Debbie Kwitney

I am a jewelry designer and in 2010 when I received an order to make antique typewriter key bracelets and necklaces, I jumped at the chance. I’ve always adored antiques and when I was taking the keys off the typewriters, I felt awful as though I was destroying a part of history. But I plucked away at those keys and cleaned each one very carefully and reassemble them. Because of the dirt within the keys of these beautiful typewriters, I was constantly washing my hands. But I was also making my hands more dry and prone to cracking because it was in winter.

On my index finger, I noticed I was starting to get a bit of a sore and I completely ignored it, which I had never done before. I was in a rush, a hurry to get the jewellery finished before I had to go to Florida and pick up my mother to bring her back to Pennsylvania to stay for a few months. My finger started hurting more and more and by the time I returned from Florida only several days later, my son drove me to the emergency room because I had flu-like symptoms.

I was shivering all night, I had a fever, and my entire body ached. In emergency care, I was tested for various illnesses but all came back negative. I was not tested for septicemia. I was in the hospital for two weeks, I was intubated, and on life support. My family from around the country came to say their goodbyes to me while I was in the coma. I lost part of my index finger and as an artist and jewelry designer, that’s not what you want to happen. But I never asked “why me,” why not? This happened in February 2010 and I still have issues related to PSS. I live everyday the best I can and realize that I was given a second chance for my family, especially my son and grandchildren.