Brit in Tenerife given 50/50 chance to live as ache turns into deadly diagnosis

A British man holidaying in Tenerife was given the devastating news he faced a 50/50 chance of survival after a bruised arm turned out to be a rare but serious infection leading him to be put on life support.

James Leishman, 46, was on his Jet2 flight to Tenerife with his son Daniel,11, and partner Belinda Cathro,52, on Monday, August 19 when just before take off he realised his elbow looked a little bruised and felt tender.

Around two hours into the flight much to the dismay of James and his family the 46-year-old’s elbow burst with puss. 

Despite the puss coming out James felt no pain with the family not thinking “much of it at the time” and arrived at their hotel in Costa Adeje as planned.

The next morning, Tuesday, August 20 James started to feel pain in his arm and visited a chemist. Here he was given antibiotic cream, a bandage and ibuprofen.

However, things took a turn later that morning when James’ condition started to deteriorate rapidly.

Speaking to Express.co.uk Belinda said: “At around 11am on Tuesday James said he could not walk anymore and needed to go back to the hotel and sleep.

“At about 12pm he complained he was hot and had a very bad headache, 29 minutes later he did not know who he was, who I was or where he was. He could not walk or focus and was in so much pain.

“The hotel called us a doctor which cost 130 euros and then another 170 euros for an ambulance and he was taken to a private hospital.

“I had to pay 1100 euros before I could see James. When I next saw him his arm was about four times the size.”

Due to Belinda not having enough funds to continue paying for a private hospital, James was taken by taxi to a public hospital in Santa Cruz, nearly 50 miles away from where the family’s hotel was.

Here James tragically said that he “felt his life ebb away”.

James’ once achy arm turned out to be Strep A/Toxic Shock Syndrome and was given a 50/50 chance of survival with his arm at risk of being amputated.

Early Wednesday morning, August 21 Belinda received a devastating call that James had been put on life support and that the infection seemed to be spreading.

“I was told to call family and get them over as he would not make it, so his mum,sister and eldest son flew over”, said Belinda.

She added: “By the time I got to the hospital with his family he was put into an induced coma and breathing tube. I felt like I was in a dream and just wanted to wake up, my little boy could not see his dad as rules in the ICU was that no child under 18 could go in.

“In order for me to get to see James we had to catch three buses, this cost us 50 euros everytime. 

“I could not go everyday as Jet2 was helping me sort out insurance and paperwork. Next time we went to see James was on Saturday August 24, he was off the breathing pipes but had oxygen as his lungs did not look good.”

James underwent a series of operations in a bid to remove the infected parts from his arm and a further one to try to flush the infection out.

Belinda said: “I kept on at the insurance to find me accommodation closer to James, come Monday August 26 I got my extra accommodation but it was for only two days. I couldn’t put my little boy through anymore as he started having nightmares and crying a lot so we boarded a plane at 8pm that evening to come back to the UK.”

Upon arriving back in Britain Belinda frantically tried to raise funds to go back to Tenerife. On August 27 she received a call that James had left ICU and had been transferred to a normal ward.

James is due to have his final operation this week to close the wound and remove the draining pipe. However, the 46-year-old has a long recovery ahead of him with skin grafts and physio needed.

The rising costs have had a massive impact on the family who are now in “so much debt” and have set up a GoFundMe to try and pay for James’ treatment.

“We hope this GoFuneMe will help go towards the debt as we still need to get the invoice for his treatment and the funds will be used for future treatment. It will help so much, I have missed out on work and will do in the next few months as James will need a carer.

“Who would have guessed a bruise would lead us to this. This has been the most awful holiday. It’s had a big impact on all our mental health and as for future holidays it will be here in the UK.”

You can view the GoFundMe by clicking here.