Man Given Hours to Live After Developing Sepsis from Roast Chicken Dinner at Pub

A man who thought he had a simple case of food poisoning was given just hours to live after a roast chicken dinner triggered a terrifying battle with sepsis.

Udhyam Amin, from Surrey, England, went to the emergency room in February after becoming seriously ill following a roast chicken dinner at a pub.

Doctors at St Helier Hospital in London discovered he had been infected with campylobacter, a bacteria commonly linked to food poisoning.

But his condition quickly became far more serious.

Amin was rushed into the hospital’s resuscitation unit after his blood became dangerously acidic. He then suffered cardiac arrest and was placed on a ventilator in intensive care.

Doctors told his devastated family that he had developed sepsis and multiple organ failure — and might have only hours left to live.

His daughter, Parisha Bains, who works as a surgical registrar, said the family was told most of his critical organs had shut down.

“We were told he had gone into sepsis and multi-organ failure,” she said. “Most of his critical organs had shut down. But he made it through the night and that wasn’t expected.”

She added that hearing her father might not survive the day was devastating.

“It felt like our world had fallen apart,” she said. “Nothing prepares you for hearing that the person you love may not make it through the day.”

Campylobacter is one of the most common causes of bacterial food poisoning. It can cause diarrhea, vomiting, stomach pain and fever, with symptoms usually appearing within hours or days of eating contaminated food.

Most people recover with rest and fluids, but in rare cases the infection can lead to life-threatening sepsis.

Amin spent more than two weeks in an induced coma as doctors fought to save him.

Against the odds, his organs gradually began recovering. His kidneys started working again and doctors were eventually able to reduce the medication being used to support his blood pressure.

His family has described his recovery as nothing short of a miracle.

“It’s nothing short of a miracle that he is still with us,” Bains said. “We laugh and joke that he’s like a cat with nine lives.”

One of the first things Amin asked after waking up was what date it was because he was worried about getting his tax returns filed.

His recovery continued from there.

The former postal worker turned businessman had to relearn how to walk and speak clearly, but he has since returned to work and is once again enjoying everyday life.

“Now he is back to work seven days a week and enjoying his life again,” his daughter said.

Amin and his family have now launched a fundraiser for the hospital charity supporting the intensive care unit that helped save him. They have raised about £37,000, or roughly $50,000, so far.

He is also sharing his story ahead of World Sepsis Day on Sept. 13 in hopes of raising awareness about how quickly the condition can become deadly.

“Words cannot express my gratitude for the exceptional care, compassion and dedication the medical teams showed me during the most difficult time of my life,” Amin said.

“Their skill and commitment saved my life, and I will be forever grateful. I cannot thank them enough for giving me a second chance.”

Hospital charity officials called Amin’s survival and recovery “remarkable and inspiring,” saying the money raised by his family will help improve equipment, facilities and support for other critically ill patients.