The warning every green thumb NEEDS to hear | A Current Affair

Stuart has a green thumb. He loves to garden. One night he woke up gasping for air. Rushed to hospital, doctors were stumped as to what was wrong with him. Turns out potting mix nearly put him in the ground. Once I came out of the coma, I had to learn to walk and talk again. He's a shadow of his former self. He's lost weight, he's lost strength, he's just lost himself. This should not happen to someone. Stuart's hobby almost killed him. Ten days in a coma, three months in hospital. The 76-year-old was knocking on death's door. But why? It was a mystery. At one stage they said to Rita and the girls, I probably wouldn't make the night. None of us were really prepared for that. On the night of May 15, Stuart woke up gasping for air. I got up out of bed and collapsed, hit my head on the chest of drawers and then started vomiting uncontrollably. His wife Rita called an ambulance. They never could have imagined what happened next. They had no idea what was wrong. For two weeks, doctors, specialists and consultants at Ballarat Base Hospital in Victoria's West couldn't work out what was wrong with Stuart. They rang around the world virtually. There were no real answers. The grandfather's blood pressure wouldn't stabilise. At one point they had to shock his heart. It was like, I don't know what's happening. What are we doing here? It was frightening. I'd retired a month before I got ill and spent my 77th birthday in a coma. But when these tests came back, the mystery was solved. Whatever's in the body mix can cause death. So this is the culprit? Yep, that's the one. I opened the packet and I went, oh, that's really strong. And I've never struck that before. Stuart says he had potted one plant in his backyard days before he collapsed. It's a normal brand I buy from Bunnings. Osmocote Premium Potting Mix by Scots. I always wear gloves, always wash my hands afterwards. I never knew that you had to wear a mask. His diagnosis was rare. They said he has a thing called nocardia. Stuart had inhaled spores from a standard retail bag of potting mix. Specialists identified a rare bacterial infection called nocardia nova, as well as two separate fungal infections, two exotic pathogens and pneumonia. Doctors believe Stuart survived because he was so fit and healthy. Bloody hell, that was my reaction. How can it be so dangerous and so many people use it on a day-to-day basis? Nocardia is a bacteria that is usually found in the environment, such as soil. When it gets into the wrong place, it can cause lung infections. Infectious diseases, physician associate professor Narelle Sherry. Nocardia infections are not very common, but they certainly do occur. It is possible for people to become ill quite quickly. Legionella infection is more commonly associated with death or sickness from potting mix. 83-year-old Queensland man Lionel Covington died after contracting Legionellas from handling potting mix without a mask last year. The people most at risk of these infections are the elderly, people with immune suppression and those with pre-existing lung conditions and other chronic illnesses. They should take particular care when working around potting mix. Narelle recommends wearing a well-fitted P1 or P2 face mask when using potting mix. And it feels silly standing here in a garage next to some potting mix wearing a mask, but that's actually what it's come to. Despite warnings on the front and back of the packaging, Stuart and Rita want more. The packaging isn't clear enough. I would like to see a bigger warning on the packet. You know, how often do we read the fine print? We don't. On the packaging of potting mix Stuart used, it recommends wearing a particulate mask if dusty, but says nothing about people over the age of 65 being more at risk of contracting an infection if they don't wear one. It is essential that they make people aware how dangerous this stuff is. The brand appears to contradict its own safety advice, presenters even bypassing a face mask. Sending the wrong message. In a statement, Scots told us... Scots potting mixes and their packaging are developed in accordance with the applicable Australian standard. Scots encourage all customers to read and follow the directions and safety information. Will you use potting mix again? Yeah. Yeah. Because if I wear a P2 mask, it'll be fine. I don't know about that. I mean, his other hobby is cooking, so maybe I'll steer him in that direction. I don't know. You're up the kitchen now, please, Stuart. Stuart, we want you to make a full recovery. He has to stay on antibiotics for a year to prevent the infection coming back, but who would have thought it, from potting mix.