George Badame

To all those who share this tragedy of sepsis, a loved one, yourself – I am here and also lost someone to sepsis: my husband after 31 years of marriage. He was just fine on Easter Sunday, 2013. After telling me of a stomach-ache that evening and into the next day, we both thought perhaps it was just a stomach virus that was going around, nothing so serious for me to stay home from work or to take him to the ER.

So I came home from work on Monday and found him on the floor. I called 911 to find him in septic shock!!!!!! He got to the ER and the doctors told me he was VERY, VERY SICK. They gave him vasopressors and the next day his hands and feet were purple and dark blue, shortly turning black and ashy within one week. VERY SICK. Day after day, there were tubes all over…. April, May. “Oh yes, Mrs. Badame, he will be able to walk and write and return to teaching,” as he was a math professor. Well into May, his hands and feet were black and necrotic. He was aware and knew well what was going on. He was unable to talk with the trach.

I had hired professional lip readers to help me understand the cry for help and the anguish he was in. So doctors are still telling me he will walk and write. (OH REALLY!!!!) How, I wondered. I had the Catholic priest in how many times? I had to call and send emails to the Director of the MICU for SUPREME CARE for my husband. Everyday, phone calls from the doctor, cardiac arrest, coded. My husband woke up, coded again, heart failure, pacemaker, if he can survive it. Tap his lungs, if he can survive it. Every day, 24/7, with the cell phone by my side, in bed. June 2013 – the doctors call me to come in to “talk about care and comfort for George.”

I knew what that was. Meanwhile, his 95-year-old mom wanted to know about her son. We could not tell her how sick he was, her only son. She thought her poor son had laryngitis. Yeah, tried to pull that off to someone’s mother?

So getting back to George, the doctors told me he used up all his reserve. He has been through it all. He was never sick in his life. The hands and feet, the smell was the worst smell. Plastics and infection control called me to have a meeting to discuss amputation. In order for George to survive, they must amputate both hands and both feet, so I have to deliver this message to my husband. And yes, although I am his wife and POA, he made every decision. After a sleepless night, he said yes to amputation, but I knew he did not want that.

Thursday was amputation day. The weekend before, the doctors tell me that George took that turn for the worst and it’s time for care and comfort. (Sepsis and Amputations)

Monday I ask George and tell him, but he was not good at all. Tuesday, early, 8 a.m., I went in with our priest for the Last Rites. My priest tells me he was waiting for the last right and then the hospice care kicks right in 5 minutes later.

Curtains were drawn and it was time to say goodbyes. I had to go home much later, 11 or midnight, and I got the call that he passed, with the St. Rita’s blessed rose on his heart, he passed. George Badame passed away in peace with our lord.

To all those sepsis survivors, anyone touched by this horrible disease please contact me for any support also and if you are going through it with your loved one I wish I had someone or knew of this at the time.

I lived an emotional rollercoaster for 2 and 1/2 months. I will never be the same….

Source: by Mary Badame (George's wife)