Kelli Shaw

I’ve been a TSS survivor for only a few months and have been looking to find a community of survivors that understands. (Sepsis and Toxic Shock Syndrome) I’d love to share my story in hopes of finding that connection and closure.

I’m a 33-year-old wife and mother of 3. Our family has a busy lifestyle and I’m also a business owner. Back on November 17th (2023) I had a laparoscopic hysterectomy. After having my third, I was having lots of uterine pain and heavy bleeding that wasn’t solved with an IUD and hated using period products and tampons. One night after my surgery, I began experiencing extreme pain in my stomach, as well as diarrhea and vomiting. (Sepsis and Surgery) By the end of the next day I had my husband bring me to the ER. My blood pressure was 78/32 and I had an internal fever of 104. They rushed me back to a room and immediately did blood work. At this point I don’t remember what happens next, but based on my medical notes and what my husband and family remembers, my lactic acid was at a 9 and my kidneys were shutting down. I spent the next 8 hours on IV meds that did little to lower the infection rate. The doctors were convinced I had a knick or blockage from the hysterectomy and proceeded to go in surgically where I coded twice and was resuscitated (thankfully!) My heart was failing, my lung had collapsed and my liver was shutting down as well. My husband was told I had 3-4 hours left to live.

We live in New Hampshire, and fortunately Boston is only 45 minutes away, and has one of the best hospitals in New England. Our local hospital realized they couldn’t do any more for me and so they called in a specialist who put me on ECMO and flew me back down to Boston. I spent the next 5 days on ECMO. I was so fortunate to not lose a single limb, but I do have (potentially) permanent nerve/muscle damage to my right leg because of it.

I spent the next 6 weeks in the hospital relearning how to use my arms, the bathroom, and how to walk again. There were many set backs, including stomach ulcers and a stroke. I spent another two weeks in a rehab, the first night being my first Christmas away from my husband and three babies. I finally went home on January 5th with two open groin wounds and a damaged right leg, but I am so grateful to be alive and whole. Recovery has not been without its challenges and it looks like more surgeries may be needed in the future, but I’m alive and that’s all I can ask for.

Thank you for letting me share my story, I would never wish for anyone to experience what I did but it is nice to know I’m not alone.