Mother of 4 Fighting for Life After Spider Bites at Campfire
WICHITA, Kan. — A mother in Kansas is battling for her life following spider bites she received while enjoying a campfire at Cheney Lake.
On May 28, Britagne Miller and her family were relaxing at the lake when numerous spiders crawled onto her, leaving multiple bites across her body.
Just four days later, she noticed a painful bruise near a bite on her calf, prompting a trip to the hospital.
“This one kept swelling and swelling, and it was like, you know, a metal fire stir,” Miller recounted. “It felt like being stabbed, shooting down my leg into my foot.”
Before this incident, Miller had been diagnosed with two blood clotting disorders during her pregnancy with her daughter. Over time, she also developed a compromised liver and food and medication allergies. These health issues made the thought of surgery particularly daunting for her.
“I’m terrified of surgery. I worry that I won’t wake up, or that I might bleed out,” she shared. “When they came at 9 o’clock in the morning and asked me to sign for surgery, I was in shock.”
During the procedure, doctors removed nearly 300 mL of blood clots and inserted a drain to help heal the wound. Unfortunately, after five days of recovery, Miller’s wound became infected with both staph and a gram-negative infection.
While hospitalized, doctors informed her that she might be in end-stage liver failure and had just days to a month left to live. “They couldn’t keep my levels stable, even at critical,” she said, recalling how terrifying that news was.
Miller only remembers brief moments from her time in intensive care, as she had declined hospice care. After several weeks, she was released on July 11 and began at-home care, focusing on her family.
“I thought I was done. I didn’t want to be cut open or poked anymore. But then, I thought about my family,” she said.
Despite her challenges, Miller has survived multiple surgeries and infections, with a long road ahead to qualify for a liver transplant. “The plan is to get a liver transplant once my hemoglobin levels improve,” she noted.
While in the hospital, doctors couldn’t determine which spider had bitten her, but the symptoms suggested it could have been a brown recluse. Dr. Raymond Cloyd, an entomologist, mentioned that Kansas has various spiders, with black widows and brown recluses being the venomous ones.
“The black widow and the more common brown recluse are found throughout most of the Midwest,” Cloyd explained.
To reduce the risk of spider encounters, he advised sealing cracks in the home and wearing gloves when handling items left outdoors. “If you have boxes that have been sitting around, or shoes you haven’t worn for a while, it’s wise to be careful,” he added.
Since her hospitalization, Miller’s husband has lost his job because he can’t work normal hours while caring for her and their children. They have started a GoFundMe campaign to help cover hospital bills, ongoing medical care, and daily expenses.
