Jesse Fries
During December of 2019, I was home from college for Christmas break and was due to get all 4 of my wisdom teeth removed. On December 17th, it was time to go in for the oral surgery and I was admittedly very nervous, however; the procedure was successful and I left with only some mild discomfort. The morning after, I fainted minutes after waking up – my head hit the wall and my body landed on the floor. By that afternoon and leading into the morning of the 19th, my health was trending down. My face became abnormally swollen and a red rash began growing down the right side of my neck. I’d developed intense chest pain inhibiting my ability to move without help and it was getting very difficult to breathe normally. I didn’t know it yet, but I was dying at the age of 21. (Sepsis and Dental Health)
On that Thursday evening, my mother had taken me to the ER as advised by my general practitioner. After running multiple tests, my white blood cell count came back at 28,000 and air pockets were showing from the CT scan on my neck. I was declining, quickly. After a short transfer to a nearby hospital and more tests, I was moved to ICU and met the trauma surgeon who would soon save my life. He entered the room telling my mom and I that emergency surgery had to be done immediately or I would not make it through the night.
After the extensive neck procedure, my team of doctors explained that I’d developed a mediastinal infection comprised of Group A Strep, Group Strep B and Strep Viridans according to the cultures. The aggressiveness of this infection is what led to my body going septic and would’ve ultimately taken my life. My dentist would later tell me that the bacteria was already attacking my body when I’d left the oral surgery facility. (Sepsis and Group A Streptococcus, Sepsis and Group B Streptococcus)
The months following my 11-day hospital stay consisted of antibiotics administered through a PICC line then orally, at-home nurse visits, infectious disease appointments, online college and dermatology visits tending to my neck incision. It wasn’t until the fall of that year that my immune system had fully rebuilt.
I look back on this experience and realize how difficult it still is, 5-and-a-half years later, to recount its physical and emotional toll – never expecting to endure such a sickness that would threaten my life. Quite honestly, I wasn’t aware of what sepsis was before this happened to me. I remain incredibly thankful to the team of doctors and my family for not only listening to me when I said something was wrong but advocating on my behalf and working so quickly to save my life.
It took time for me to realize the impact this would have on me and my mental health but also how little sepsis was talked about. With that, I’ve been following this movement for years to find community in those affected by septic experiences and learn more about the illness itself but also how to create awareness around the issue. This is something that can change your life in the blink of an eye. I wouldn’t want to see another person endure or not know what to look for before it’s too late. The most important notion I’ve taken from this experience is to stay in tune with your body and always listen to yourself when something feels off. It could save your life.
