Karin Solis

In 2010 I was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, antiphospholipid syndrome and Raynaud’s syndrome. (Sepsis and Autoimmune Disorders) More ailments started to surface over the years. I started having routine seizures, skin lesions often testing positive for staph, complications from antibiotics, caustic or abrasive allergies, enlarged lymph nodes, chronic migraines and most recently complex migraines which mimic strokes. I was on weekly chemotherapy and biweekly biological injections known as immunosuppressants for 8 years. (Sepsis and Impaired Immune System)

I caught a cold in December 2016 and within a blink of an eye my temperature raised above 104. I was taken to the ER and admitted into the ICU with sepsis and organ dysfunction. The cause was never diagnosed. Another cold in November 2017 (only 11 months from my sepsis admission) for two days my fever never passed 99.9. One morning I took my temp at 99.3. 20 minutes later I felt something go terribly wrong. I took my temp again and I was at 105.5. Rushed to the hospital, my heart rate was dangerously low. I was put on an IV drip that should have improved my heart rate. But it just maintained it. I had two grand mal seizures because of the high fever. They took me in for an MRI. Because of my claustrophobia, my heart rate went from 40 bpm to 80 bpm. The first sign of improvement.

After I got back to the ER room, the IV drip ended. Because it was not fixing my heart rate only maintaining it, my heart rate instantly plummeted from 80 bpm to under 15 bpm. I felt my organs shutting down (excruciating) and the defibrillator started to count down. A nurse quickly told me to hyperventilate. I gave it my all with the little bit of oxygen I had and the countdown stopped. I settled my breathing and the countdown started again. The hyperventilating technique stopped a live shock on 3 occasions before they hung a new med to stabilize my heart again. I had just experienced septic shock. The fact that I survived shocks doctors to this day.

I was hospitalized in the ICU again for sepsis, organ dysfunction and septic shock. I tested positive for one of the 13 meningitis tests they ran, but after running it again it came back negative. So it was undetermined so the cause was again undiagnosed. It was clear that the immunosuppressants I was taking was not letting me recover thus pushing me into sepsis. I am no longer able to treat my autoimmune disorders. I have made it my mission to teach anyone taking immunosuppressants the dangers and red flags of sepsis. It strikes hard and fast and the only reason I survived sepsis twice is because of my quick action to receive medical attention. Sepsis terrifies me, and because there was no diagnosis, I don’t know how to prevent another strike. But my guard is always up and I will never stop fighting. ~ Karin