Clare Leary

As a 73 year old women, in middling good (though overweight) shape (occasionally going to gym but regularly doing gentle yoga and riding my bike 2-4 mi.) and generally good health (other than high cholesterol and lower back issues due to old neuropathies and chronic post shingles neuralgia since age 65), I had an “interesting” and challenging few months starting when we were at our family cottage in DE for Thanksgiving ’73.

I somehow acquired a UTI caused by a staph infection of unconfirmed origin that got into my blood. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections). It ultimately decided to imbed itself in the weakest part of my body (ie osteomyelitis in mid to lower spine) resulting in excruciating, totally debilitating pain (could not sit, stand, or walk) and general confusion (don’t really remember much of the first few days), sending my into sepsis wreaking havoc on my body in general (diagnosed w/ congestive heart and renal failure failure on initial admission to the hospital in  for a week. After 2 MRIs, CT scan, transesophageal endoscopy (plus ultrasounds for blood clot that had developed in my left calf), they finally figured out what was the root cause of the overwhelming spinal pain (felt like an ongoing electric storm throughout my midsection).

Then another week another hospital in Philly where I had another MRI, transesophogeal endoscopy, and ultrasound, then back surgery (an S1-L1 laminectomy) to open up and decompress the vertebrae in order scrape out most of the infection, and be sure the bacteria was generally banished from my blood. Post discharge from the hospital, continued a longterm course of antibiotics (6 weeks on PICC line post discharge, followed by 1 month oral) to be sure this pernicious and tenacious bacteria was totally out and stayed out of my system, Also on blood thinners via abdominal injections from the time blood clot was detected.

Had intensive in-patient rehab for 10 days back in DE followed by 6 weeks in-home PT & OT up there while I was still receiving the antibiotics intravenously plus self-administered abdominal injections of blood thinner. Then finally back to our primary home in NC where I continued with another 6 weeks of outpatient PT to strengthen my back, core, and legs in general, and 1 month on oral blood thinner.

My rehab went very well, blood clot now dissolved, and back to going to the gym 3 times a week plus continuing PT exercises at home. I can’t believe where I am now given where I was 4+ months ago! While specific impacts of back surgery significantly healed and strength generally returned, find myself plagued by frequent intermittent bouts of overall weakness and fatigue, my joints and muscles either achy and sore, or feeling like jelly. During those spells I feel frustrated with a minor sense of depression. Also frustrated by initial significant hair loss which seems to be slowing down but still at a higher rate than before all the challenges of sepsis. In the grand scheme of things, the more I learn about sepsis the more I recognize how fortunate I was/am. In the midst of it all I was not really aware of or in denial about how close to a precipice I was!