Diane Petrusich

Survivor

In February I had a surgery to repair my gluteus medius muscle, where it joins the trochanter tendon. After about 10 days the on incision on my hip started to get infected. I was told to take pictures on my iPhone every day to send to the facility. (Sepsis and Surgery)

One day it was definitely bad. I was taken to the hospital by ambulance. While there a doctor started me on a very strong broad antibiotic. It gave me horrible diarrhea, killed my appetite and made me feel very sick. It killed all the flora in my body. I was sent home after 5 days with more of the same antibiotic. I could also feel a urinary tract infection coming. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) When I complained to my regular GP, he said, “no more antibiotics.” I took it literally. The UTI got worse and worse. I started taking probiotics and made sure I was drinking lots of water. I didn’t notice hardly any pee was coming.

One night at 4 a.m., I got up to go to the bathroom. I was shaking violently, even my feet were bouncong up and down. I sat on the edge of the bed trying to lift my legs into bed. I fell on the floor. I did not have the strength to get up. My cell phone was on the other side of the bed. I thought if only I could get on my knees I could reach the phone. For 6 hours I thrashed around on the floor. I kept falling and hitting the night stand over and over. Fortunately I wasn’t bleeding.

I managed to reach the phone and called 911. I had to crawl to open the door for the EMTs. I had a 103.5 temp. Again, another ambulance ride. Again, another 5 days in the hospital. I was off the awful antibiotic but I could still feel the UTI was there.

I have memory loss, confusion, vaginitis, thrush in my throat, water on the elbow from falling, many bruises on my head and body, rug burns on my knees. Also, impaired balance. I am in the process of getting one of those emergency call buttons you wear around your neck. I am 73 and live alone. My kids live 25 miles from me.

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