JC

On January 22, 2022, amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, I underwent my eighth spinal surgery—my second low back fusion surgery. Due to the ongoing pandemic, I had arranged with my doctor and hospital to recover at home after the procedure. Familiar with post-operative care from prior surgeries, I felt prepared to manage my recovery independently.

The surgery lasted an hour and a half, involving the placement of larger rods and additional bone material. I was discharged just two and a half hours post-surgery, returning home to have dinner with my daughter. However, shortly thereafter, I experienced a sudden health crisis. My daughter found me incoherent and screaming, unable to speak or control my movements. Emergency medical services were called, and I was transported to the local hospital, where I had already slipped into a coma due to sepsis. (Sepsis and Surgery)

At the hospital, my condition rapidly deteriorated as multiple organs began shutting down. My brain was deprived of oxygen, my lungs filled with fluid, and my kidneys failed. The medical team, worked tirelessly to stabilize me, draining fluid from my lungs and administering life-saving medications. I developed a high fever (104°F), and my white blood cell count spiked. Despite the efforts of the eight doctors caring for me, my prognosis was grim.

During the three days I spent in a coma, I experienced a profound near-death phenomenon. This included visions of angels, deceased family members, a white light, a life review, and encounters with God. My journey also involved harrowing visions of hell, which triggered post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) upon my recovery. For six months, I endured nightly nightmares and emotional distress.

Three months later, I revisited the emergency room for an unrelated allergic reaction. He confirmed the details of my near-death experience, including my out-of-body observations that had been unknowingly. Two other events in my near-death experience have been confirmed factually as well. I am so glad to have found Sepsis Alliance because daily I continue to think about my outcome, future illnesses, after effects, and an early death.

Source: JC Morris