James David Harris
My father, James David Harris died most unexpectedly on July 23, 2013 of sepsis-related complications. After seven months battling to recover from a heart attack that occurred in December 2012, my father, “Dave,” had been prescribed diuretics that caused him much pain in his legs as they worked to discharge excess fluid.
On the morning of July 23, 2013, Dave told my mother that he was very cold and “just didn’t feel right.” My mother called the EMS and my father was taken to the hospital. We learned sometime after that the vital care unit (a defibrillator) that my father was using was “missing” from the hospital even though, we knew he had it on in the ambulance. Advocates tell u
s that someone may have cut the cord to the vital care unit in the ambulance… this troubles me still.
My father entered the hospital at 11:00 a.m. that day and was pronounced dead at 1:23 a.m. the next. We were told at first that he may have had pneumonia, but were later told that he passed because they could not stabilize his blood due to sepsis.
My father was 62, less than one week away from his 63rd birthday. A hard working, fun loving man, and father who gave everything for his family. Dave was a beloved friend and husband. He is survived by a new grandson (his first), a wife, and two daughters who love him with everything. We did not get to see my father after he entered the ambulance. Sepsis needs to be further researched and prevented. So sudden and so undetected, we must fight to learn how to stop this fatal beast!
