A 42-year-old father from Llanrwst is recovering after a tooth infection led to sepsis, heart surgery, and strokes, with doctors giving him a 1% chance of survival.
Danny Ellis, who co-owns the Spar in Betws-y-Coed and Gwalia in Pwllheli, first experienced toothache in April this year. He visited his dentist in Colwyn Bay and was prescribed a course of antibiotics.
Initially, the treatment seemed to work, with the pain easing. But around a month later, the pain returned, which Danny described as "more aggressive, agonising". An X-ray at the dentist failed to reveal any obvious sign of infection, and he was prescribed another course of antibiotics. Once again, the pain gradually subsided.
Flu-like symptoms and red lesions
In mid-June, Danny began experiencing severe flu-like symptoms, including aches and pains. He initially held off visiting his GP, but his condition slowly deteriorated. His wife, Ceri Angharad, noticed red marks appearing across his legs, arms and body — apparently Janeway lesions.
"I was drowsy and sleeping a lot, and there is a lot at this point I don't clearly remember," Danny recalled. "My wife, who works as teacher, took a day off to take me to the doctors in Betws-y-Coed (June 23) as she was concerned."
Following an examination and blood test, Dr Hoffman told Danny he was in a serious condition. "At this point I was delusional," Danny said. "They called an ambulance at the surgery and I was blue lighted to Bangor. I did not know how advanced the sepsis was but she had seen the tell tale signs, very drowsy, confused, my wife said I was in incredible pain when I was touched but I don't remember being in pain. I was still dismissing it."
Heart surgery and strokes
He was rushed to Ysbyty Gwynedd, where he remained in an ambulance for three hours while medical staff carried out blood tests and monitored his vitals. He was subsequently admitted to the ward and underwent MRI and CAT scans, as well as X-rays.
"The doctors kept asking me questions - like if I had been travelling, they were looking for clues to why I could have this infection," Danny said. "When I mentioned the antibiotics for toothache they realised straight away."
Medics ordered an echocardiogram on his heart, which revealed a hole in the mitral valve. "I was dying," Danny stated. "In the advanced stage of sepsis, I could not be transported to Liverpool Broadgreen (specialist heart centre) without cardiac arrest."
An intensive treatment programme was initiated, involving a round-the-clock antibiotic drip. After a week and a half, his condition stabilised sufficiently to allow transfer to Broadgreen in a specialist ambulance. Upon arrival, he was placed straight back into treatment and moved to intensive care to address a lung infection.
On July 6, he was taken into theatre for surgery to repair his mitral valve. The operation lasted six hours, but complications arose when his blood failed to clot properly, forcing surgeons to halt the procedure. A new specialist machine had to be brought in to assist with clotting, with the surgeon informing Danny that he had "not seen anything like my blood". The procedure was restarted on July 8 and proved successful.
Recovery and gratitude
Danny said: "The surgeon told me he was pleased and proud with the operation, and felt it was one of the best he had ever done."
He also discovered more about the toll his body had endured. "They told me I had been suffering strokes between the infection hitting and getting to hospital," he shared. "Dr Sahid told me that in all his years of cardiology he had never seen anyone survive what I had survived, he said he put me on a list of those with a 1% chance, it was a miracle."
He returned to Ysbyty Gwynedd and started rehabilitation while continuing antibiotics for several weeks. "All the nurses were fantastic, and Rhodri and the rest of the physio team. I have so much gratitude to those in ICU in Bangor and Liverpool, and the Prysor ward, and so many others, without them I would not be here," he said.
"A big moment was when I could walk with my nine-year-old daughter again after so long, it had been such a tough time for everyone. I was discharged on August 19 - I just felt relief, very emotional after everything."
He continues to recuperate, with medical professionals remaining optimistic. "They said it is likely I will make a full recovery but I could be on some medication for the rest of my life," he said. "My left hand side, which was affected by the strokes, will get better over time but I don't know when. I'm due to go back to Broadgreen to meet the surgeon Gopal Soppa, that will be emotional."
"This all stemmed from a tooth infection. My dentist was distraught but there is no blame at all on them, what happened was a worst case scenario, very rare but it can happen. I have been told if my wife had not brought me in on the day she did and the doctor immediately spot the signs, then I would be dead, not a chance I would have survived."
