Kathy W

In February 2010, I don’t know the date for sure, I was working in the yard. It was like a light switch had been turned off. I could hardly walk, or talk. My father who was visiting, had to held me indoors to the sofa. I was very cold, so he brought me a blanket. That is the last thing I remember before losing consciousness. I remember only glimpses of consciousness for the following 4+ days. My husband later told me that he had taken me to the ER twice during this time, and was told both times that I had the flu, and sent me home. My body temperature was swinging wildly from 96 to 106! I don’t recall this whatsoever. My husband’s niece had been documenting my temp and BP for four days at this point.

Upon the third visit to the ER, after a series of further mistakes, I ended up on a respirator for 18 days. Multi-organ failure, lung surgery…I do not remember any of this of course. What I do remember is feeling “run down” for several months before all of this occurred, and the repeating dreams during that 18 days under the influence of propafol!!

It has been nearly nine years, and I can tell you that I will live with septic shock, every day for the rest of my life. I am blessed to have my live, and my limbs!! I think I have finally accepted that I am not the same person I was, and I never will be. That is the hardest thing of all. It is very hard for family, and friends to understand, and accept. I have lost my ability to work. I have lost friends. I have lost the dreams that use to be mine. I have lost family that couldn’t deal with me being “different”.

I am leading a happy life, just not the one I had ever envisioned. Loss of self is kinda tricky, but…if I wait two minutes I’ll forget who I was anyway!! LOL! No joke, the memory loss is horrible, and I’m sorry to say, it doesn’t improve.

With all of that said, I am a BLESSED person! I know that God kept me here for a reason. My faith in HIM will lead, and I will follow!

Source: Kathy