Irene Jacobson Chevalier

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My mother, Irene Jacobson Chevalier, died of septic shock on March 25, 2016. Her story is short. She was admitted to the hospital after a visit to the ER on March 23. She was sick with a “virus” and became dehydrated prior to the ER visit. The ER physician ordered IV fluid and antibiotics immediately and transferred her to another hospital for a “higher level of care.”

Ten hours after admission, she was transferred to ICU and her health declined rapidly. The ICU physician told us she had sepsis and her organs were shutting down. Within 24 hours my mother would be dead and I didn’t know what sepsis was or how it progressed until after her untimely death.

I was sitting with my mother in ICU talking with her and by that evening I had a call that she had been intubated and was unresponsive. By the next morning I was talking with the doctor and he said she was in septic shock and would not recover. She was in a coma, her organs were shut down and her heart would go next. After less than 48 hours my mother was dead and there was nothing I could do about it. My mother told me I was her rock because I had always been there with her through her diagnosis of lupus and CLL. (Sepsis and Autoimmune Diseases) I cannot believe I was not able to help her and had promised her that I would be bring her home when I last spoke with her.

My mother’s heart stopped on March 25, 2016 at 2:18 p.m. and I feel like my heart has stopped too. I cannot believe that my lovely mother who survived cancer would be killed by an infection running rampant in her frail and delicate body. I know I cannot change what has happened or bring my precious Irene back to our family. I can however, continue to talk about what happened and hope to bring a greater awareness and understanding to the importance of early intervention and treatment when anyone becomes ill with the symptoms of sepsis.

Source: by Kathleen Waelti (Irene's daughter)

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