Patients & Family

Sepsis Alliance provides information and resources to help you better understand your or your loved one’s sepsis diagnosis.

Diagnosed with Sepsis

For anyone recently diagnosed with sepsis, this is the place to start.

Sepsis Basics

Sepsis Survivors

Some sepsis survivors recover completely and resume their lives, while others may struggle to cope with enduring effects of their illness. Here you can find information to help you navigate post-sepsis life.

Survivor Resources

Caregivers

When your loved one becomes ill with sepsis, you may not know what sepsis is or how to help them. Here are resources that may help you navigate this complex and difficult journey.

Caregiver Resources

Lost Loved Ones

Losing a loved one to sepsis can leave you with grief as well as many questions. Here are answers to some of the questions you may have after losing a loved one to sepsis.

Resources for Loved Ones

Sepsis Alliance Connect

Sepsis Alliance Connect is the virtual support community for anyone affected by sepsis.

Sepsis Alliance Connect

Faces of Sepsis

Anastasia Lucia

Survivor

In January, 2019, I fell on the ice and severed my femur, which resulted in a hip replacement. Six weeks following that, same hip get slammed by a malfunctioning elevator door, almost knocking me to the ground. From that point on, my leg was constantly draining what seemed to be lymphatic fluid. The doctors input on this, “I’ve never seen this before. I guess some people are extra juicy”. This went on for weeks, until there developed an infection. Now 8 weeks of antibiotics with a PICC at home. Continued pain off and on… for 4 years! Sometimes so bad, ... Read Full Story

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Dayna Selenko

Survivor, Survivor

I was 21 and woke up having to use the bathroom. When I couldn’t my mom came in and took my temperature which was sky high. In the hospital I was immediately admitted with adult respiratory disress syndrome, toxic shock syndrome and sepsis all from an unknown cause. They thought maybe an ear infection? Three months in a coma and 6 mo the in rehabilitation I was deemed well enough to go home. That’s when the PTSD and panic attacks began. Horrible nightmare too of my time in a coma. 30 years later. I Processing every day but it’s still ... Read Full Story

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Paula Jacobs

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

After working on development of one of the country’s first electronic sepsis alerts, followed by 18 years of leading teams in early detection and treatment of sepsis, I thought I knew everything there was to know about sepsis. But I did not know how it makes you feel. That all changed in 2016 when I developed severe sepsis after just a couple of days of fever from undiagnosed pneumonia. (Sepsis and Pneumonia) There was no preceding upper respiratory illness, no cough, just fever and extreme fatigue. It was about the sickest I had ever felt, with that vague yet horrible ... Read Full Story

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Andie Mae

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

I was sick on and off four times in a month and a half, which I just attributed to my less than ironclad immune system being exposed to baby and daycare germs. The third time I got sick, I thought, “Ok really that’s enough! I’m going in to urgent care to see if we can nip this in the bud.” But all the tests came back negative. And then the next few days I felt back to normal. Well, a week or so later, I start feeling sick again. Thursday morning I woke up and was definitely sick. Same drill. ... Read Full Story

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Daryl Crandell

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

I was in hospital for 7 weeks and was discharged 3 weeks ago. I need a heart valve transplant, my kidneys are at 40% function and my lungs had 14 abscesses. I still have pain in ankles, hips,  shoulders  and hands, I also lost 3.3 stone. PSS the doctors call it. My cartilage and tendons are destroyed and I’ve been given 5 years to live but I’m going to prove them wrong. I thought I had gout until both feet and hands swelled like balloons, I had an appointment with a GP in 4 days time but I was lucky ... Read Full Story

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