Claressa Coleman, from Arkansas, was bitten by a brown recluse spider
A 29-year-old woman was left on the brink of death after being bitten by a venomous spider as she slept next to her husband.
Claressa Coleman, from Arkansas, thought the jab that felt ‘like a pin’ in her shoulder was from a mosquito – but it later turned out to be from a poisonous brown recluse spider.
Initially thinking it was nothing to be concerned about, she went back to sleep. But she went on to spend a month in hospital and ballooned two stone in weight.
She was unaware of the tell-tale symptoms of the black mark where she was bitten and bouts of vomiting until blood tests confirmed doctors’ suspicion.
Allergic to the baby spider’s poison, her kidneys failed and she had convulsions in her stomach every five minutes.
Speaking for the first time about her ordeal, the arachnophobe said: ‘I can’t believe a baby spider nearly killed me.
‘I’ve got the pest control guys in, and we have had the whole house fumigated now. I’m not going through this again.’
When was she bitten?
On June 27, the morning after she was bitten, the customer service representative at a vitamin company went to work.
Shortly after arriving, she started vomiting. Her boss sent her home, but on the way she was sick and had to pull over at a gas station.
She couldn’t stop throwing up and passed out. When she came round, she drove herself to the White River Medical Center in Batesville.
Allergic to the baby spider’s poison, her kidneys failed, she ballooned two stone in weight and she had convulsions in her stomach every five minutes – which made doctors think she was pregnant (pictured in hospital recovering from her bite)
Doctors gave her blood tests and dye injections which indicated she had the poison from the notorious brown recluse spider in her body.
The arachnid is one of North America’s three venomous spiders, alongside the black widow and Chilean recluse.
I can’t believe a baby spider nearly killed me.
It is believed the spider which sank its toxic fangs into Mrs Coleman, was only a baby, despite its impact being far from small.
The spider had bitten directly into an artery, injecting its poison straight into her bloodstream, so it raced through her body.
Allergic to the spider’s poison
By chance, she was also allergic to its powerful poison and spent almost a month in hospital fighting the effects of the venom.
Forced to have surgery, when her dead skin was cut out from her shoulder and ulcers formed, both her kidneys then failed.
Her mother, Michelle Sanders, 57, was called and her family, including husband Allen, 33, were told she was very ill.
Mrs Coleman, who has little memory of her time in hospital, said: ‘I couldn’t believe it. I realised instantly that I’d been bitten in my sleep.
She was unaware of the tell-tale symptoms of a brown recluse bite – a black mark where she was bitten and bouts of vomiting – until blood tests confirmed doctors’ suspicion
Speaking for the first time about her ordeal, the arachnophobe said: ‘I can’t believe a baby spider nearly killed me’ (pictured: the hole in her arm from when dead skin was cut out)
BROWN RECLUSE SPIDERS
They are also known as violin spiders due to the markings on their back.
The spiders are known for their powerful poison but are also said to be shy and not aggressive, with bites only happening because they share the same living space with humans.
The spiders favour living in dark corners and also live under furniture, boxes and books. They then generally move around at night for prey.
Bites from the spiders often result in a pimple-like swelling, although the worst ones can led to large lesions where surrounding tissue dies.
‘I was experiencing convulsions in my stomach. They were coming every five minutes.
‘The doctors asked if I was pregnant, thinking the convulsions might be labour. But I wasn’t, it was just the spider’s venom spreading through me.’
Sent home with antibiotics
Initially sent home with antibiotics – which she also had a surprise allergic reaction to – by June 29, she was back in hospital.
Mrs Coleman, who was hooked up to a dialysis machine, was sedated and had the dead skin cut from her arm.
She added: ‘By this point the hole in my arm was growing. You could fit your pinkie finger in it.’
As the poison took hold, her blood pressure dropped and her body swelled – the result of it fighting the poisons.
Her heart was suffering and she ballooned two stone in weight. She was hooked up to a ventilator and pumped full of antibiotics.
Newfound terror of spiders
Finally, after about three weeks, Mrs Coleman’s body began to fight the infection and she gradually came to.
And in mid-July – with a newfound terror of spiders – she was allowed home. But she was still very weak.
Mrs Coleman said: ‘There has been a long-term impact on my kidneys. Now I am just recovering and thankful I am alive.’
Mrs Coleman is now raising funds for the money spent during her stay in hospital. Anyone wanting to donate can do so here.