Pat Clark

I just survived sepsis!! And I didn’t even know I had had that until my follow up with my doctor later that week.

Anyway, it started with a urinary tract infection (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infection) and I had been trying to get rid of it without antibiotics (big mistake), but I wasn’t even sure I had a UTI. So finally about three weeks into it I went to the doctor and was put on antibiotics.

That night, 3 am, I awoke with the most awful fever, shakes from the top of my head to my toes, couldn’t think clearly, etc. Even then I wondered if I should even be calling 911. I guess I am lucky I did. My body was almost in shock when I arrived to the ER, high fever, low blood pressure and rapid heart rate. They gave me oxygen and started intravenous antibiotics. We must have caught it just in time, its been about 2 weeks now and I still feel lousy, though my urine tests are clear.

My 6-year-old son who was on chemo for leukemia back in 1987 died of sepsis. I wish that I had been told in the hospital that I had it. But I guess either way it didn’t make a difference.