Edward O’Neill

This is my brother Ed. It’s an older picture but one of my favorites. Ed was 55 when he passed from septic shock while in a nursing home.

This wasn’t Ed’s permanent home. I hoped it would be a temporary one. I was waiting until he recovered some so I could bring him home with me.

Ed was a Halloween baby, born in 1963. He had difficulties growing up. Learning disabilities then in his teens, suffering from schizophrenia and bipolar. He lived in a group home where he went to a day behavioral health program.

His life changed drastically and forever in December 2018. He became ill with fevers delirium, 4 point restraints and a one to one in constant attendance. He was in the hospital for 9 weeks, never finding a cause for his condition. He was treated with multiple antibiotics on a heart monitors at one point. Never once was the word sepsis said, no cause for his mental decline. They felt it was reactions to his lithium and clozaril which they took him off of.

Fast forward to June 10th, the second rehab he was in, he was found in respiratory distress that morning. They called 911 and he was sent to the hospital in septic shock and multiple organ failure. He passed the next afternoon.

All so senseless, signs dismissed such as, “he’s sweating so much could it be sepsis”, ” his back feels so hot”. Urine was so cloudy with sediment. All so needless. Hand washing was practically non-existent there. Manager of the unit said he knew?????

Learn the signs watch your loved ones, especially in long term care. You can’t trust them.

Not to mention he was 6 ft 1 and down to 110 lbs. With supplements and double portions??

Source: Kathy Zublic (sister)