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

Liz P.

Survivor

Friday the 13th, yes, Friday the 13th! A beautiful autumn day in October 2023 was a routine day for my husband and myself, a retired, relatively healthy couple aged in our mid seventies. While preparing to retire, later in the evening than usual for us, and feeling the need to urinate, my attempt was unsuccessful. After several additional attempts, but without pain, I made a mental note to contact my physician in the morning, believing I might have a UTI. A decade earlier, I had, with great pain, passed a kidney stone without difficulty, but had experienced the same earlier ... Read Full Story

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Ashley D.

Survivor, Survivor

When I was only 13 I was diagnosed with gallstones and was told to follow up with a surgeon. When I went to the surgeon they ordered a CAT scan to make sure I did indeed have gallstones. The surgeon had told me I did not have gallstones and I went to go visit my family who at the time was living in Virginia. (Sepsis and Gallstones) When I got to Virginia things were fine at first but then I started to have stomach pain that would not go away for 2 days. I eventually went to the ER and ... Read Full Story

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Allison B.

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

Ten months ago on a Tuesday, I developed what I thought were cold symptoms – a sore throat, low grade fever (100) and a swollen lymph node in my neck. Overall I felt okay, it wasn’t anything too unusual. By Thursday, my lymph node was VERY swollen. I called my doctor’s office, and they gave me some suggestions over the phone to help my throat, etc. Later that night, my fever went up to 103. On Friday, one of the doctors finally agreed I should be seen. He tested me for Covid and flu, but not strep because my throat ... Read Full Story

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Sherry S.

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

I became septic after a UTI that sent me to ICU for 3days. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) Weeks after I got out of hospital. I had to several trips to the E.R. Related to anaphylactic shock due to allergic reactions of unknown causes. After seeing an allergist it was determined that I had no allergies. My problem was mast cell activation syndrome caused by septic shock. I take allergy medicine every day. And carry an EpiPen. I am on a low histamine diet. Lately I have several issues related to mental problems, cognitive decline, memory loss, inability to process ... Read Full Story

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Susan H.

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

The Day I went missing. November 24, 2020 was the last day before Thanksgiving Break from high school. I am a 62 yr. old female, entering my 18th year of teaching special education. I had a history of diverticulosis, my father died when I was 18 of colon cancer. I was consistent with preventive colon care, but had been hospitalized for a night for diverticulitis in 2019. After the infection had cleared, a colonoscopy revealed severe diverticulosis, and gastro doctor advised 11 inches be taken out. My husband and I both met with him and got a second opinion, and ... Read Full Story

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