Joel Hebrink

December 7, 2013 – I left work early thinking I had the flu. Three weeks later I regained consciousness with no idea where I was, or where I had been. When I had become incoherent and delirious, my wife had gotten me to the ER. I had been intubated, on dialysis, and very close to death for those three weeks. Previously I had developed endocarditis on my mechanical heart valve, and since I did not know the signs or symptoms I did not get checked until the infection had spread and my body/organs went into failure.

I regained consciousness and began to feel somewhat alert, but very, very weak. I learned I needed the fourth open heart surgery in my life to replace the infected valve and aortic arch. The sepsis was basically behind me, but I stayed on antibiotics until March 2014. I do have several pictures of me while intubated showing how bloated and discolored I was. I keep them and look at them every once in a while to remind me to be grateful to be alive.