Pamela Noonan

My Mom, a strong healthy women, mother, grandmother and wife fell sick. She never went to the doctor and avoided them at all costs, but in a matter of a week she drove herself in a sickened state to the ER 3 times, knowing something was seriously wrong with her body. Her husband was out of town. She was independent and told best friends she was fine, and told family over the phone, yes I’m really sick, but the doctor said it will pass after 5-7 days. 5 days later she was not alive. Her 4th visit to the ER was her last and the ICU doctors looked at us in disbelief actually saying to us, we needed her 12 hours ago?

Looking back at records there are notes of sepsis but she “passed” tests and was sent home 3 times, twice by the same doctor and nurses on staff that had seen her twice, a women that was healthy and never cried wolf. Her physician was on vacation and returned furious. And all we hear from the hospital, is that maybe we should have kept her in observation in the ER. Not one nurse or doctor asked her the simple question of is there someone at home with you, do you have someone to drive you home or make sure your taking your antibiotics? She was so sick to the head and didn’t want anyone to worry about her. She told all family and close friends she was fine, and contagious, so she wouldn’t let anyone close to her as she didn’t want them to get sick.

She was selfless and that is what killed her. I had never heard of sepsis until, my mom, my best friend was on her deathbed of the ICU where still not one nurse or doctor ever said that word, but we had researched it on our phones and later looking at her medical records it was detected at her 2nd ER visit and then her final visit she was severe sepsis with organ failure.
I wish I had known about sepsis and its symptoms earlier. I think this could have been a better outcome, and I want to spread the word to other daughters, sons, husbands, parents, family and friends, if it can save someone else’s life in the future that would be what my mom would want. She was the rock in our family and unfortunately that may have been what brought her down.

Source: Katie Noonan, Daughter