I was plagued by memory loss, fatigue and seizures – a SPLINTER lodged in my foot 5 years ago was to blame
FOR years, Billie J Bedser suffered seizures and memory loss - all caused by a splinter lodged in her foot that doctors initially dismissed.
"I lost five years of my life because I was told it was anxiety, depression, insomnia and what not," the 32-year-old DJ said.
During the Covid lockdown in 2020, Billie from Arundel, Gold Coast, Australia, stepped on a stick while walking barefoot in her garden.
She managed to remove part of it herself but could still feel something lodged inside.
Billie consulted a doctor who performed an X-ray - which generally can't pick up wood - and assured her there was nothing left inside.
They told her that if something was lodged in her foot "it would come out naturally".
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Billie said: "I was in pain, I couldn't walk properly and my foot was swollen, but the doctor didn't take me seriously."
She consulted another GP, who misdiagnosed the swelling as a ganglion cyst, something she repeatedly insisted it wasn't.
In 2022, Billie began experiencing symptoms such as unexplained weight loss, constant fatigue, chronic insomnia and memory problems.
Despite numerous visits to hospitals and clinics, doctors repeatedly dismissed her symptoms as psychosomatic, blaming anxiety or depression.
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She said: "I kept saying something was seriously wrong, but no one listened."
Billie's condition had deteriorated so severely by 2024 that she could no longer work.
She said: "I went from playing multiple gigs to being completely bedridden.
"My nervous system was collapsing.
"I lost all muscle tone.
"I was experiencing seizures and couldn't even string thoughts together."
The turning point came just before Christmas last year when Billie had a seizure mid-set.
Billie said: "I couldn't hide it anymore.
"I felt helpless."
Billie was finally able to get an ultrasound and CT scan in March, which revealed a 2cm-long wooden splinter in her foot.
The surgeon who operated found that the wood had travelled up into her bone instead of being pushed out.
'It killed the bone off'
Doctors also discovered the fragment had caused a fungal bone infection, which had likely triggered the neurological symptoms.
Billie said: "I was stunned and furious.
"I finally had the validation I'd been fighting for.
"The wood had fungus in it, which led to a bone infection and disrupted my entire nervous system.
"Over time, it killed the bone off.
"Everything suddenly made sense."
Billie is now facing a long recovery process, including treatment for nerve damage and systemic inflammation.
She said: "I'm still in a lot of pain, and fatigue is constant, but I finally have clarity.
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"I finally know it wasn't all in my head.
"It was real-every symptom."
How to remove a splinter
Even a tiny splinter can cause big problems if left untreated.
Follow these simple steps to safely remove it and avoid infection:
1. Wash your hands and the area
Clean the skin with soap and warm water to stop germs spreading
2. Use clean tweezers
Grab the splinter as close to the skin as possible and pull it out in the same direction it went in
3. Squeeze gently
Let a little blood come out to help flush out any dirt
4. Clean again
Wash the area once more and dry it thoroughly
5. Cover it up
Use a plaster or clean dressing to protect the skin while it heals
When to get help:
- You can’t remove the splinter
- The skin is red, sore or leaking pus
- You haven’t had a tetanus jab in the last 10 years
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