Noeleen Murphy

Survivor

Having being diagnosed with Stage 1 bowel cancer following a routine colonoscopy (ulcerative colitis) in December 2011, I had surgery to remove my large bowel on January 9, 2012, by lapascopic surgery. The last thing I remember was being put asleep for the surgery….until I woke up in ICU on January 23. (Sepsis and Surgery)

This is my story:

Two days after surgery, I started having severe abdominal pain that was not investigated until the following day. On January 12, I was rushed to surgery with severe sepsis. I had full surgery and ended up with an ileostomy, which is to be reversed in early 2013

It was touch and go for a number of days and my family were told to prepare for the worst. During that time I had terrible hallucinations and nightmares, some of which haunts me today. Somehow I pulled through and after a total 19 days in ICU was moved to HCU and then a ward. I spent a total of 5 weeks in hospital.

My recovery was slow and painful carrying a vac machine to heal my deep wound for 5 months.

It is now November and thank God I have made a good recovery. I am almost back to full strength and grateful for the little things in life that take on a new meaning when you realize how fragile life can be.

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