Christine Davis

What is sepsis?? A question I am asked nearly every time I mention, “I survived sepsis.” The question I ask myself: How can so many people not understand the severity of sepsis and how it will change your life forever. It altered my life forever.

A diagnosis of non-Hodgkins lymphoma was quite a blow. How could this be possible? I was a 46-year-old cardio queen, healthy eater on-the-go woman. After being diagnosed I thought, no problem, 7 rounds of R-Chop, easy, I can handle this. Six months out of my life won’t be horrible. My first round was beyond horrible. As I look back, the pain I felt with cancer was a breeze compared to the beast of sepsis. (Sepsis and Cancer)

As I began my third round of R-Chop, I began to feel ill. Once again I was admitted to the hospital. I began running a fever and my abdomen was beginning to bloat. At this time, and input from numerous doctors, the conclusion was I was constipated from my heavy pain meds. After several humiliating procedures, my abdomen continued to swell. One of my last memories, before I awoke to sepsis horror, was telling my husband, “why do I look 7 months pregnant?” I don’t remember being moved into ICU. I do remember waking up, briefly, with my mother holding my hand, looking into her eyes and telling her, “I know I am not going to make it and it’s ok mom.” It’s interesting how we know we are dying. (Sepsis and Impaired Immune System)

The following I do not remember. My fever began to worsen. I began having difficulty breathing. At that point I was placed on a ventilator. My lungs began filling up with fluid. My kidneys began to struggle. At this point a day had passed. Again, several doctors had various explanations for my condition. Finally, my oncologist demanded the head of the gastroenterology department examine my condition. It was discovered one of my lymph nodes had died from my R-Chop and as it died, tore a hole in my intestine. I was scheduled for emergency surgery and my family was told I would more than likely not survive.

Even unconscious I knew I was dying. I knew I was a breath away. It was not unpleasant, just a matter of fact. After 5 hours and many prayers I survived. This is when the beast of sepsis shows its face.

For my surgeon to save my life I was split down my abdomen from my breast bone to my pelvic bone. Apparently, my whole intestinal tract was “out of my body” while they were trying to discover the location of the hole. As a result of such severe infection, my wound was not able to be closed. It was left open. They placed four drains in my abdomen working to continue to drain off the infected fluid from my body. Pain now has a new meaning in my life. Excruciating doesn’t even explain this level of pain. Tubes, all shapes and sizes, out of every orifice in your body. All the while, more pain.

After 10 days in ICU, I was allowed to be moved to the cancer ward. After two weeks I was able to have the feeding tube removed and work toward beginning to eat soft foods. Sepsis works a number on your muscles and your brain. I lost the ability to walk after three weeks in the bed. The difficulty of learning to walk with a gaping wound in my abdomen was unthinkable as it related to the amount of pain. All the while, the fever returned. More bacteria, left over fluid hiding in pockets in my abdomen. More antibiotics, more fear, more pain, more tests, more surgeries. Then C-Diff rears its ugly head – another side effect of an extended hospital stay. Yet more pain, more humiliation…more agony.

After 3 long months in the hospital I was finally cleared to go home with a home nurse.

My sepsis story and its complications, even 3 years later, are still with me. (Sepsis and Post-Sepsis Syndrome) Numerous re-hospitalizations for adhesions as a result of my abdominal surgery, massive reconstructive surgery a year after the initial sepsis diagnosis, stress fractures from weakened bones. The emotional and mental trauma lead me to seek help with PTSD. My life was forever changed as a result of sepsis. Sepsis is curable for the lucky but we carry scars and its damage forever both physically and emotionally. It is impossible to accurately explain the intensity of pain sepsis delivers. Pain for myself, for my family and for the people who have not survived sepsis.

My physicians shared with my husband the following: “The only reason your wife has survived is she has a very strong heart. If she had not been in such great shape, sepsis would have taken her.”

On a final note, as you lay in a hospital bed in the wee hours of the morning, with your thoughts, over the hospital intercom you hear…”Code blue sepsis”, nearly everyday. The only thing you can do is pray for that person effected. Now that I am cured and healthy I want to do anything and everything possible to educate people about sepsis.