The life story of Alex Lewis is like no other. This man refused to give up on his life no matter what it took, and today, he’s thriving with the help of his loving wife Lucy Townsend, and their son.
Alex and Lucy always knew they were meant for each other. When they married and welcomed their son Sam into their life, they felt like the happiest couple on Earth. But then in 2013, around the time Sam turned two, this family’s life took a different turn.
Both Alex and Sam caught the flu, or at least they believed so. However, as the boy got better in a short period of time, Alex wasn’t feeling fine even days after he experienced the flu-like symptoms.
“Because we owned and lived in a pub and came into contact with lots of different people, I assumed it was a seasonal cold and thought it started off as man flu,” Alex told Metro.
Instead of improving, his condition worsened and he became feverish and noticed blood in his urine.
As he could feel something was very wrong, he went to the hospital where doctors told him he contracted a streptococcal infection (type A). Unfortunately, at that point, the infection penetrated deep into the tissue and the organs and caused sepsis. Alex had contracted shock syndrome, septicemia, and necrotizing fascitis – and his body was attacking itself from the inside out.
“I called an ambulance, and within eight minutes, they were there. At the hospital, we went straight into resuscitation, and I was told to say goodbye. His kidneys were shutting down, and they were going to put him on life support,” his wife Lucy told The Guardian.
Doctors’ prognoses were dull. They told the family there was just a three percent chance that Alex would survive as his face and body turned black.
“They were going to turn my life support off, but they wanted to give me one more night to see if I improved, and they wanted to give my family a chance to say goodbye,” Alex told Metro.
“I cannot imagine what Lucy and my mum were going through.
“Having spoken to them since it happened, I think they were more in shock as they couldn’t believe something so incredibly invasive was happening so quickly,” he added.
“I don’t remember being in excruciating pain at this point, but my family remembers seeing me in absolute agony.”
It was determined that a flesh-eating bacteria was poisoning his body so doctors had to amputate his left arm up to the elbow. Sadly, as months passed by, Alex lost all of his limbs, and doctors were also forced to cut parts of his face in order to save his life.
“I can remember seeing my legs in hospital and how they were getting blacker and blacker,” Alex told The Guardian. “The blackness was creeping up towards my waist. I don’t remember seeing my left arm in that condition, but I can remember my legs vividly.”
As Alex lost his lips, plastic surgeon Alexandra Crick took skin from his shoulder in an attempt to fix his mouth.
“It would take me about an hour to eat a sandwich at night, and that was with the help of the nurse,” he told the Daily Mail.
“The last available skin for surgery was on my shoulder,” he explained. “So they replaced the temporary flap with that. All my other skin had to be used for grafts or was scarred.”
“Having my bottom and top lip done at the same time like this was a world first. It’s one piece of skin, and it was like if you imagine placing a bag in your mouth and then sewing around the edges. After the original operation, I had to have them every three or four months.”
Looking at his father, and how different he was, Sam was afraid to approach closer to him, but Lucy found a way to explain to him why his dad looked like that, which wasn’t easy as Sam was just two years old at the time.
After spending months at the hospital Alex could finally go home. The good thing was that doctors managed to save the elbow of his right arm which allowed him to have a prosthetic and be able to use his arm. Eventually, he could speak again as his lip surgery was a huge success.
“That one elbow is his whole independence,” Lucy said.
“I had to relearn everything,” Alex added. “From learning to eat, drink, put my clothes on, to learn to use a prosthesis, and to self propel a manual wheelchair.”
Today, Alex is involved in a number of tech projects which help ease the lives of disabled people. Among the rest, he has tested solar-powered, battery-assisted four-wheeled handles which have been designed by masters students at Southampton University.
Despite his condition, he’s living a quality life and is doing a lot of things, such as kayaking and climbing. In 2019, he climbed one of Africa’s tallest mountains using a specially adapted buggy.
“Since becoming an amputee, I’ve been fortunate enough to try out a number of training methods to keep my fitness up, working with physios and visiting the Help for Heroes training facilities,” he shared with Sports Management.
“I’ve had first-rate guidance, but nothing has been as effective as EMS training, especially in such a short space of time.
