Mark Roberts

My experience started Christmas day 2022. felt like I had a virus, giddy, achy, fast pulse and stomach pain/bloating. Managed few mouthfuls of dinner, went to accident and emergency and waited 13hrs. Despite obs several times, nothing was picked up.

Went home early hours Boxing Day, started vomiting bile. Apparently I was grey in colour, managed to get back to hospital and got seen very quickly. They diagnosed after tests that I had bowel blockage and sepsis. Had emergency surgery on Boxing Day night. I remember not till coming around 4 days later. I had apparently been in induced coma, unstable vitals etc.

Several days on high dependency ward then post surgical ward. 12 days in hospital, IV antibiotics, etc. Now 8 weeks on, I am managing to walk short distances, in an outdoors type of person despite having arthritis in knees. It’s great having survived but it has left me with very bad joint and muscle pain all over, I need a lot more sleep. I get muddled more than I used too, feeling sad and fearful of any virus etc leading to sepsis again. But I’m alive thank God and I pray my story gives someone else hope.