Art Smith

Survivor

Just before my 60th birthday, I stepped on a very long spine from a mesquite tree. I pulled it. No irritation or infection. I forgot about it. Two weeks later, I came home on a Friday from teaching, and I felt like I was coming down with the flu. I laid down. When I woke up, every joint, muscle, and past injury was so painful I could hardly get up. (Sepsis and Bacterial Infections)

I became sicker on Saturday, and went to the ER on Sunday morning. I was told that I had arthritis, take aspirin, and was sent home. My left foot began to swell. I went to regular doc on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. They sent out for tests – nothing. I began hallucinating that a group of dark benevolent figures were surrounding me. (Sepsis and Hallucinations) A childhood dog, long gone, appeared and would put her head on my knee. I was really scared. I finally went back to ER.

The old curmudgeon doc who nurses said was always brusque with patients spent 45 minutes with me during the initial exam. They threw every test at me. My sed rate was 62, and I was admitted to hospital – I had sepsis. They planned to amputate my foot, but the swelling went down as the infection attacked my system. I spent four days in hospital, and had six weeks of Vancomycin, party ball infusion, in PICC line in chest, 90 minutes twice a day. I improved rapidly.

I was finally released by infectious disease doc. I missed the end of school, but was present for my son’s graduation, although I looked like a skeleton. I have no lasting effects.

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