Kayla Irick

Survivor

I’ll never forget the pain I encountered on Friday, Oct. 14, 2011. I was 22-year-old, a dental hygiene student, full time dental assistant. I was cleaning the house as my 3-year-old little girl watched Nick Jr.

Pain radiated from my back and I felt like I was being stabbed. I called my mother to ask her what passing a kidney stone was like and she explained that I should pass it within an hour or two. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones) I waited until I couldn’t stand the pain any longer and got my mother to drive me to the ER. When I arrived at the ER, the PA instructed the RN to give me a pain shot and send me on my way.

The next morning, I was feverish and began vomiting and still in pain. I made my husband take me back to the ER where I received another pain shot and a CT scan revealed a 6mm kidney stone on my left side. I was instructed it would pass and I was sent home again.

Sunday morning I woke up again feverish and vomiting getting ready to head to a different hospital when a urologist called asking if I wanted surgery the next day. I of course said yes and lay in misery until 6 am on Monday Oct. 17. I went into surgery and my best friend was my surgical nurse. I only remember being wheeled back, crying my eyes out in pain.

When I woke up, I was surrounded my nurses pouring ice on my body as my temperature was 108. I could hear the nurses saying my BP was 60/20, pulse was 199 and temp was 108.

It turns out the kidney stone I would “pass” had a large abscess behind it that went into my blood stream. I don’t remember much until I woke up in ICU with an oxygen mask and I heard nurses talking about doing a PICC lineand getting my blood gases. It was then I heard the doctor tell my husband that my body organs were failing and I needed life support and Xigris to even have a chance at surviving.

I told my husband I loved him and spoke to my baby girl on the phone and was out. When I woke up it was Tuesday and I had many visitors. I knew then I would be okay. I spent 3 days on life support and an additional 4 days in the hospital.

I realize how blessed I was to have made it out alive. All of the odds were stacked against me. I’m thankful for the quick thinking of all of the nursing staff and for my husband for allowing all of the procedures to occur because I was too sick to make my own decisions. It’s been 9 months since my ordeal and I still struggle everyday with fatigue. I hope that one day I will be able to be at myself again but I’m grateful to be alive.

Update!

kayla_irick_2

 

May 2013: I’m doing well! I recently graduated college and will become a Registered Dental Hygienist once I find out my result from my NBDHE! 🙂 I passed my clinical board last week! I’m proud of my accomplishments after going through such a terrible ordeal! 🙂 I’m taking it one day at a time!

 

 

 

 

August 2018: I have been doing well!! I have my sweet and intelligent 10 year old daughter AND MY SURPRISE BABY miss Matison is 2 years old! I work for a successful dental company and I have been a hygienist for 5 years now! I was septic again in 2014 with pyelonephritis, sadly! I tell my story every chance I get to raise awareness for SEPSIS! I also am planning a fundraiser as well as creating a cute dental giveaway basket offered to those that donate. CREST has agreed to help with their products! 🙂 I still feel blessed daily! I have a pic attached to update! I recently bought myself a new tshirt and a friend at work that suffered sepsis from a low functioning gallbladder. Thank you for your cause. I will forever be a Sepsis Awareness Advocate!

 

Send us Your Story
Learn More about SepsisSupport Faces of Sepsis