News in 5: Model's devastating tampon infection; Teen dies at rave; Prince Harry interviews Obama.

1. “It was hell.” Model had her leg amputated after toxic shock syndrome caused by tampon.

A post shared by Lauren Wasser (@theimpossiblemuse) on Oct 30, 2017 at 12:14pm PDT

Model and activist Lauren Wasser was 24 when she had her right leg amputated in 2012 after suffering toxic shock syndrome (TSS).

Speaking to The Sun, the now-28-year-old said she had to choose between losing her leg or her life after a tampon sent toxins streaming through her body.

“It was f*cking hell,” she said.

Wasser explained it started with “flu-like symptoms”, that she felt “nauseous and her head was pounding”. All she wanted to do was sleep.

Her friends sent her home from a party to rest. Her mum sent girlfriends and – eventually – police to check on her when she wasn’t answering. Finally, on the police’s second visit to Wassner’s apartment – after her mum hadn’t heard from her once again – they took her to hospital after finding her non-responsive.

“(My mum) called the police and they came round, it took them 30 minutes to get through my front door and then found me on my bedroom floor face down,” the now 28-year-old model said.

“I had a 41 degree celsius fever, my kidneys were failing, I had a heart attack.”

Luckily, there was an infectious disease doctor at the hospital and – where other doctors were astounded as to why a young healthy 24-year-old was dying – the specialist knew immediately to check for a tampon.

“As soon as they located it it got sent to the lab and it came back as TSS and as soon as they removed it I started being more receptive to treatment.

“They were telling my mum and my godfather to start preparing my funeral because there was no way I was walking out of there – it would have been a miracle.”

Wasser was put into an induced coma to receive blood transfusions. She said she first learned her leg would be amputated by overhearing a nurse’s conversation.

“I knew my legs were not good but I just couldn’t… hearing those words come out of her mouth and being by myself, it was so surreal,” she said.

“I just kept crying and screaming and wanting my mum.”

Understandably, she said making the decision to lose her leg was “hell”, even though it was a life-or-death situation.

“They write ‘yes’ and ‘no’ on your legs, like ‘yes, this is the one that is going’ and ‘no, this is the one we are keeping’.”

According to the government website Health Direct, Toxic shock syndrome (TSS) is caused by bacteria – the same bacteria responsible for staph infections.

The infection can by caused by leaving a tampon in too long, or not your washing hands before inserting a tampon. It releases toxins into the bloodstream and sends the body into shock. Wasser said she began feeling unwell soon after inserting a tampon and, because her condition deteriorated so rapidly, she likely forgot to take it out.

The model now works to raise awareness about TSS. To read more about the condition, its symptoms and how to prevent it, click here.

2. One teen dead and hundreds of MDMA pills seized at a Sydney rave.

Police have launched a critical incident investigation, after a teenager died at the Knockout Circuz music festival at Homebush. #9News @Mr_Timdavies pic.twitter.com/pHl4eIGbpu

— Nine News Sydney (@9NewsSyd) December 17, 2017

An 18-year-old man has died from critical head injuries after tripping over at a Sydney music festival.

The man was running on Riverina Avenue at Olympic Park at Homebush on Saturday night when he tripped over the feet of several people sitting near the entrance to the festival, believed to be Knockout Circuz 2017.

After falling over and hitting his head he drifted in and out of consciousness and became violent with security guards, AAP reports.

Police took him to a medical facility where he was treated before being transferred to Westmead Hospital, where he died about 1am on Sunday.

A critical incident team will investigate and prepare a report for the coroner.

About 300 of the 17,000 festival goers were searched for drugs by police and 69 charges were laid, mostly for possession of a prohibited drug.

Five people, aged from 17 to 22, were allegedly caught with MDMA capsules.

Police said two 17-year-old girls, one who had nearly 380 capsules, were granted conditional bail and will face a Children’s Court in January.

3. Prince Harry “nervous” to interview Barack Obama for BBC podcast.

‘Do I need a British accent?’ @BarackObama is interviewed by Prince Harry for his guest edit of @BBCr4today. In this warm-up, the prince jokingly warns the ex-president he’ll get “the face” if he pauses too long between answers #r4today pic.twitter.com/2887dGlJkG

— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) December 17, 2017

Prince Harry has interviewed Barack Obama for BBC Radio 4’s Today program.

The interview is part of Harry’s guest editorship of the program and features the former US president sharing his memories of the day he left office and his hopes for his post-presidential life.

Kensington Palace said the interview was recorded in Toronto in September during the Invictus Games and will be broadcast on December 27.

Today tweeted a video clip showing Harry and Obama warming up ahead of the chat, with the former president joking: “Do I need a British accent?”

Twiddling a pen, Harry tells Obama: “You’re excited about this, I’m nervous about this, that’s what’s quite funny.”

