Amanda Symns Brooks

The night I gave birth to my son I started feeling very weird. I had uncontrollable shaking and I could not get warm. I spent hours in the shower even running the hot water out. The nurses and my OBGYN would not listen to my concerns saying it was just my hormones. I was discharged home and continued to get worse over the week. (Sepsis and Pregnancy & Childbirth)

I was at the local clinic on a Friday with a 60/40 blood pressure and was still sent home. I returned the next day to the ER with a temp of 104. By the time I returned to the hospital I was septic and was developing toxic shock syndrome. (Sepsis and Toxic Shock Syndrome) They did not know if I was going to make it. I ended up with strep, necrotizing fasciitis, which ate a hole in left foot, and endocarditis which ate through my aortic valve. (Sepsis and Group A Streptococcus, Sepsis and Necrotizing Fasciitis) I was in the ICU for 9 days. I came home with a wheelchair and a walker. I also had a brand new baby boy.

I had to use a walker about 3 months. I had and still have joint pain. It was so sever at first that I couldn’t walk alone or get out of bed. I had a PICC for 3 months. I couldn’t shower or dress myself without assistance. On April 26th 2023 I had open heart surgery to replace my aortic valve. The surgeon was able to repair which was great at the time but unfortunately in December we found out the repair did not last. I will have to have surgery again at sometime. I suffer with extreme fatigue, reactive arthritis and visual migraines.