Zalaysia. They received a clean bill of health.
Khedidja says: “Holding my new babies in my arms, I have never felt so proud. I looked at Shawn and said, ‘I did it!’
“Zakari and Zalaysia were beautiful and I already loved them. I couldn’t wait to introduce them to my brothers.”
Dream turned into nightmare
The next day, the family was discharged from the hospital.
At her home in London, Khedidja felt exhausted from caring for her newborns, as she had expected.
But that day, while she was breastfeeding, she started to feel severe stomach pains.
Khedidja says: “The next day the midwives came for the daily check-up. I told them that my stomach was still hurting and that I didn’t feel well.
They told me they had to amputate my limbs. My heart sank
Khedidja Teape
“They blamed it on my labor and told me to take painkillers. But after that the pain got worse.
“Soon I was vomiting green and yellow vomit. I had diarrhea and body aches. I lost my appetite, couldn’t eat and was shaking constantly.
“Shawn took care of the twins through the night while I battled the pain. A week after giving birth, I felt like I was going to die.
“Even though the midwives told me I was fine, I listened to my gut and called an ambulance.”
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Twenty minutes later, paramedics arrived and took Khedidja back to the same hospital where she gave birth.
There, her heart rate was dangerously high, her blood pressure was dropping, and she was drifting in and out of consciousness.
Khedidja says: “They did CT scans and tests; trying to figure out the problem. I didn’t know what was happening.
“But I ended up in intensive care and the doctors guessed that I had inflammation in the wound from the birth of the babies.
All my limbs and my nose were black
Khedidja Teape
“Then a doctor said I might have an abscess inside my uterus and that they needed to do surgery to drain it.
“It all happened so fast, but before I knew it, I was being taken to the emergency room.”
When Khedidja opened her eyes again, Shawn was at her side, who informed her that she was battling a Strep A infection that developed into postpartum sepsis.
Near death experience
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Doctors claimed that if she had not called an ambulance, she would not have survived the night.
Khedidja says: “In disbelief, I looked at my body. All my limbs and my nose were black.
“In a state of shock, it took me days to accept it. I didn’t understand why this had happened to me.
“Shawn brought the kids to me and I put the twins to my chest. I wish I could just go home.”
Horrible news
Days later, Khedidja became mute, unable to respond to anyone, and suffered from hallucinations.
Doctors feared that sepsis had reached her brain, but luckily, she eventually started talking again.
The following month, in May 2023, a team of doctors prepared Khedidja and her family for the worst.
She says: “They told me they would have to amputate my limbs. My heart sank.
When I woke up, I couldn’t feel anything
Khedidja Teape
“I begged them not to do it and to first see how much I healed, but they said they had no choice because the skin was dead.
“I kept begging, but they didn’t want to listen. Over the next few months, I visited the rehabilitation center and met other amputees who helped me feel better.
“They told me my life wouldn’t stop. I was a little optimistic after that.”
After giving the hospital the green light to proceed, Khedidja signed consent forms for the amputation in August 2023 last summer.
Khedidja says: “They decided to do it in two parts. In the first one, they amputated my legs, left arm, on one hand, and the fingers on the other.
“When I woke up, I didn’t feel anything. I was happy it was over and I survived.
What are the symptoms of sepsis?
Symptoms of sepsis in an adult include:
- Acting confused, with slurred speech or without making sense
- Blue, greyish, pale or mottled skin, lips or tongue – on dark or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- A rash that doesn’t go away when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- Difficulty breathing, shortness of breath or breathing very quickly
Symptoms in a child include:
- Blue, greyish, pale or mottled skin, lips or tongue – on dark or black skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- A rash that doesn’t go away when you roll a glass over it, the same as meningitis
- Difficulty breathing (you may notice grunting or stomach sucking under the rib cage), shortness of breath, or breathing very quickly
- A weak, high-pitched cry that is not normal crying
- Not responding as they normally do, or not interested in eating or normal activities
- Being more sleepy than usual or having difficulty waking up
They may not experience all of these symptoms.
Call 999 or go to A&E if you are suffering from any of these.
Source: The National Health Service
“Two weeks later I had another operation. They made the stumps and amputated more dead parts of my left arm.
“This time, after waking up, I was in agony. The drugs didn’t work as well as last time.
“But I told myself every day that I needed to stay strong to get home to my family.”
Reclaiming your life
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In October of that year, Khedidja was transferred to a rehabilitation center, where she lived.
Every day she did rehabilitation, learning exercises and adapting to her new body.
On weekends, they allowed her to return home and be with her family.
Khedidja says: “I worked hard during the week, getting stronger. Over time, I started to learn how to walk with sockets.
“And after the New Year, I got my prosthetics fitted.
“After almost four months at the center, I managed to return home. Now I can walk independently and I’m doing great.
“My twins are healthy and happy and are 1 year old. I can even carry them now in the crook of my arm.
“My life may have been turned upside down, but at least my babies and older children still have their mother.
“I want there to be more awareness about sepsis.
“Cancer is very well known, but people don’t realize how dangerous sepsis is and how many people die.
“It destroyed my body and almost killed me. If you experience any of these symptoms, call 999 immediately.
“Not even the health professionals knew. Listen to your instinct.
Khedidja launched a GoFundMe as she raises funds for advanced prosthetics, wheelchair maintenance, therapy, mobility aids, adaptations to her home and support for her family.
Symptoms of a Strep A infection
Strep A is a common type of bacteria and most infections caused by it are mild and easily treated with antibiotics.
Some infections, however, can become more serious.
Common symptoms of a Strep A infection include:
- flu-like symptoms, such as a high temperature, swollen glands, or body aches
- sore throat (strep throat or tonsillitis)
- a rough, sandpaper-like rash (scarlet fever)
- scabs and sores (impetigo)
- pain and swelling (cellulitis)
- severe muscle pain
- nausea and vomiting
The NHS says you should trust your instincts if you think your child is seriously ill – you know better than anyone what your child is usually like, so you’ll know when something is seriously wrong.
You should call 999 or go to A&E if:
- your child is having trouble breathing – he may make grunts or you may notice his belly sucking in on his ribs
- there are pauses when your child breathes
- your child’s skin, tongue or lips are blue or gray – with black or brown skin this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
- your child is limp and won’t wake up or stay awake
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
