Woman says salmonella illness ‘worse than childbirth’ as Stoney Creek outbreak grows

A Stoney Creek restaurant remains closed as Hamilton Public Health continues to investigate a salmonella outbreak that has left dozens of people ill.

Public health officials say that in a two-week span, more than 40 people fell ill after eating at the Piper Arms in Stoney Creek. The number of confirmed cases continues to rise, with 13 confirmed cases and 44 probable cases reported, resulting in six hospitalizations.

Shannon Whitaker, 52, is one of those affected. She says the pain she experienced during her illness was worse than childbirth.

On Tuesday, March 31, Whitaker and a friend went to the restaurant for a late supper.

“Oddly enough we had the same salad, the butternut squash salad,” Whitaker said. “The only difference is I had chicken on mine.”

A few hours later, Whitaker says she began to feel awful. By 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, she was sicker than she had ever been in her life.

“I couldn’t even turn the light on, I couldn’t watch TV. I laid in the dark for three days,” she said.

WATCH MORE: Upper Stoney Creek restaurant closed after nine people infected with salmonella

After trying to “tough it out” for a few days, Whitaker’s symptoms persisted. A friend eventually drove her to a walk-in clinic over the weekend.

“I couldn’t even function when I was trying to get the antibiotic that the doctor prescribed,” Whitaker said. “I just started crying because my brain couldn’t focus on doing anything.”

When her condition did not improve, she visited her family doctor on the following Monday.

“He gave me a different antibiotic which was like one course, four pills. It was only then that I started to turn a corner and actually felt okay,” Whitaker said. “I have never been that sick in my life. I felt like I was fighting demons.”

The restaurant remains closed as public health investigates the reports. Based on current information, officials say visits to the establishment that resulted in illness occurred between March 28 and April 10.

While Whitaker’s friend felt fine, she is certain the chicken on her salad was the culprit. However, public health has not yet narrowed the cause down to a single food source, noting it could be the result of cross-contamination.

Whitaker says she is now reluctant to dine out at all.

“The worst part about it, it was a salad,” Whitaker said. “Not a steak or a burger or something, but it was a salad that took me down.”

WATCH MORE: Woman hospitalized after eating at Stoney Creek restaurant speaks out