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

Diana L.

Survivor

It started with a urinary tract infection I did not even know I had. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) That weekend, I lost my appetite and was extremely tired. I went to urgent care the next day, where I was given antibiotics for the UTI. The day after, I felt worse, and went to the ER, where I was given a blood transfusion, along with other medications. I was asked if I wanted to admit to the hospital, and I though the medication would work, so I went home. After 2 days, I woke up one morning and was very ... Read Full Story

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Paul Hoium

Survivor, Survivor

On December 10 2023, I started feeling a little short of breath and very tired and weak. Since I also have congestive heart failure, I was monitoring these symptoms closely. Things worsened over the next couple of days until the 12th on which date I realized I could barely breathe and so weak I could barely make it to the phone to call for an ambulance. I remember the firefighters lifting me on to a gurney and into the ambulance and them talking about my O2 level being 79 and that would prove to be the last coherent memory I ... Read Full Story

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Lindsey Rowe

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

I’m 35 and have been an ICU nurse for 13 years. I have taken care of many patients in septic shock. Yet when I was sent home from two ERs with a “just a virus” diagnosis, I didn’t think much of it. I was the sickest I had ever been, but if they thought I was okay? I must be. I woke up from a nap literally blue. Everything hurt, including wearing clothes. My husband luckily didn’t listen to me and immediately called 911. The paramedics who came couldn’t get my blood pressure to read. They had an even harder ... Read Full Story

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Claire Lapat

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

I developed severe sepsis and went into septic shock in March 2023, at 23 years old. I was on TPN (total parenteral nutrition) as a result of my Crohn’s disease. (Sepsis and Invasive Devices) Unfortunately TPN is almost like agar used in microbiology lab and Crohn’s disease changes the permeability of the intestines making it easier for bacteria to leak out into the bloodstream, making the combination a perfect storm. I had labs drawn weekly and I got a call in the evening that my WBC count was elevated and to monitor my temperature. At that point I was at ... Read Full Story

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Tirzah S.

Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor, Survivor

For three long months, I battled a persistent urinary tract infection (UTI) that refused to go away, despite multiple rounds of antibiotics. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) By August, the situation took a turn for the worse as my symptoms intensified. Chills, nausea, and weakness began to plague me, culminating in a sudden wave of fatigue so overpowering that it felt like I might pass out while washing dishes. Initially, I thought this was my chronic fatigue issue, I carried on with my day until the back flank pain escalated, becoming unbearable by nightfall. Realizing I needed medical attention, I ... Read Full Story

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