A woman who thought she had woken up with a simple bug bite on her forehead has revealed details of the terrifying ordeal that ensued, leading to multiple hospitalizations, surgeries and even temporary vision loss.
Emma Selvidge, 19, woke up at 3 a.m. on April 2 with a strange lump on her forehead. She told Newsweek that her initial reaction was to assume she had “been bitten by something,” so she went to urgent care first thing in the morning.
Indeed, doctors suggested it was likely a spider bite and they treated Selvidge, of Oklahoma, for a possible infection. She was given a shot, prescribed antibiotics and sent home.
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“Within about 10 minutes, the swelling became significantly worse and started spreading into my eye,” Selvidge said. “It was frightening to watch it change so quickly.”
Although she went to work that day, Selvidge became increasingly concerned as she began to lose her vision. Once her shift was over, she went to the ER where she was told that she may have an abscess, so a CT scan was ordered.
Throughout that time, Selvidge said the swelling was getting “worse by the second” and she was also treated for possible MRSA as a precautionary measure.
“Eventually, I had to undergo surgery to drain the abscess it had created. During that surgery, doctors also found an unrelated issue with my tonsil that will likely require another surgery to remove my tonsils,” she continued.
Having never gone through surgery before this, Selvidge was “so scared” and the prospect left her in tears. Fortunately, the procedure went as planned and while the swelling reduced, the complications with Selvidge’s eyes remained.
She was kept in hospital for a few more nights before being discharged on April 5. Sadly, that was not the end of the ordeal.
“About a month after the first hospitalization, the swelling came back,” Selvidge said. “It was devastating because I thought I was finally recovering. The second time, it caused severe sinus infections and constant headaches.
She continued: “Then, just two weeks after getting out of the hospital again, it swelled up for a third time. Each recurrence brought more fear and uncertainty, especially because no one could tell me exactly why it kept happening.”
The third recurrence left Selvidge with lasting vision problems and she suffered excruciating headaches that lasted days. There are also times when she feels as if there is not enough blood flow to her brain, adding that these symptoms have been “some of the hardest to live with.”
Doctors performed numerous scans and tests, and by the third hospitalization, Selvidge was diagnosed with mild stenosis of the right transverse sinus and narrowing in one of the main veins to drain blood from the brain. However, that does not provide an explanation of the cause or treatment.
While she is still recovering from surgery, Selvidge is dealing with daily headaches, a sore throat, and ongoing complications with her vision. She is taking medication for her sinuses to manage the symptoms, but she told Newsweek that the recovery has been “much slower” than anticipated.
“This experience completely changed my life,” she said. “Something I thought was just a bug bite turned into multiple hospital stays, surgery, countless doctor appointments, and lingering health issues. Not knowing what’s causing it has been one of the hardest parts because there’s the fear that it could happen again.”
Selvidge has been documenting her experience on social media (@emmaselvidge0 on TikTok) as she hopes to remind others that they should always trust their instincts. Selvidge had to push for answers and she is incredibly grateful to the doctors who continue to investigate her case.
If something does not feel right, she urges people to ask questions and advocate for themselves.
She continued: “Even though I still don’t have all the answers, I’m choosing to stay hopeful and take my recovery one day at a time. I hope that by sharing my story, someone else will recognize when something isn’t right and seek medical attention before it becomes life-threatening.”/
Contact Newsweek editors on this story: Charlotte Nisbet and Tony Phillips
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