Obama replies: “I’ll interview you if you want.”

But Harry was not keen and said: “No, no, let’s keep it this way.”

The palace said the conversation features Obama talking about his plans to focus on cultivating the next generation of leadership through the Obama Foundation.

4. Christmas party turned to tragedy after balcony fell, killing two women at a Melbourne home.

A Christmas party in Melbourne for a group of Tupperware managers has turned to tragedy, with two of them killed when a balcony collapsed. https://t.co/vuAn48FVJ6 #Melbourne #7News pic.twitter.com/QuVYoCqzto

— 7 News Adelaide (@7NewsAdelaide) December 17, 2017

A Christmas party at a Melbourne house turned to tragedy after a balcony collapsed, killing two women and leaving more than a dozen injured.

Up to 30 people were believed to be on the balcony at the Doncaster East house when it collapsed on Saturday night, trapping party-goers underneath.

A 59-year-old Croydon woman died at the scene while a Reservoir woman, 37, died in hospital on Sunday morningAAP reports.

Neighbours were shocked at the horror accident and did what they could to help the injured.

“The crash was biblical, the sound of it was nothing I’ve heard before,” Andrew Stone told reporters.

“People were bringing out chairs, and pillows and blankets and things like that just to help out the people who were injured,” he said.

Alex Tan said it was a nice neighbourhood and the event was tragic.

The balcony collapse prompted a major emergency services response with police, firefighters and paramedics swarming to the “chaotic” scene.

“This is a very tragic incident for those involved and our thoughts are with them and their loved ones at this time,” Ambulance Victoria’s state health commander Paul Holman said.

The balcony collapsed during what is believed to be a Christmas party for Tupperware sales consultants.

Ten women and seven men, aged between 20 and 69, were taken to hospitals with soft tissue injuries, fractures and lacerations.

About a dozen people were treated by paramedics at the scene at Balinga Court but did not require hospitalisation. Police are investigating the collapse and will prepare a report for the coroner.

5. Sydney Sixers win against Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday.

???? > HAT-TRICK! @danevn81 bamboozles the @HurricanesWBBL batting line-up with some incredible leg-spin bowling to claim just the third hat-trick in @WBBL history!#smashemsixers pic.twitter.com/EDhlYI4je7

— Sydney Sixers WBBL (@SixersWBBL) December 17, 2017

It seemed to be a mismatch on paper and so it proved as WBBL holders Sydney Sixers returned to form with a comfortable 33-run victory over the winless Hobart Hurricanes on Sunday.

Sixers captain Ellyse Perry starred with the bat scoring a sparkling 65 off 49 deliveries, while Dane van Niekerk backed that up by collecting a stunning hat-trick for the reigning champions.

Perry joined with Sara McGlashan (44 off 33) to add 66 for the fourth wicket amid a flurry of boundaries as the Sixers compiled 8-152 at Bellerive Oval.

The Hurricanes were a chance at 2-62 but South African Dane van Niekerk put paid to local hopes in a single stunning over.

Lauren Smith (2-32) also had success with her off-spin, while opening bowler Perry was only required to send down two overs (0-9) such was the Sixers advantage during the final overs.

It was a much-needed revival from the Sixers who suffered a shock nine-wicket defeat midweek against the Perth Scorchers, with the result pushing the Sydneysiders back into an equal share of top spot.

As well as this, the Melbourne Renegades collected their first win of the season at the expense of Adelaide Strikers at Gliderol Stadium on Sunday.

And devastating opening partnership lifted Sydney Thunder to a comfortable nine-wicket victory over WBBL strugglers Melbourne Stars in Sydney on Saturday.

6. Trump wants the words “transgender” and “diversity” banned from budget documents.

Report:Trump bans ‘transgender,’ ‘fetus,’ ‘science-based’ from CDC documents https://t.co/Hu44Qah8gv pic.twitter.com/Ak4V772NOP

— HuffPost (@HuffPost) December 17, 2017

US health leaders say they are alarmed about reports that officials at the nation’s top public health agency are being told not to use certain words in official budget documents, including “foetus,” “transgender” and “science-based”.

The health community was reacting to a story in The Washington Post, which said the prohibition arose at a meeting of senior budget officials at the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, AAP reports.

An anonymous source told the newspaper the seven words and phrases were not to be used in documents being prepared for the next presidential budget proposal.

The seven words and phrases were: “diversity,” “entitlement,” “foetus,” transgender,” “vulnerable,” “evidence-based” and “science-based”.

On Saturday, a CDC official confirmed there was a recent meeting in which CDC officials were given feedback from the higher ranks of the federal government to reconsider language in draft budget documents. But she said she did not know if there was any specific prohibition about using those seven words.