A British dad is now at risk of losing his leg after he was seemingly stung by a scorpion while on holiday in Thailand.
Alan Stephenson, 73, is now fighting against a flesh eating disease that's already removed the skin from his right foot to his knee.
While his family understandably want to bring him back home to Hull, he can't leave Thailand until they've paid off his whopping £18,000 medical bill.
Advert
Alan is currently being treated in a remote area, miles from the nearest city, although he does have the comfort of his son, Kristian Stephenson, 44, who flew over to be with him.
Revealing the disgusting conditions in the hospital where his dad was initially being treated, Alan said stray animals were eating patient's food.
As if this wasn't bad enough, he also claims he saw cockroaches on the ceiling of the hospital where he found his dad in 'absolute agony'.
Advert
"The hospital was terrible and didn't have the resources to do anything with his leg," Kristian said to Hull Live. "I thought, 'he is going to die here'."
Kristian was able to get his dad moved to a better facility, but the medical bill means he can't get come back to the UK for treatment.
This is despite a doctor in the UK saying they believe it might be possible to save Alan's leg from amputation.
His family have now set up a Just Giving page in a bid to help him pay the bill and get back to the UK for the treatment he desperately needs.
Advert
It is believed that the initial suspected bite had a bigger effect as Alan suffers from diabetes.
Following his diagnosis of flesh eating disease, he was informed that the best option would be to simply remove his leg.
"His leg looked horrendous, but, because he wasn't being turned over or helped out of bed, he had bed sores that were just as bad," Kristian added of the first hospital.
Advert
"As this was going on, the place he had been staying was demanding rent and taking his belongings to cover the cost, and the hospital was charging an extortionate amount of medical bills in cash."
He admitted that while the second hospital is providing Alan with better treatment, it's costing even more money.
Alan revealed that while his dad has been scheduled to have the amputation at the new hospital, it's been rescheduled multiple times, meaning that his hospital bill keeps going up.
Alan is now being helped by his local MP, Karl Turner for Kingston upon Hull East.
Advert
You can donate to Alan's Just Giving page here.
Emma Guinness