“It’s amazing how the machine helps me to engage muscles I haven’t felt since I lost my arms and legs,” he added.
“I feel stronger in training, daily life tasks are easier, and I’ve gained greater confidence that I can take on these challenges.”
His Wild Wheelchairs Project, besides helping improve the lives of disabled people, raises money to finance the construction and operation of a wheelchair manufacturing facility in Ethiopia.
Alex is also a motivational speaker who is happy with his life.
“I’ve lived more of a life in the past four years than I did in the previous 33, and it’s made me realize how much I love Lucy and Sam,” he told Metro.
“There was so much I regretted not doing when I had arms and legs, but I am not letting that happen again. I would not change anything, not in a heartbeat.”
Sam also learned to love his dad for who he is and is proud of him.
We truly admire this brave man’s resilience. His story is proof that no matter the curveballs life throws at us, we should always do our best to end up winners.
Palm Readers Are Freaking Out! What Does That ‘M’ Mean for You?
Have you ever looked at your palms and wondered what all those lines mean?
If you ask a palm reader, they will tell you that each line has its own special meaning. If you have lines that connect to form the letter M, you are part of a small group of less than 2% of people, including famous names like Meghan Markle, Hillary Clinton, and Robert De Niro. These individuals are believed to have unique qualities that set them apart.
Keep reading to find out what this M shape means on your palm!
Like fingerprints, the lines on your palms are unique to you. No one else has the same patterns. These lines are thought to give hints about your personality and potential life experiences.
Palmistry is an ancient practice where people interpret the lines, shapes, and features of hands, especially the palms. It is considered more of an art than a science. The lines do not predict the future, but they can provide insights into the quality of your life.
Here are the major lines and what they mean:
– **Heart Line:** This line shows your emotional health and relationships. Its shape can reveal how you feel about love and intimacy.
– **Head Line:** This line represents your thinking and decision-making. The length and curve can show whether you are more analytical or creative.
– **Life Line:** Many people think this line shows how long you will live, but it actually reflects your vitality and life experiences. It curves around the base of your thumb.
– **Fate Line:** This line indicates your life path, career, and destiny. A strong fate line may mean you have a clear purpose, while a faint or missing line might suggest you are flexible in your life choices.
– **Sun Line:** This line is linked to fame, creativity, and success. A clear sun line can suggest you will gain recognition for your talents.
If the heart and head lines come together to form an M shape, palm readers believe it shows that you are very gifted and special.
In palmistry, an M shape on your palm shows that you have special intuition, insight, and the potential to be a leader.
This marking is also called the Simian line. It is seen as a sign of a strong personality and suggests that a person can overcome challenges with determination.
People with an M shape tend to be good judges of character, like human lie detectors who can easily spot someone who is being dishonest.
Only 1 to 2% of the population has this unique marking on their palms.
Here’s what it means if you have the Simian line on your hand:
– **Intuition and Insight:** People with an M shape are believed to have strong intuitive abilities. They may be good at reading situations and understanding people.
– **Leadership Qualities:** This marking can suggest that someone has a natural ability to lead and inspire others.
– **Balanced Personality:** It might indicate a balance between intellect (head line) and emotions (heart line). This balance allows for thoughtful decision-making.
– **Potential for Success:** Many palmists believe that having an M shape is a sign of potential success in different areas of life, including careers and relationships.
It’s also important to note that the M shape should appear on your non-dominant hand, which is the hand you don’t use for tasks like writing. For right-handed people, this means the lines on your left hand can indicate positive traits and gifts. If the lines appear on your dominant hand, it may not have the same meaning.
Gary Markwick, a palm reader, explained that people with Simian lines are “quite highly sensitive.” He added, “They’re very focused and determined to get what they want. But sometimes they can have tunnel vision, not noticing what is happening around them or who is nearby.”
Next, speaking about Meghan Markle, who has an M shape on both of her hands, Markwick said, “Some people just have a touch of that line, but Meghan has a Simian line on each hand…so it’s a double whammy. She could do great things.”
The Duchess of Sussex has many achievements. She is an actor, an author, and an advocate for social justice. She also co-founded Archewell with her husband, Prince Harry.
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