Faith Martin

I gave birth to my first child in April 2019. On a Sunday in June 2019, I went to the ER after I had a fever reaching 105, and swollen tonsils. IV fluids and toradol helped to reduce my fever, and I went home. However, the doctor wanted to hospitalize me because my resting heart rate was so high. I decided against it. as the week went on I felt I was recovering but was still rundown. That Friday I got a fever again and had severe stomach pain. I visited my GP and they told me to go to the emergency room in case I had appendicitis.

After a CT scan revealed I was severely constipated, I was given magnesium citrate to clean me out. Having IBS, I was very sensitive to this medication and basically lost control of my bowels for several days, and had to wear diapers in case I couldn’t make it to the portable toilet in time. Eventually they put me in the ICU because my blood pressure was too low and my heart rate was too high. I was terrified of dying. When they told me I would be put in the ICU, I had a full-blown panic attack, screaming “I DON’T WANNA DIE!” I just had a baby girl and did not want to leave this world so soon. Meanwhile I was miserable, in so much stomach pain and just overall pain from the fever. After several days and many, many tests, the doctors told me I had sepsis but did not have any idea what caused it. Even after several follow-up appointments, they are not sure. I went back to the work the day after I got out of the hospital because I just needed something to take my mind off the harrowing experience I had. Since then, I’ve been dealing with PTSD related to the experience. (Sepsis and PTSD) Even though the infection only lasted about a week, I think I will have to deal with the experience for the rest of my life. Still, I’m extremely grateful to still be alive and able to raise my daughter.