A man who was left in a coma for four days after being bitten has revealed that it helped him to turn his life around.
When Peter Murphy spotted a “strange” spider crawling across his bed, he didn’t think much of it.
He carefully picked up the arachnid and placed it outside.
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But then, the next day, he felt some discomfort across his right wrist, coupled with slight swelling and redness.
And a few days later, he was unable to speak properly.
After rushing to hospital, he was placed in a coma, and the last thing he heard was doctors advising his wife, Toni, 62, that if the infection continued to travel up his arm, they would need to amputate.
“At this point, my life was flashing before my eyes,” the QHSE manager, from Mansfield, told Need To Know.
“I turned to Toni, managed a smile, and said: ‘I don’t think I’m going to make it through this. This could be goodbye.’
“The shock of it all was overwhelming.
“Various doctors were rushing to my bedside and explaining to me what they thought was happening.
“They needed to contain it and get it under control very quickly, or it would rapidly move to other parts of my body.
“The doctors seemed very worried and wanted to operate as soon as possible.
“I could sense it was life-threatening but felt helpless.
“I was asked when being operated on if I wished to be resuscitated.
“I agreed.”
Peter, 61, describes the spider as having a “see-through skeletal body with red eyes”.
After coming around from the four-day coma, and following four operations, Peter learned he had contracted necrotising fasciitis; a flesh-eating bug.
He also suffered from severe cellulitis and sepsis during the ordeal in October 2022.
Before he could focus on recovery, though, life had another surprise in store.
He said: “I was sitting in my hospital bed reflecting on my brother passing away the week before I was fighting for my life in hospital.
“When talking to one of the nurses, I remembered my sister had just been admitted, too.
“After checking, she found out she was in the ward right above me.
In hospital during the operation. (Jam Press/SMILES charity)
“When I got to her room, I found all the family around her hospital bed, as she was not in a good way.
“I suppose, in my mind, I said my goodbyes, and that was the last time I saw her, as she passed away shortly afterwards.
“Maybe it was fate that this weird-looking spider was sent to me and made me so poorly.
“It brought me and my sister together for the final time.”
While the next few weeks were challenging, Peter managed to regain his strength.
He went through the process of skin grafting and physiotherapy to help the movement in his hand and fingers.
In hospital during the operation. (Jam Press/SMILES charity)
And, while nearing the end of his recovery, he and his wife decided it was time to prioritise their future.
Before, he was tipping the scales at 18st 7lbs, while Toni weighed 13st 7lbs.
Then, after the ordeal, he had put on a further two stones.
It left him unable to walk far, out of breath easily and struggling with sleeping, snoring, as well as chest pains.
Peter also struggled to play games with his grandchildren.
After saying goodbye to his brother and sister – and almost himself – within just one week, he knew something needed to change.
And so, he and Toni switched up their unhealthy eating habits of full English breakfasts, takeaway kebabs, crisp sandwiches and cakes.
Instead, they opted for poached eggs, tuna salad and low-calorie bars.
At the start of 2025, they also joined Slimming World.
Between them, after just one year, they had lost an impressive 10st 2lb between them – Toni losing 3st 7lbs and Peter dropping 6st 9lbs respectively.
Now, the pair are embracing life and have recently taken up badminton three times a week.
Peter added: “I was very sceptical at first, as I have lost weight many times during my life and always put it back on – and more.
“But Toni was adamant that this was an opportunity we couldn’t let pass us by.
“Today, all my symptoms have disappeared, and I’ve fully recovered.
“We were in our sixties, growing old together.
“But now, it feels like we’re staying young together.
“Joining Slimming World was the best thing we ever did.
“It was making those lifestyle changes and being involved with other members that helped us turn our lives around.
“My advice is don’t focus on losing weight – that will come – but it does matter what you eat today and tomorrow.
“It’s not too late to make that change.
“Reflecting back on what happened puts me through every emotion [possible].
“From thinking that I might not see my family again, or my little grandchildren grow up, to the pain of rehabilitation.
“Having got there in the end, I can laugh about it now.
“I guess I’m one of the lucky ones; even though it didn’t seem like that at the time.
“Life is now pleasurable and effortless.
“We only gave up one thing – and that was the weight we were carrying.
“We said goodbye to our worries about dying and said hello to living.”
Peter and Toni are also supporting Slimming World’s charity, SMILES, which raises funds for various causes, including Cancer Research UK, the Irish Cancer Society and Alzheimer’s Research UK.
So far, they’ve raised £500 for the charity through sponsored events.
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