Young dad loses four toes as he fights deadly flesh-eating disease after being wrongly diagnosed

A young father-of-two has lost four toes to a mystery flesh-eating disease after being wrongly diagnosed with shingles and cancer.

Matthew Ramsay, 26, from Taranaki in the west of New Zealand’s North Island, was given chemotherapy but it only made the painful sores covering his body worse.

Five months and seven surgeries later Mr Ramsay has lost his job and seen his relationship with his wife and kids deteriorate due to the crippling illness.

A young father-of-two has lost four toes (pictured) to a mystery flesh-eating disease after being wrongly diagnosed with shingles and cancer

Now doctors have diagnosed him with a rare autoimmune disease called Vasculitis, but Mr Ramsay remains sceptical, Stuff reported.

The young dad has stopped taking his medication, and said his condition only started improving after he started eating well and staying active.

Mr Ramsay’s ordeal began with a tiny sore on his finger in January, but the raging disease had soon spread to his ribs, face, genitals and even his nasal cavity.

‘It sort of blew up … it swelled right up and had like a black ring around it,’ he said of the initial sore.

Matthew Ramsay (pictured), 26, from Taranaki in the west of New Zealand’s North Island, was given chemotherapy but it only made the painful sores covering his body worse

Next the disease presented in a ‘pin-hole’ on his right foot, which began to swell up.

‘Then there was this thick pad under my foot which was basically just dead and trying to detach,’ he said.

‘Then one of my toes starting going black and then it affected the two next to it … and then they cut my toes off.’

Mr Ramsay has complained to the Taranaki District Health Board about the misdiagnoses and wrongly prescribed medication.

‘I’ve missed out on five months of my kids’ lives. I just want to get back to work … back to normal,’ he said.

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