A woman named Christine Connell recently shared an unforgettable experience on TikTok: she suffered from a seven-year-long sinus infection after an unexpected incident—her ex-boyfriend accidentally passed gas near her face while she was recovering from ankle surgery.

In the video (which has since been made private), Connell explained that doctors were initially puzzled by her persistent sinus infection. After running multiple tests and eventually taking culture samples from her nose, they discovered that the culprit was E. coli—a bacteria typically found in fecal matter.

“E. coli comes from feces,” Connell said. “How else would it end up in my sinuses unless you have a boyfriend who farts right near your face when you’re unable to move?”

In a follow-up video, she provided more context: she and her ex were staying in a hotel room with two beds. While he was getting into bed, she happened to be lying down with her face exposed in the direct path of the incident. Connell clarified that it wasn’t intentional—just an unfortunate coincidence.

According to the Cleveland Clinic, E. coli is transmitted through fecal-oral contamination. Even trace amounts invisible to the naked eye can cause illness when they enter the mouth or digestive tract. In Connell’s rare case, the bacteria affected her respiratory system, likely due to her weakened immune system from recent surgery.

“I think my immune system was focused on healing my ankle,” she said. “If I had been completely healthy, maybe it wouldn’t have happened.”

Unfortunately, multiple rounds of antibiotics failed to eliminate the infection. In a third video, Connell revealed that she now needs surgery to fully treat the condition.

“They’re going to use general anesthesia and go in to physically scrape out the infected tissue and flush the area clean,” she explained.