Calliope woman receives shock diagnosis following cat scratch

A simple cat scratch has left a Calliope woman in a Sunshine Coast intensive care unit following a shock diagnosis.

A simple cat scratch has left Calliope woman Mary McLellan in a Sunshine Coast intensive care unit following a shock diagnosis.Â

A simple cat scratch has left a Calliope woman in a Sunshine Coast intensive care unit following a shock diagnosis.

For Mary McLellan, it was a regular Monday at her Calliope property, until the family cat latched on to her right hand.

In the next 24 hours, Mrs McLellan became violently ill and suffered from high temperatures and delirium as a result of the bite.

She was rushed to Gladstone Hospital where medical staff quickly identified the 66-year-old had sepsis, a potentially life-threatening blood infection.

Mrs McLellan had to be flown to Rockhampton and then later Sunshine Coast University Hospital as her condition worsened.

A simple cat scratch has left Calliope woman Mary McLellan in a Sunshine Coast intensive care unit following a shock diagnosis. Â

Mrs McLellan’s husband Peter said it was just rotten luck for his wife.

“You could get that bloody cat to bite 100 people and they wouldn’t have got sepsis – it’s just rotten luck for my wife,” Mr McLellan said.

To control the infection, antibiotics were given to Mrs McLellan to bring down her blood pressure, but that constricted her blood vessels in her hands and toes.

“I was horrified when her hands and feet turned black,” he said.

“Doctors told us Mary would die without the antibiotics. It was possible she could lose part of her fingers and toes.”

Coming from Calliope, Mr McLellan anticipated it would be an expensive trip however Sunshine Coast charity, Wishlist helped him with accommodation.

“The Wishlist staff had me up in a room at Wishlist House immediately and free of charge as I qualified for the Patient Travel Subsidy Scheme,” he said.

“(They were) a true blessing for me.

“There were some darker moments on my own, which is why I’m so grateful for the volunteers who always had a spare minute to have a chat and be a sounding board.”

Mrs McLelland is on the mend after spending a week in ICU at the Sunshine Coast University Hospital and is now undergoing rehabilitation.

“Once Mary is given the all clear, we’ll be heading back up to our beloved farm,” Mr McLellan said.

“I hope Mary’s story can educate and raise greater awareness of the dangers of sepsis – not only for those our age, but also young children.”