Anne Phillips

My beautiful mummy became ill on Thursday 23rd December 2021. My mummy and I were shopping on Tuesday 21st December, having a normal day like any other day to then receive a call from my mum’s neighbor on Thursday 23rd December saying he found mum on the floor.

I came round and called the paramedics. They suspected mum had sepsis and wanted mum to go to hospital but she wouldn’t go but agreed to have IV antibiotics treatment at home. When the district nurses came they told me in the nicest but honest possible way treatment wasn’t an option as the infection was through to the bone and it would cause more harm than good. Mum had a pressure sore at the base of her back which is a category FOUR. (Sepsis and Pressure Injuries) The district nurses said they’d never seen one as bad. It was about 8-10 inches in diameter and down to the bone, and the source of the sepsis. My mum must of been suffering in silence for months and not told a soul.

I knew she had a bad back and I said a few times “mum you need to see a doctor”, she’d reply “what can they do?” and no more would be said about it. She never said anything about having a pressure sore. All she was using was voltarol. My mum carried on the fight until Thursday 30th December when she lost her battle and passed away.

If only we had been aware of the pressure sore we could have sorted it and never been in this dreadful predicament. For sepsis to take my mum from me after only 7 days is heartbreaking. If being made aware meant I’d have gotten to have more time with my mum I would’ve welcomed it. I have lost my mum and my best friend. She was so brave til the end. I don’t think mum knew how serious it was and didn’t know she had sepsis. I wish I had known. I certainly won’t forget the tell tell signs

Source: Charlotte Dudley, daughter