Lynne H.

My story started on the 28/04/2022
I went into hospital for a relatively routine stomach operation to stop reflux. I have no memory of ten days before the operation and no memory until the start of June 2022. (Sepsis and Surgery)

I was apparently in agony after my op. It wasn’t until 48hrs after that they were concerned enough to take me back to theatre. There they found that my bowel had been perforated. (Sepsis and Perforated Bowel) This caused sepsis and I was put into a coma on critical care for a month. On waking I suffered from delirium and psychosis which is one of the scariest things I have ever been through.

They had to put in a tracheostomy so through the psychosis I couldn’t communicate until it was removed. In psychosis I thought I had been bombed along with my family. I also thought I had got married to an unknown person and that my family had bombed and killed my alleged husbands kids. In the CCU I was convinced him and his family were putting dead birds at the end of my bed and trying to kill me. Absolutely frightening. Fortunately the staff moved me into the only room there with 4 walls and a door. The staff were amazing and I’m truly humbled by the fact they worked so hard to save me and keep me safe.

I then went onto a medical ward for a month where I was being sick so many times a day I couldn’t count them. I could not move due to being in CCU for a month and losing all of my muscles. Learning to eat, sit and walk again was one of the biggest fights of my life. The fear is tremendous and the belief I would never walk again was so real. After this month I could walk with a frame. I came home with a frame on the 30/06/2022

My Dad lived a few miles away but at 85 it had nearly killed him looking after my child and dog so I wanted him to rest. I came home with only my child who was 17 at the time to look after me. That afternoon I had to climb two lots of stairs to get to bed. This took nearly an hour of tears, frustration and down right determination.

There were so many tears and tantrums and the nightmares and depression set in. I forced myself to walk and could do eventually unaided but not confident by the middle of September. Unfortunately after sepsis, which no one told me I started losing my hair. I lost half of it but it’s now growing back.

Without the support of my family and especially the love and support from my child I would not be here. I’ve started PTSD counseling. The nightmares, flashbacks and depression are still there but hopefully the counseling will help along with the medication the GP has prescribed me. Joint pains especially shoulders are still very painful. I am grateful that I did not lose any limbs or my life. This is a long road and I’m not anywhere near the end. I’m determined to move forwards though and my story reaches you all. If you have been through sepsis walk along with me and keep fighting. We can do this ❤