This archive report was first published on 2 July 2019.
On a day that could have been her last, Annie Lovegrove, a 21-year-old from Ipswich, was rushed to A&E with a high fever after her GP misdiagnosed her with tonsillitis.
Published on July 2, 2019, Annie's shocking story highlights the importance of accurate medical diagnosis.
After visiting her GP with painful mouth ulcers, Annie was prescribed antibiotics and sent home, but her condition worsened over the next few days.
It wasn't until she was rushed to hospital that doctors discovered she had aplastic anaemia, a rare blood disease that affects only two people in every million each year.
"I had a mouth ulcer form in the middle of January, along with unexplained bruises on my body," Annie recalled.
"After a week of using over the counter medication and saltwater, my mum told me to go to the doctor as there was no improvement. If anything, it was getting worse," she added.
Despite her worsening condition, Annie's GP continued to misdiagnose her, telling her she had tonsillitis and prescribing her antibiotics.
It wasn't until her mum called an ambulance that Annie received the medical attention she so desperately needed.
"If we didn't go to A&E when we did, doctors said I wouldn't have survived the next day," Annie said.
After being rushed to hospital, Annie underwent 50 blood transfusions, a bone marrow transplant, and chemotherapy to treat her condition.
Her sister Millie donated the bone marrow for the transplant, and Annie will have to undergo regular tests to ensure her body has accepted the transplant.
Since her diagnosis, Annie's life has been derailed, with hospital trips becoming a regular occurrence whenever her temperature rises above 37.5C.
She also tires far quicker than she used to and is paranoid about catching an infection through germs, which has made her cautious about food and drink.
