Sepsis is a condition that can strike when you least expect it, and its impact on victims can be both devastating and life-altering. Today, we’re sharing Jean’s sepsis story, including the physical and emotional toll it took on her and her family, to raise awareness of the disease and the importance of early diagnosis and treatment.
It was the Fourth of July, when Jean initially thought she had a stomach virus. She didn’t think much of it and never expected it would lead to a life-threatening condition. She recalls, “The next day, I felt better. My husband went to a meeting, and I took a nap in the afternoon. When I woke up, my lips, my tongue, and my face were swollen. When my husband came home, he took one look at me and said, ‘I think you need to go to the hospital.’”
At the hospital, the doctor’s diagnosis suggested it might be a reaction to her blood pressure medication. Misdiagnosis is common with sepsis since its symptoms share similarities with several other common diseases. However, early detection and treatment is key to surviving sepsis.
Exactly one week later, Jean woke up feeling sick again and she thought it was just another stomach virus. But her condition deteriorated rapidly throughout the day, with her husband noticing her decline but trusting her judgement that she would be fine. Despite feeling extremely unwell, Jean’s stubborn nature initially led her to resist a hospital visit. It was only when her symptoms escalated, including the characteristic rigors of sepsis, that she reluctantly agreed to go to the hospital.
As Jean describes her experience, “Later that night, my husband and I got into bed, and I was still shaking and still refusing to go to the hospital. At some point in the night, he tried to have a conversation with me, and gibberish just came out. I was clearly in LaLa land, so he called the ambulance.” Had Jean’s husband waiting any longer, it is likely she would not have survived.
The medical team at the hospital responded quickly to diagnose the source of Jean’s condition, eventually discovering that her ileum had perforated. This led to emergency surgery, saving her life. As Jean vividly recalls, “The doctors told my husband, ‘Three things could happen. We could find the problem and we could fix it. We could find a problem and not be able to fix it, or we might not find the problem at all.’ They found the problem, and they fixed it.”
Jean’s journey didn’t end with the surgery. Recovery from septic shock is a lengthy process, often taking years. Jean had to adapt to life with an ostomy, which presented its own set of challenges. Her body’s response to sepsis triggered idiopathic angioedema, further complicating her post-sepsis life. She notes that “full recovery from septic shock takes years,” and she credits her support system and recovery program for helping her through this challenging period.
Prior to her experience, she had limited knowledge of the condition. “I was vaguely familiar with sepsis,” she confesses, “but I really thought it was a blood infection. It wasn’t until I went through this and started doing my own research that I realized it’s not a blood infection, it’s how your body reacts to an infection. So yeah, I was aware of it, but certainly not to the extent that I’m aware of it now.” Today, she emphasizes the need for a universal protocol for diagnosing and treating sepsis, urging people to seek medical attention when they experience potential sepsis symptoms.
One of the most frustrating aspects of sepsis awareness for Jean is the silence surrounding the condition, especially in the media. She points out that even when prominent figures experience sepsis, it is rarely mentioned. “I think if people knew, it would be in their head, and maybe people would get themselves to the doctor or the hospital sooner,” Jean argues. This silence perpetuates the lack of awareness and understanding of sepsis, contributing to delayed diagnoses and potentially fatal consequences.