I survived a bout of sepsis and septic shock; a condition when the body's immune system goes haywire responding to an infection or injury, and for unknown reasons, turns on the body. Sepsis could result from a burn, a urinary tract infection, a case of strep, pregnancy, a scrape, or any other condition that calls for an immune response.
The Centers for Disease Control states there are more than 1.5 million cases of sepsis annually in the US with around 250,000 deaths. That would make it the third leading cause of death. It is not listed at all because the infection or injury that trigger sepsis are reported as cause of death when it occurs. One in three patients who die in hospital have sepsis. Anyone can get sepsis but the most vulnerable are the elderly, the very young, those with compromised immune systems, and those with conditions such as diabetes or heart disease.
Sepsis is diagnosed when there are combinations of high or low temperature, confusion, pale or discolored skin, shortness of breath, and extreme pain. Severe sepsis involves the shutting down of blood flow to organs such as the brain, liver, kidneys, heart, and lungs. Septic shock adds dangerously low blood pressure to previous conditions. Loss of circulation may necessitate amputations. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to prevent severe illness or death, (the Mayo Clinic reports the mortality rate for septic shock is nearly 50%).
At the onset of my illness I was ok one minute and the next was unable to walk more than two or three steps without having to stop or sit down or collapse due to fatigue and breathlessness. My thanks to the EMT's who arrived quickly and transported me to the emergency room.
I remember a doctor telling me I was gravely ill and I was surprised because I didn't feel that bad. They had a hard time keeping my blood pressure up. I was hooked up to IV lines for antibiotics, had a breathing tube inserted down my throat, and eventually a catheter for dialysis and a feeding tube. The worst of that night was developing breathing difficulties. My next of kin were contacted.
When I was conscious in intensive care the next day, the doctor told me it had been touch and go to stabilize me. My kidneys and liver had failed and a liver transplant and dialysis were mentioned. When I was stronger I would need to have my gall bladder removed as the suspected source of the trigger infection.
While hospitalized, I suffered audio and visual hallucinations. (No, I had not taken LSD.) I could not recall some words, (‘gall bladder’ ironically), and when the breathing tube was removed had speech difficulty. I am grateful to the health professionals who cared for me and kept me alive.
It is 4 months since I fell ill. My liver function has returned so I don't need a transplant. I was on dialysis for about 6 weeks and my kidneys have recovered to about 25% function so I don't have to be dialyzed for 4 hours 3 times a week. Yay! My speech and memory have mostly recovered. On a bad day I can walk only 10 yards before I must rest. (I was able to walk 4-5 miles on a golf course.) I am suffering from mild depression and have read that post sepsis syndrome can result in PTSD. Atrophy from being bed ridden has taken a good deal of strength from my arms and legs.
A consultant said he could not see evidence that the initial infection that triggered this was in my gall bladder. I decided to keep it for now. The downside is they don't know what set off the sepsis.
Any illness or infection can lead to sepsis. Early recognition can prevent organ failure, loss of life and limb, and long term consequences. Knowledge is key. If you want to know more, go to www.sepsis.org, or https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/ or https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sepsis/symptoms-causes/syc-20351214.