Lori Jemison

On my birthday this year February 25 I had been having severe abdominal pain for 2 days. I at first thought that I was constipated and had been fasting all weekend. I had asked my husband to go get me a suppository to see if that would help. He no more than got home from the store when I ran to the bathroom and and thought finally I’m going to be able to go and feel better!! Wow was I wrong I went from a 10 to a 20 on a pain scale! I finally agreed to go to the hospital to get checked out about 8 pm.

Once we arrived I made my husband check me in as I felt I had to go again! I was in the bathroom for so long that he had to come check on me.. I was so far out of it that I didn’t even bother to lock the door!! He helps me out of the bathroom back to the check in desk as she thought she had questions for me. And as we are standing there I said I had to sit before I passed out. She puts the bracelet band on me and a few minutes later we are called into the triage area and as we walk in, my husband was just in front of me and before I could say I think I’m going to pass out I actually did!! I guess the nurses moved faster than we’ve ever seen to get me on a bed and moved to a room!! Without any pain meds or any IV, I was taken to get X-rays done and then immediately to the CT room. (Somehow I don’t remember this myself my husband told me) then as I’m being wheeled into the ER room the doctor is following me in as apparently the results of the CT scan beat me back!! They immediately started an IV and finally pain medication!! The doctor is then explaining that I had a 2cm hole in my sigmoid colon that apparently when I was trying to go to the bathroom at home. (Sepsis and Perforated Bowel) It had burst open causing the pain to intensify!! I was told that I would be having emergency surgery at 2 am!!!

I don’t remember seeing the surgeon but I remember that he was trying to explain what was going to happen in surgery!! When I woke up the next Tuesday morning I thought I felt great I was sitting up having ice chips when my husband came to see me and that’s the last thing I remember!! I remember hallucinating that I was on a reality show that I had to figure out if I was really sick and had a real medical staff caring for me or if it was fake!! In my mind I had no pain and thought that it was all fake and apparently pulled out a Foley catheter a PIC line IV and everything else I could!!! I am told that they put me into a medically induced coma and that my body was shutting down! I went into renal failure had 2 pulmonary embolisms. I managed to projectile vomit even being intubated and because I wasn’t able to call the nurses I also had aspiration pneumonia and my lungs were no longer functioning normally!! I remember hearing that they had done all they could and would only be keeping me comfortable as according to monitors I was also in severe pain. All of this happened over the course of 9 ICU days that I really have to real knowledge of and had no control over!!

Then finally on the start of day 10, I was awake and this man comes into my room asking me if I was ready to get out of bed!!! They had unhooked me from the vent but were reluctant to remove the tube as they apparently tried 2 other times and they had to rapidly intubate me!! They wanted to save me from going through that again!! Amazingly with the tube in place and help from my husband one one side the therapist on the other and a nurse in front of me I finally stood up out of bed!!! Needless to say that totally wiped me out but they were finally saying I had turned the corner and had beat being another statistical death from sepsis!!

However the aftermath of having it has really affected me!! I can’t remember things I should! I mentally do feel like me I cry over nothing feel defeated can’t sleep I’m never hungry and I find no joy in anything right now!! Everyone wants me to talk but I can’t put it into words what I’m thinking most of the time!!!
So I’m really hoping that with time and patience I can get back to being me again!!
Thank you for listening/reading.