Heather Huizinga

After contracting sepsis, I became a survivor. Sepsis changed my life in many ways. Sepsis still causes me to have memory and vision problems and behavior problems. The UTI infected my bladder and kidneys, causing sepsis. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) I felt awful. I turned to my beloved other. I begged him to rub my back and put his elbows into it. He did so, but because he was rubbing so hard on my kidneys, which acted as a zit, and it popped! It felt amazing. Causing the bacteria to get into my blood stream. I didn’t know what sepsis was till I got sick.

I remember going to the hospital. I remember getting blood work done to confirm it. I didn’t understand how severe my condition was. Until I just kept getting sicker and sicker. As I was getting sick, the antibiotics I was on came to find out I was allergic to. Since they pumped me with two vials without considering that I had just informed the doctors I was allergic to the medication they were giving me, I asked to be dismissed from the hospital. From that point, it was a race to save my life. My husband and others kept a close eye on me.

I slept a lot. I was informed during my recovery that I would be in conversation, then I would pass out. 7 to 12 hours later, I continued my conversation. Not realizing I was asleep. For two weeks, I fought for myself and my life. I quit breathing then I was brought back to. I am a fighter and I am still recovering. Each day is a process. Each day I am working harder than the day before. It was a scary thing for me and those around me.
I am a survivor of sepsis