From a coma to the Commons: Dudley MP reveals how he nearly died from sepsis

Mike Wood was rushed to hospital after he became delirious at home and was diagnosed with sepsis, a deadly condition that spreads when the body tries to fight infection.

"I was placed in a medically induced coma and at one point my parents were told I only had a one in ten chance of survival," the Dudley South Conservative MP said.

"It is only thanks to the incredible treatment and care I was given by the doctors and nurses at Russells Hall Hospital that I am here today."

Mr Wood initially fell ill earlier this year when he started to suffer from a sore throat. He continued to work, but after attending the opening of the Brierley Hill Enterprise Zone at the end of January he felt so ill he was struggling to function.

"I really didn't know what was going on," he said. "I put myself to bed but at some point got up and started to put my suit on over the top of my pyjamas.

"Fortunately my wife realised something was wrong and insisted I went to hospital."

Mr Wood said it was first thought he was suffering from meningitis. "The doctor at the urgent care walk-in centre realised it was sepsis," he said.

"I suffered a septic shock. My blood pressure collapsed and the sepsis triggered pneumonia, kidney failure and a suspected aborted heart attack.

"I was placed into a medically-induced coma, and put onto life support, on dialysis and breathing through a ventilator tube."

Mr Wood spent three weeks in hospital undergoing treatment.

"Because I was drifting in and out of consciousness I was only getting bits and pieces of information about my condition," he said.

"At the time I didn't realise just how bad things were. I was extremely lucky to survive."

Mr Wood says he is now making a good recovery. His kidneys have fully repaired themselves and there is no damage to his heart or other organs.

He even managed to return to the House of Commons yesterday for the vote on the Article 50 bill, something he says was far too important to miss.

Now he wants to make as many people as possible aware of the dangers of sepsis.

"It is vital that people recognise the symptoms of sepsis," he said. "It kills more people in the UK each year than bowel, breast and prostate cancer combined, yet very few people have heard of it."

The following symptoms can all be signs of sepsis: weakness, severe sickness, loss of appetite, fever and chills, thirst, rapid breathing, fast heart rate, low blood pressure, low urine output, slurred speech.