Margaret Killough

My story is this: I got a bladder infection. It seemed pretty typical, I was treating it at home. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections) Cranberry juice and capsules, lots of water, one of those bladder discomfort tablets and rest. I got a little better, went to work on Monday but was still very tired. That afternoon I started feeling very strange, weak feeling, light headed like I was going to throw up. I had one of my friends drive me home, called my husband and went to bed. I thought it was the medicines making me nauseous. I was very wrong.

The next morning I woke up running 101 temp. I called my husband to take me to the ER. Was admitted within the hour, with 105 temp. Put on oxygen, antibiotics and fluids. The antibiotics did not work, it took 3 days, running 103 to 105 temp, for them to find an antibiotic that DID work. In the mean time, I had had a gallbladder attack. They did a scan, said my gallbladder was about 7 times the normal size and as soon as I was well enough it needed to come out. They did another scan that afternoon, came back the next morning early said it was full of infection and had to come out, NOW. That morning I had gallbladder surgery, unfortunately they nicked my liver in the process and I had to have another surgery 2 days later to repair. Because I was bleeding internally my heart rate bottomed out and landed me in the ICU until after the second surgery. I had to have 4 units of blood, was in the hospital 9 days, lost 35 pounds and didn’t remember any of it for about 2 weeks.

All this aged me about 20 years, I had multiple bladder infections the first year after, and several other very weird infections/issues. I had extreme fatigue, couldn’t gain weight and had chronic diarrhea. I have become allergic to every face product I used prior to this, also toothpaste and mouthwash. Now, I’m on year 2, I have gained back the some of the weight I lost, have gone back to work but am still fighting extreme fatigue, and just recently started feeling like I’m having blood sugar issues. I’m 53 and feel like I imagine an “old” person feels.

I’m struggling to make it at work and don’t want to say anything to anyone. I have a hard time remembering things in general, I have always been a note taker but now I HAVE to write myself notes to keep up with everything. My energy level is extremely low. I’ve been checked for every autoimmune disorder out there, liver and kidney disease, hormones. And they find nothing, I firmly believe it is from being septic. Something changed me, physically. I am not the same person I was before, I think I have PSS and am trying to decide how to talk to my doctor about it. (Sepsis and Post-Sepsis Syndrome) I’m alive, I guess that’s the most important thing, and I’m grateful for that. I just don’t like the new normal.