Tom O’Toole feared for his life more than once last month as doctors battled to contain a flesh-eating disease stripping his leg.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The Beechworth Bakery founder developed Necrotizing fasciitis – an infection that kills the body's soft tissue – thought to have started from a small cut he got while gardening at home.
“I thought, I’m going to lose my leg, then I thought, I’m going to lose my life,” said Tom, who has been in hospital for exactly one month today.
Four days after he got the scratch Tom’s health took a turn for the worse during a visit to Port Hedland in Western Australia for a motivational talk.
“I had a bit of a fever a couple of nights before,” he said.
“I thought I was getting a cold; I didn’t relate it to my shin.
“I went to hospital on the Tuesday, but I checked back out for an hour-and-a-half so I could give my talk.
“On the Wednesday (in hospital) I thought I was going to die and on the Thursday I was sure I was going to die!”
Tom was initially treated for low blood pressure before doctors suspected the mysterious flesh-eating ulcer, most prevalent on the Mornington Peninsula.
He has had five surgeries to scrape out the wound on his left leg: one at Port Hedland, three when he was transferred to Royal Perth Hospital and one at Northern Hospital Epping.
Having been transferred to Victoria last week, Tom said he had finally turned the corner.
He lives in Beechworth, but can often be sighted in Ballarat.
“I’ve got a hell of a hole in my leg,” Tom said.
“They have to take a heap of skin off me to stitch on there.”
Tom was in Ballarat earlier this year promoting his 7000km journey in a 1930s A Model Ford to raise money for the Fiona Elsey Cancer Research Institute. WATCH HIS VIDEO HERE AND STORY HERE.
Tom’s wife Christine, by his side throughout, said surgeons were hopeful the skin graft would go ahead tomorrow.
“He’s on the road to recovery now,” she said.
“Physically, he’s well again now. Thankfully he’s not in any danger.”
Tom is likely to remain at Northern Hospital Epping for two weeks after the graft.
Since being awarded an OAM (Order of Australia) in June, Tom said he had many messages of congratulations and a few jibes too.
“Everyone said: ‘You’re going to have to behave yourself now’,” he said.
“I’ve done nothing but behave myself and I’ve been in hospital ever since!”