Kansas mother hospitalized after spider bite faces liver transplant

A Kansas mother was hospitalized after a spider bite at Cheney Lake escalated into a serious medical emergency. On May 28, Britagne Miller said she was bitten by multiple spiders while camped near the lake, and a bruise on her calf later swelled dramatically, prompting her to seek care.

Miller, who has two blood-clotting disorders diagnosed during a previous pregnancy and a compromised liver, underwent surgery in which doctors removed roughly 300 milliliters of blood clots and placed a drain. Post-operative complications included a staph and gram-negative infection, and physicians warned she was in end-stage liver failure with a limited life expectancy.

After several weeks of intensive care, Miller was discharged on July 11 to receive at-home care while awaiting a liver transplant, which will be pursued once her hemoglobin levels improve.

Kansas State horticultural entomologist Dr. Raymond Cloyd noted that the bite was likely from a brown recluse spider, one of only two venomous species known in Kansas, the other being the black widow. He advised sealing cracks and crevices and handling stored items with gloves to reduce spider exposure.

Miller's husband has reportedly lost his job while caring for the family, and the Millers have launched a crowdfunding campaign to cover medical and daily expenses.