33-Year-Old Dad Has Mysterious Gastroenteritis, Now He Has to Relearn How to Walk and Talk

A mother has told how her once active son now has to use a walking frame after a mysterious gastroenteritis left him fighting for his life on a ventilator. Father-of-two Karl Morgan has been placed in a medically induced coma after suddenly falling ill.

The 33-year-old was rushed to hospital last month after he began having difficulty breathing, vomiting and hallucinating. Doctors discovered he had a bacterial infection that had progressed to sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome, a serious lung condition.

Although he is now out of the induced coma, he still cannot walk or talk. His mother, Debbie Fisher, 60, said: “You can’t imagine what it’s like. We were there every day, sitting by his side.”

“Seeing him on life support was just horrific, it was absolutely heartbreaking. The doctors said that even though they were there to take him home, they couldn’t guarantee that would happen. You can’t imagine what it’s like to hear that about your 33-year-old son,” Nottinghamshire Live reports.

Karl’s symptoms started the same way as many other stomach ailments. He was vomiting constantly and had a high temperature.

His family say his problems were initially ruled out by doctors, but when he began struggling to breathe and hallucinating, Debbie called 111 and he was rushed to hospital. Karl, from Mansfield, was placed in a medically induced coma on a ventilator.

Although his condition has improved slightly, Karl still cannot walk or talk and has to use a walking frame to get around. Debbie said: “He’s still sick now, he can’t walk, so the physiotherapist is trying to get his limbs moving.

“He has a walker. Can you imagine how he feels at 33, with a walker? He was so active before. He also has mental difficulties with this walker.”