'My left hand was like something out of an alien movie'

"My left hand was like something out of an alien movie; it started getting bigger and it turned purple."

Londoner Mike Stobbie contracted necrotising fasciitis, a rare and life-threatening infection which is also known as a "flesh-eating disease", in the summer of 2022.

It led to the musician and composer, who has worked with the likes of Tinie Tempah and Natalie Imbruglia, having all the fingers and thumb on his left hand amputated.

The 66-year-old is still receiving medical treatment, but told the BBC the experience had completely changed his outlook to life.

"I cannot begin to try to explain how it feels being alive and this happy," he said.

This article contains material some may find distressing.

Mike's life changed on 22 July 2022.

His wife, Anna, and their son, Michael, were on a short summer holiday in Sweden and Mike was hoping to finish co-writing an album.

He was at his Isle of Dogs home and suddenly felt unwell, with symptoms similar to food poisoning.

Mike's situation quickly deteriorated and he described the pain as "unbearable".

"I remember not wishing this pain on my enemy," he said.

"I called 999 and told them I am dying."

By the time the paramedics arrived, Mike said he had lost the use of the left side of his body.

It is thought the infection came from a crack in the skin of Mike's left elbow that was bleeding and did not dry up.

In the ambulance, Mike said he could remember his skin changing before his eyes.

He said: "It started moving really fast up my arm as though there were little aliens underneath it."

Mike was placed in an induced coma and put on life support at the Royal London Hospital, in Whitechapel.

It was found he had acute heart failure, acute renal failure, necrotising fasciitis, group A strep and a hand fracture, and he was immediately sent to surgery and operated on for more than five hours.

Mike spent two months in a coma and has had 60 operations so far.

The necrotising fasciitis "ate" all his skin on his left hand and arm before being stopped by the surgeons and he had to have all the fingers and thumb on his left hand amputated. He also lost five toes to the disease.

He still requires further medical treatment and describes what happened as a "near death experience", but that hasn't stopped him pursuing his passion.

"I've still got my fingers on my right hand, which allows me to do what I love - play the piano," he said.

Mike, who also works as a producer and composer and wrote the music to the children's television series Timmy Time, was inspired by the 20 prosthetic performers during the Eurovision 2023 final featuring Sam Ryder.

It motivated him to look into getting a bionic arm and to fulfil his dream of playing the piano again with two hands.

He said: "If I got a bionic arm, I could probably get back to normal, which would be a miracle and that is what I'm striving for.

"Never give up, always follow your dreams."

Being part of the music world, Mike has compared this experience to that of his career.

"It's just more of the same to me," he said. "I always wanted to be the best pianist in the world.

"I do my best to never give up, I've been knocked down a lot in life and I just get back up."

He said his surgeon informed him he would likely have to go to Vienna to undergo surgery for a bionic arm.

A crowdfunding page was set up for him by a friend, which has so far raised more than £16,000 of its £120,000 target.

He said: "It would change things immensely. Something as simple as doing a button up or tying shoe laces is so hard with one hand, but I most look forward to playing the piano with two hands again."

The 66-year-old remains hopeful for the future, saying the near death experience had given him a new lease of life and that he is "trying harder to do what I need to do with what life I have left".

He added: "All the things I used to worry about have been kicked out of the window as nothing is as important as life itself.

"And I know everyone has their worries in life but it is only when you nearly lose your life that it all comes into perspective."

What is necrotising fasciitis?

Necrotising fasciitis is an uncommon although not rare medical and surgical emergency, with an estimated 500 cases presenting each year in the UK.

The infection affects tissue beneath the skin, external and can lead to a minor injury becoming life-threatening if not treated quickly.

Early flu-like symptoms can quickly develop into a rash, vomiting and swelling of affected areas, before it spreads through the body causing dizziness and confusion.

It can progress very quickly and lead to serious problems such as blood poisoning (sepsis) and organ failure.

Source: NHS/Royal College of Surgeons

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