Kate Rehman

I was recently in the hospital last week being treated for a mysterious and cryptic infection. The doctors had no idea where it was located in my body was or what kind of infection it was.

Speaking to my Internist however he had been the one to text me that night to get to the ER. He thought it was possibly a bladder infection or diverticulitis.

After coming home at 1:30pm from being out with my Mom [coming back from my grandfather’s funeral that weekend, she was visiting for a few days], my 2 young adult daughters [I am immobile/24 hour care in a wheelchair]. My oldest saw I wasn’t doing well and she abruptly took me home.

Once I got home, my Mom and my youngest were ordering take our from a restaurant [since I wasn’t doing well, we had planned on going out for lunch that day] – my oldest brought me to the shower as soon as we got home to get warmed up because I was saying how cold I was [it was a rainy day and cold out].

The shower I had [my daughter showered me when we came in from our little outing which ended abruptly due to me suddenly not feeling well]. I literally felt that any strength I had was gone, drained out of me. Nothing mattered, I couldn’t focus or even answer questions. My service dog at that point was beyond being a handful [Sully could obviously smell death on me] because he just wouldn’t leave me alone at all and kept whining at me and nudging at me with his big block Labrador head.

What transpired the next 10 hours was absolutely crazy. I ended up with major chills. I could NOT get warm. Not even a plugged in heating pad on high, nothing. I was stark cold! Then it went from that to fevers. Fevers came rapidly and high really fast up to 103F.

I laid in excruciating pain that would not break. I have lupus, 3 major heart surgeries, use of one lung, rare genetic heart disease, congenital heart disease, malaborption, chronic anemia and many other complex medical conditions. Then the biggest bomb dropped. My heart had skyrocketed to 170 suddenly. That’s when the ambulance was called. I was in excruciating pain, in and out [incoherently].

I went to the ER and they asked all these questions did I have surgery, did I have a fall, did I have a chest infection or did I travel outside of Canada. They couldn’t figure it out. Doctors knew I had an infection but they weren’t sure what kind it was or where it was in my body. My heart rate was 126 for 3 hours! They started to do IV saline to slowly heart rate down. Then around 5am they started the antibiotics [I came in about 10:45pm close to 11pm]. It was grueling. My 23 year old daughter who’s a certified PSW was there with me the entire ordeal, ensuring that I was cared for.

They admitted me. I was having all symptoms of UTI but not 1 test [came back showing any positive indication that I actually had a UTI] – urine tests, xrays, ultrasounds, scans, blood work – everything was clean, nothing was showing. Only that it showed in my blood work I was fighting an infection – which showed in my blood cultures.

Had I not gone that I may not have made it. I prayed. I prayed long, I prayed Lord to strengthen my family and comfort them. I had my Pastor come. My fiancé dropped everything to be there that morning I was admitted. I was in isolation because they weren’t sure what infection I had.

The medication they gave me worked amazing. I had a turn around less than 24 hours. They continued IV antibiotics for 3 days [every 24 hours] and then as I continued to recover my symptoms subsided.

Fevers stopped

Chills stopped

Heart rate [high] stopped and resumed normal.

The pain in the middle all up my back down to my lower back was gone [but still tender if you tap it]. But at least the excruciating pain was gone!

The hurting while peeing finally subsided.

I, too was drifting in and out, not being very coherent. I had zero energy to care during the first few days. My blood pressure is always on the low side so it wasn’t a good gage for them [80/60 is my norm].

I did start coughing after the antibiotics – yellow stuff up. But since the antibiotics – it’s cleared up and now gone. I get a chokey cough [since being discharged and on oral meds] which was finished yesterday and happy to report there are zero symptoms that are happening. Only thing that was challenging was the night sweats. They stopped as of last night but the following night they continued on [I have heard from Post Sepsis Syndrome Survivors this is someone that happens].

My Internist had said I had a bladder infection or UTI (Sepsis and UTI) and likely went into my bloodstream – How? Where? When? No idea. Especially with zero symptoms! It was like a storm that hit out of no where with no warning, all at once.

Up until now I never knew how common and wide spread it truly is.

I praise God daily I am alive. I am able to perhaps help to spread awareness.

This is my story – how I have survived. Having a phenomenal support system is the best thing for anyone who’s recovering from sepsis. Church, Pastor, friends, family, co-workers, Doctors, medical team, Counselors, Sepsis Alliance, Sepsis Facebook Groups, Sepsis Survivors etc.

I would love to help in any way to your cause for sepsis awareness.