Kelly G.

Kelly G.
Survivor

My story is humiliating due to the cause of the infection, but I’m hoping by sharing it will save someone’s life. My partner, who I thought I was monogamous, infected me with gonorrhea on or around May 7, 2017. On May 16th, I was admitted to ER with extreme pelvic pain, fever, chills, nausea and vomiting. I didn’t know I was in the beginning stages of sepsis that quickly developed into severe sepsis.

I spent five days in ICU fighting for my life. I also developed a rare condition caused by gonorrhea called Fitz-Hugh–Curtis syndrome. This caused my liver capsule to become inflamed, resulting in extreme upper right quadrant pain. I was told that my kidney function was diminishing and my other organs were being affected. I am allergic to penicillin, so I had to be treated with other antibiotics. I didn’t know until the 3rd day that this STI (sexually transmitted infection) was the cause, prior the my admission I had NO symptoms. The pain was so severe that pain meds – morphine, oxy, fentanyl – barely relieved the pain. There is a misconception that PID (pelvic inflammatory disease) develops only when you have an STI for a length of time. This is not what happened to me. I’m thankful to have found this site. I just read the article about sepsis and PTSD. I have nightmares and flashbacks all the time and I am going to see a therapist tomorrow. My medical team was were amazing and I am so grateful for each sunrise, sunset and every moment in between.

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