Christina Hough

My story starts with a day that’s supposed to be one of the best days of your life. The birth of my baby girl. I was to be induced on September 17th 2015. The night of September 16th, I had a fever and felt very sick. I called my ob/gyn and she said take some Tylenol but still come in morning for my induction. Later that night my contractions got worse and worse. Finally I couldn’t take it, on to the hospital we go. I arrive with a temp of 103 and vomited shortly after arrival. The nurses chucked this high fever and vomiting up to a virus. (Sepsis and Pregnancy & Childbirth)

Fluids were started by IV and my contractions continued. I received an epidural, had a somewhat difficult delivery. I couldn’t feel my left side from the epidural so it was hard for me to push. Finally at 11:41 am on September 17th my princess Alena was born. She and I both continued to run a fever, yet they whisked her off to the NICU. Me, nothing, I never was given one antibiotic.

After they continued to try and poke my baby I said my words exactly, stop poking her and doing this, I have a fever too and you’re doing nothing! The rest of my hospital stay was miserable. I was in serious pain. I couldn’t walk, they gave me a walker. A walker! I’m 30 years old and this is my third baby…every doctor that came to see said I was fine. I knew something was weird and off my fiancé as well. They just kept giving pain meds and I was sent home over 48 hours later, me unable to walk with a walker or raise my left arm yet no one had an explanation.

We arrived home on a Saturday evening and I went straight to bed. I continued to breastfeed Alena that night. The night day my fiancé says I was very tired, so he let me rest. Sunday morning I was in extreme pain… kind of out of it, as I don’t remember too much. My fiancé demanded I call the doctor. I tried explaining to her how much pain I’m in. Then my fiancé got on the phone, he explained how lethargic and tired I am and she decided to write me a script for pain meds and zofran. This is 48 hours post hospital.

By Monday morning my fiancé woke up to me being almost unresponsive and when I had gotten up to pee I collapsed. He called my mom who was next door, she came in my room and pulled the covers off me. My skin was mottled and my feet were starting to turn purple. 911 was called,. They knew I was a sick girl. They were unable to get a BP on me. I fought to stay awake and remember most of this part. I was taken in the ambulance running hot to one of the biggest and well known hospitals in Columbus, Ohio. No pulse, no BP.

I arrived in the ER. The doctor was thinking possible blood clot… blood work, etc., was started and run, followed by a CT scan that showed a necrotizing uterus. What could cause this? Group A strep… the same thing that causes strep throat. (Sepsis and Strep Throat) I was sent in for an emergency hysterectomy. By this time I was in complete renal failure. Toxic Shock Syndrome was taking over my body. (Sepsis and Toxic Shock Syndrome) My doctor removed every female organ I had to save my life. Was it too late? I was completely septic and in septic shock. My Mom and fiancé were told to call in my family and say good bye.

I was on a ventilator for 2 weeks with the cold cart next to my bed. My prognosis was not good. My doctors were not optimistic. I was blown up to almost double what I was before I arrived. Both my feet were black, my fingers as well. There was a possibility of me losing my left foot along with fingers and other toes. The craziest part is during these 2 week intubated and unconscious, I remember most of my crazy vivid dreams. I remember hearing my family talking but I was unable to move or talk. I remember it feeling as though a cement block was on my chest. After 3 days on the vent I flat lined. Right before the paddles were place my heart started again. I never believed in “the light” until this moment. Wow was it bright… I remember being naked, and calling out for my little brother who just passed away 2 months before this from cancer. Then I started crying saying I don’t want to die. I bent down and prayed and prayed then it stopped. Of course there is a lot more to the medical side of my story which is a ton of medications, lots of IV antibiotics, medications, monitors etc., but I think what’s amazing is the doctors and nurses who didn’t give up on me. For that I will forever be grateful.

I was taken off the vent on October 3rd in the evening. I had no idea where I was, what happened or what was happening. Just everyone staring at me. I remember being starving but not allowed to eat. ICU life is not for me. I was hallucinating, didn’t sleep for almost 3 full days after they extubated me.

Now the hard part starts. Recovery. I have never felt so weak in my life. My pain was unreal in my left and right SI joints. I couldn’t move. If I was given pain meds I was encouraged to move as much as possible. It was so hard on me… it truly took everything I had. After 30 days of intense physical therapy amongst other things, the doctors said I could leave as long as I went to an outpatient rehabilitation place. I told them I wasn’t going. I didn’t trust any doctors at this point. I just wanted to go home. I was discharged on October 19,2015, 30 days later.

17 months have gone by and I continue to have pretty bad ankle pain they believe is caused by vasopressors that were used, as well as almost losing this foot during the necrotizing of my body. I have been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis and am now on Humira injections. I’m also on hormone patches because of my full hysterectomy and menopause at age 30 wasn’t the greatest walk in the park. I also lost my hair but it slowly but surely has grown back. I’m still emotional about what I’ve been through and still get frequent flash backs. I truly thank God every day that I’m alive and I get to watch my baby grow. I know I’m a medical miracle and I just want to educate that stuff like this could happen to anyone and how frequent sepsis really is, along with spreading the word to pregnant women and OBs that this is a thing and if there is maternal fever it needs to be monitored.

Thanks for reading my story. God bless.

Christina Joy Hough