Colleen Summers

On March 18, 2015 I had surgery to remove 90% of my stomach due to a condition called gastroparesis. (Sepsis and Surgery) Over the next few weeks I got sicker and sicker and all the doctor kept telling me was that we “needed to let my bowel rest.” Finally I got him to put me back into the hospital where I spent 9 days before being transferred to Chicago.

When I got to Chicago I was extremely ill and they had me in emergency surgery by the next day. They didn’t think I would make it and told my family that the next 48 hours were critical. I ended up spending 6 months in Chicago (UIC) and having sepsis twice, MRSA, VRE along with c-diff. I am very grateful to be alive! (Sepsis and MRSA, Sepsis and C.Difficile)

At one point my white blood cell count was 48! I was having wash-outs every other day. And before I was sent to Chicago they thought it was all in my head. A nurse even told my wife not to be surprised when I got to Chicago if they didn’t call psych on me! And not only was I septic but I had pneumonia as well! (Sepsis and Pneumonia) And here I am 2 and and half years later with my abdomen still open! I suffer from horrible PTSD, depression, anxiety and I could still be left with a colostomy and needing TPN nutrition when I have my final surgery soon. I’m ready for surgery but still scared of developing sepsis again. (Sepsis and PTSD)