Karin Solis

I wanted to share with you my sepsis nightmare in 2021. Well it started in December 2020, I had been through sepsis back in 2016 and again in 2017 (septic shock), so I know the early warning signs oh too well.  My fever went from 99.8 to 103.6 in 15 minutes. So I called 911 and was admitted with sepsis. I had a port-a-cath so I was told it was the port that my body was rejecting. (Sepsis and Invasive Devices) So it was removed and replaced. I was admitted with sepsis in February, April, June, July and August of 2021.  Each time battling febrile seizures, fevers up to 105+ and each time sepsis was blamed on my port so out it came and in with a new one. I have gone through 8 ports.

Well on my second admission in February I told the doc that I had rectal bleeding and loads of pain. I was told it was hemorrhoids.  Each time I was admitted I brought up the rectal bleeding and pain. Each time I was told it was hemorrhoids. Finally in August I begged the doctor to do an exam because I couldn’t handle the pain anymore.  He said he saw nothing. I cried and my nurse asked what was wrong. I told her so she asked if she could have a look. She gasped and asked for my phone to take pictures. She then called the doctor back in. Very unimpressed the doctor ordered an MRI just to humor me. 12 hours later I was in emergency surgery having a softball size perianal abscess removed and drains inserted that I had to leave in for 3 months. Wait it gets better.  Shortly after the surgery I felt like I had to go to the bathroom. A 3.5 foot tapeworm fell out of the surgical site. Two other pieces came out later making it just over 4 ft long. My sepsis was caused by the leaking perianal abscess which had been leaking for at least a year. The tapeworm had eaten it’s way through my rectum making a fistula and giving that thing an ultimate meal. I still have to have another surgery to remove the fistula. After 2021 I had 3 more sepsis admissions. The last one was this past May after a colonoscopy and a leaking fistula.  The only reason I survived was TIME! Temp, Infection, Mental Decline, Extremely Ill.  The Sepsis Alliance saved my life with that. I am forever grateful!