Dad, 33, caught mystery stomach bug – now he is having to learn to walk and talk again

A mum has told how her once active son is relying on a zimmer frame to get about after a mystery stomach bug left him fighting for life on a ventilator. Dad-of-two Karl Morgan was put in an induced coma after he suddenly fell ill.

The 33-year-old was rushed to hospital last month after he began to struggle breathing as well as vomiting and hallucinating. Doctors found that he had a bacterial infection which had progressed into sepsis and acute respiratory distress syndrome – a severe lung condition.

Although he is now out of the induced coma, he remains unable to walk or talk. His mum, Debbie Fisher, 60, said: “You just can’t imagine what it’s like – we have been there every single day sat at the side of him.

“To see him on the ventilator was just awful – it was absolutely heartbreaking. The doctors said that even though they are here to get him home, they can’t guarantee that would happen. You can’t begin to imagine what it’s like to be told that about your 33-year-old son”, reports Nottinghamshire Live.

Karl’s symptoms began similarly to many other stomach bugs. He was constantly vomiting and developed a high temperature.

His family says that his issues were initially dismissed by doctors, but when he started struggling for breathing and hallucinating, Debbie called 111, and he was rushed to hospital. Karl, from Mansfield, was put into an induced coma on a ventilator.

While his condition has slightly improved, Karl remains unable to walk or talk and relies on a zimmer frame for mobility. Debbie shared: “He’s still poorly now – he can’t walk so the physio is trying to get his limbs moving.

“He’s got a zimmer frame – can you imagine how he’s feeling at 33-years-old, with a zimmer frame? He was so active before. He’s mentally struggling in there as well.”