Michael “Mikey” Clark

Michael “Mikey” Clark
Tribute

I am writing this in memory of my little Mikey. He died in 1987, at age 6. He had leukemia and had been on extensive chemotherapy for a year. Ten months into it he had a relapse, so the only option at that point was to do an experimental therapy. It worked and he got back into remission. (Sepsis and Cancer)

But…as a consequence of having a zero white cell count, he was unable to battle an infection. He had sepsis and he died that awful morning in 1987. I shall never forget what I saw his little body go through, never ever forget.

At the time that all this was happening, the staff did not know why it was happening, because it would take 3 days for his blood work to grow to show what it was. After he died they saw he had pseudomonous sepsis.

I had to make that awful decision to agree to take him off life support. I was told it was the only kind and humane thing I could do for my son. I have lived with that decision in my heart for almost 3 decades. Sometimes I think I made the wrong decision, because I miss him so much, but I know it was the right decision.

Now I myself got diagnosed with systemic lupus in 1994. (Sepsis and Autoimmune Diseases) I have battled urinary tract infections for decades. Sometimes not knowing if I should go to the doctor or not. Antibiotics always worked in the past. Then about two years ago I almost died of sepsis. I had a bad kidney infection and it took me down so fast that I didn’t even know I was as sick as I was. I shared that part of my story already, under the name of Pat Clark. Thanks for reading about my little Mikey.

Source: by Pat Clark (Mikey's mother)

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