Barnaby Flower

I developed sepsis and then septic shock in April 2022. I was unaware I had it and been in a bad way for 60 hours without realising I had it. Symptoms included not being able to eat without being sick and not being able to stand up without falling over and slurring. On the 3rd day I decided to have a bath. I then proceed to fall though a bath glass window upon trying to get out the bath and I fell to the floor through the window, suffering 200 cuts. I lost over a pint of blood on my hand, knees, and back.

I dragged myself though the glass and got into bed and called my wife to say I had fallen out of the bath and cut myself, very confused. Paramedics were called and asked if I could open the door, but at this point I could not stand up at all and proceed to fall over twice more, hitting my head and back.

At hospital they where unaware what was wrong. I was put into a scan machine but I had no broken bones. I can remember pointing to my lacerations and not understanding why they were not cleaning my wounds. I then passed out. When I came to, a doctor then told me her name and that she was a urologist and then asked me to tell her her name and role, which I could not do. It was then I was diagnosed with sepsis and septic shock through a urinary tract infection. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections, Sepsis and Septic Shock). I was told I was very lucky to be fit and healthy or I would be dead, which brought me to tears. I was in my mid forties at the time. Antibotics and a drip where given to me and I was a “fall risk” so could not leave my bed and had a catheter fitted.

The infected kidney, combined with septic shock and morphine was a deadly concoction, made me a little crazy and a number of incidents happened. Lucky my father was there to talk sense with me. This madness passed on day five when it then occurred to me I was completely unfit and could not walk more then 20 meters without sitting down. I had also lost a lot of weight. I have since then, now a year on, completely recovered from this with just a few scars and bad memories left from the experience. I now play football and did everything I did before and I owe my life to the NHS. If i did not fall though the window, then it is very likely I would have died.