Grandma bitten by a spider while hanging out washing almost died and left with a hole in her stomach

A grandmother’s ‘paranoid’ hunt for spiders in her bedroom every night didn’t stop one from sinking its fangs into her.

Karen Ashmore feels lucky to be alive after being unknowingly bitten by a spider last month, which later developed into sepsis.

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“I never thought a spider could cause this kind of damage, I could have easily lost my life,” said the 56-year-old.

The mother-of-four, who lives in Dukinfield, Manchester, believes she may have been targeted by the arachnid while hanging out the washing or gardening outdoors.

“I just took a shower and realized I had a spot on my stomach. It was only the size of a pin,” she explained.

She initially thought the bite was a rash or acne before the mark started to feel “sore and itchy”.

When her skin began to peel off at the edges, Karen decided to visit the pharmacist, who informed her that she had been bitten by an eight-legged creature.

Days later, the ten-year-old grandmother’s stomach began to swell, prompting her mother to rush to the emergency room.

She was told that the spider’s venom had caused an abscess in her stomach – and she was currently battling sepsis.

“It was very painful. I didn’t know what to think,” she explained.

Sepsis is a serious condition in which the body responds inappropriately to an infection.

It causes extensive inflammation throughout the body that can cause tissue damage, organ failure and even death.

The next day, the mother underwent emergency surgery to cut out a piece of her stomach where the spider had sunk its fangs.

The grandmother was left with an open wound after the operation and will have to wait for the skin to grow back for the area to fully heal.

“It was the size of a £1 coin and the hole I was left in was about two centimeters deep,” she said.

I’m paranoid now [since the bite] about all the creepy crawlies. I’m checking every nook and cranny of the house

Karen Ashmore56

Karen was told that her skin would “always be very thin” in the bitten area.

“It scarred me for life,” she explained.

The mother still doesn’t know where the bite came from, but suspects it may have happened while she was away from home.

“It could have been on the clothes when I brought the clothes in or I could have been bitten when I was cleaning the garden,” she explained.

Karen is now encouraging others to always seek medical help if they see a suspicious new spot on their body.

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She said, “I’m paranoid now [since the bite] about all the creepy crawlies. I’m checking every nook and cranny of the house now.

“I would encourage anyone to go to the doctor as soon as possible if they see a new spot. I regret not going sooner.”

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