It all started in 2021. David Surtees, 51, started his normal working day delivering shelves of vegetables and fruits to several schools in York, North Yorkshire, according to The Independent (UK).
Mr David Surtees contracted hepatitis B after a scratch on his hand.
However, while working, he accidentally scratched his hand with his fingernails. It was just a small wound and Mr. Surtees did not think much about it. However, after 4 weeks, his body began to weaken significantly.
He felt extremely tired, almost always exhausted. His health deteriorated, causing him to often oversleep and come to work late. He was then forced to quit his job to take care of his health. "I had to quit my job because I was so tired and couldn't do anything," Mr. Surtees said.
He spent almost all day indoors. Mr. Surtees slept for about 15 to 16 hours a day and continued for almost a month. Because he lived alone, no one noticed that his skin was starting to turn yellow.
One day, a friend visited Mr. Surtees and noticed that his skin was unusually yellow. Jaundice is a typical symptom of liver disease. It was this encounter that saved Mr. Surtees' life.
The friend immediately drove Mr Surtees to a clinic. "As soon as the receptionist saw me, they called a doctor. Then a doctor came to check me and asked me to go to the hospital immediately," Mr Surtees said.
He was taken to Huddersfield Hospital in Huddersfield, North Yorkshire, where doctors found he was dehydrated and put him on a drip. Blood tests later found large amounts of the hepatitis B virus in Mr Surtees's body.
“A liver doctor came to me afterwards and said he had never seen anyone with such a high viral load alive,” said Mr Surtees.
Hepatitis B is a liver infection that is spread through blood, semen and vaginal fluids. In Mr Surtees’ case, the hepatitis B virus entered his body through a scratch on his hand. Common symptoms include fatigue, fever, and yellowing of the skin and eyes. It can be cured in a few months. However, if left untreated, it can cause serious liver damage and chronic kidney disease.
Mr Surtees was told his kidneys had stopped working and that a transplant was not possible. Doctors estimated he had only 12 hours to live and asked his family to come and see him. He immediately called his 10-year-old daughter, wanting to spend the last few minutes with her.
But to the doctors' amazement, Mr Surtees fought the disease and improved day by day. He was finally discharged after 4 months in hospital. During the treatment, he only took medicine and did not need any surgery or implants.
Although he survived, two years after the illness, his life was turned upside down. He had only 10% liver function left, his body was chronically fatigued and he could not walk more than 200 meters. He had to quit his job and live on welfare. Every day the man had to take medication, if he stopped taking it he would die within 7 days, according to The Independent .
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