Toya Russell

On June 1, 2017 I had a surgery which was a partial hysterectomy due to fibroids. I learned after the surgery that my colon was accidentally perforated and as a result my kidneys were damaged. (Sepsis and Surgery, Sepsis and Perforated Bowel) I was told that my colon had been sewed back up, but I would have to start dialysis upon my release home. As I laid in the recovery room I became very lethargic, I began to dehydrate, my breathing became very hard, and my heart rate was extremely high. My blood pressure was 39 over 23 and that is when I knew that I was in distress and gravely ill. I became delirious, but I was unable to understand what was going on.

Through the grace of God, my sister who is a registered nurse and had been for 19 years came to visit me and immediately realized that something was wrong. As my sister describes, I was extremely pale, underneath my eyes were black, and my lips were blue. My sister did not work in recovery at the time, but took action as if she did to help save my life. Time was of the essence as I was moved to the ICU unit. Tests were run, and it was determined that I needed a second surgery because my body was in septic shock. I was placed in a medically induced coma. My family, friends, and church family members all came together and sent up prayers to the Lord our intercessor. Only time would tell if I was going to make it.

The prayers of the Righteous were heard and I came out of the come about 8 days later. Now the real fight for my life had begun. I was unable to speak, or move any parts of my body as I laid in the ICU from June 3rd to June 16th I had began to notice that I was not getting better. My memory was not great and I was unable to tell reality from hallucinations. (Sepsis and Hallucinations)  If I could not do anything else, I continued to pray for strength and health. My sister and I felt that a transfer to a more advanced hospital was the best option for my recovery and survival. I transferred to the next hospital on June 16th and stayed there until July 3rd. While I was at the next hospital I noticed that my speech was no longer slurred or impaired and I had begun to speak like I did before sepsis set into my body.

The kidney doctors were excellent and worked hard to get my kidney back working. (Sepsis and Kidney Failure) I had pneumonia and a collapsed lung prior to being transferred to the next hospital, but I knew that the doctors were excellent where I had transferred to. On July 3rd I was sent to rehabilitation department of the original hospital, which was not something that I wanted to do, but I had no choice because my insurance required that I attend rehab through that provider.

Upon entering rehab, I had not walked since June 1st. My experience up to this point had been a very humbling one to say the least. Things that are often taken for granted such as being able to use a toilet versus a bed pan, being able to bathe and shower versus someone having to wash me up, being able to feed myself versus someone having to feed me. Oh and not to mention 3 days a week of dialysis for 3 and half hours each time. My road to recovery was long and hard, but I had faith in the Most High God, that if he spared my life from sepsis, then I have to fight harder than ever to regain a normal life.

I stayed in rehab from July 3rd to July 27th. My first time I walked since my surgery was hard and I by me laying in a hospital bed so long I noticed that my coordination and gait was very unsteady. Each day my strength was building. Despite having a huge open stomach wound that had to heal from the inside out nothing was going to stop me. I also had a huge bald spot in my head which came from laying in one spot too long without being rotated as well as trauma. I had began to exceed my goals and expectations in rehab and my discharge date was set for July 27th. I know that Jesus is a healer and I am a witness.

The day I was being discharged to go home, the kidney doctor gave me the most wonderful news, my kidneys were functioning properly and I would no longer need dialysis. When I got home after being hospitalized for 2 months. The next challenge I faced was learning to adapt to being home where nothing was like in the hospital and rehab facility. I had a home health nurse who came to my house to change my wound vac for my stomach. I also began to deal with depression due to my long hospitalization.

My joints were always stiff and sore. It has been approximately 9 months since I survived sepsis and I can honestly say that this has been the hardest thing in my life I had to face. I am slowly returning to the person I was before this happened to me and I am only 44 years old so I can only imagine what sepsis can do to a child or an elderly person. Sepsis can be very deadly and after doing research I learned that the survival rate is between 30 to 50 percent and that is why I had to tell my story. My heart goes out to those who did not survive sepsis and to those who do because the outcome is traumatic for all who go through it. I continue my recovery with intense outpatient rehab. I plan on returning to work soon and I pray that I will be as effective and productive on my job like I once was before sepsis. I thank you for allowing me to share my story. I was so close death, but the Lord wasn’t ready to let me die. I pray that everyone effected by this horrible infection can begin to cope and heal in the healthiest and conducive way possible. GOD BLESS. Toya Russell