Nicky Rigby, aged 26, fell victim to undiagnosed diabetes in July 2012 and sadly lost her life, leaving behind a baby girl and fiancé.
The symptoms of diabetes, whilst glaringly obvious to those who know them, can easily be missed by those who don’t. Miss Rigby had been exhausted and losing weight for 5 months and simply put the symptoms down to the stress of having a baby.
According to the coroner, the symptoms had been left untreated for such a long period of time that her oesophagus had begun to rot
Her fiancé, Mr Wilson said that when he took her to a doctor, she was just prescribed with iron tablets. It’s not clear how long she had been suffering with the condition or whether it was triggered by her recent pregnancy. Her fiancé said the tablets she was prescribed by the doctor did not help. ‘She didn’t want anyone fussing over her,’ he added. ‘She just said that all mums get tired like she was.’
In July 2012, on Mr Wilson’s birthday, Miss Rigby complained that she had a stomach bug. The following evening, she decided to have an early night while her fiancé went out with some friends. Mr Wilson said ‘Nicky wasn’t feeling great and insisted I go and enjoy myself. I kissed her goodbye then took Lily round to my mum’s house so Nicky could have a rest.’
Only a few hours later, he got home from his night out and went to check if she was feeling ok but got the most horrendous shock when he saw her. ‘I decided to switch on the light to see if Nicky was OK, and then saw she was surrounded by black vomit,’ Mr Wilson said.
He began CPR and called 999, but Nicky would not respond. When the paramedics arrived, Mr Wilson overheard them say that Nicky had passed away.
Mark Wilson, Miss Rigby’s fiancé, is now sharing her story to try and raise awareness for the symptoms of diabetes among new mothers and convince them to ask for tests if they have had any symptoms.
If you or someone else has any of the following symptoms, please request tests from your GP:
- Thirst
- Frequent Urination
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Blurred vision
If you’re confused or concerned about any of these symptoms or just want to know more, take a look at our page on symptoms.
