Emily Sigerson

Emily Sigerson
Survivor

On July 22, 2016, I arrived at the emergency room via ambulance with severe left flank pain. We assumed it was “just another kidney stone” and a CT scan confirmed that was the problem two hours later along with lab work showing a UTI. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones, Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) The ER tried repeatedly to discharge me, but I was feeling progressively sicker and sicker. They allowed my call bell to ring unanswered as my health continued to decline. Another patient heard me calling for help and got the attention of the medical staff on my behalf. It had been 12 hours since the CT scan and lab work showed the stone/infection.

I was brought up to the OR, vitals BP 60/30, HR 210 and a fever of 104. I was too critical to be put under general anesthesia and a spinal block was placed instead so my kidney could be drained in an attempt to save my life. I was in full blown septic shock and felt myself slipping away several times, being called back by the anesthesiologist.

I remained unconscious in ICU for three days before being moved to a step down unit where I would learn to walk again. I couldn’t eat. I was so terribly weak. I thought I would never recover from this.

It’s been 15 days now. It’s still a struggle, but each day is a little better than the last. I’m a 34-year-old mother of five young children who need me. I will survive this. I will fight every minute of every day if I have to in order to get better.

I tried to advocate for myself in the ER but it fell upon deaf ears. The saddest part to me, was that there had just been a seminar at the hospital about sepsis and all of the nurses wore a badge on their scrubs that said “Think Sepsis” yet no one did. It was a haunting reminder of how close I came to leaving my husband a widower and my children without a mother each time they came in to my room. They had my diagnosis on their person, but not one of them thought to “Think Sepsis” until it was nearly too late.

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