Mary Banahasky

Survivor

My symptoms were cough and diarrhea for a few days. My symptoms got worse as the days went on. I’m a nurse, and tried to treat myself at home for a few days. I was almost blacking out, hallucinating, and feverish.

My daughter came to see me, and took me to the ER where I work. My blood pressure was extremely low. 74/37. I remember seeing my blood pressure and trying to calm my daughter. After 4 liters of fluid, my blood pressure was still in the toilet. The doctor placed a central line. I started receiving Levophed (I remember we used to call it, Levophed, leave them dead).

I went to the ICU that night. I was not responding to treatment as the doctors had a hoped. After 2 days, I went to surgery for a kidney stone that was blocking the flow of my urine. (Sepsis and Kidney Stones) I spent 4 days in the ICU and then 3 in a med/surgical floor.

My recovery was extremely difficult. I thought I would recover like I had the flu. It’s been 3 months now and I still have trouble coming to terms with my illness and near death. I have memory lapses and lose my thoughts at times i spend many sleepless nights. Thankfully, I am still alive and working.

Posted April 2014

Follow up on March 26, 2015.:

On Feb 15th, 2015, I started having right sided back pain and knew it was my kidney stone. The pain was horrible, and I decided to try a home remedy before I went to the ER for treatment. I drank a concoction of lemon juice, olive oil, and apple cider vinegar, and followed this drink by large amounts of water. After 5-6 hours, I passed the stone.

Soon after passing the kidney stone, I started having the same symptoms as when I was in septic shock 13 months prior. I had septic shock in Jan, 2013, due to a kidney stone blocking the flow of my urine.

It started with fever, chills, diarrhea, and cough (no medical personnel understands the cough). The diarrhea got worse as the days went by. I started feeling very weak, and decided to drive to the ER where I worked, (yes, I am a nurse) to be seen.

I was seen, and admitted with sepsis yet one more time in 13 months. Luckily, I didn’t wait a week like the last time, and I was treated, and released after 4 days in the hospital. Early recognition is the key for optimal outcome of sepsis.

Send us Your Story
Learn More about SepsisSupport Faces of Sepsis