Peter Horbury

I first became ill on 12/12/2019. l had a burning sore throat, a thumping headache and my heart was racing. At first I thought I was coming down with the flu, and I stayed in bed. On the third day I went to the bathroom, and walking back to my bed, my legs just gave way and I was on the floor.

I rang my son who in turn rang for an ambulance. I was taken to a public hospital where I was admitted into ICU, and stayed there for about a week. All told I was in that hospital for 18 days, and I had blood tests for everything every day. No one knew what was wrong with me.

I lost weight, could not eat any food. Was having nightmares, and the fatigue was unbelievable. I had x rays, scans and MRIs, and they all showed nothing. I was on oxygen, and had regular Ventolin.  All my bodily functions were breaking down. My family then moved me to another hospital, which I stayed in for three and a half weeks. I then went for ten days into rehab, and then returned home.

I have now been home for four months and I still suffer pain and stiffness in my legs, short term memory loss, cloudiness in my head, and a feeling of vertigo. (Post-Sepsis Syndrome) My local GP and the specialist at the second hospital do not know if l will fully recover, or will be like this for the remainder of my life. I walk and exercise every day, but hard to find any aftercare for sepsis.. All l can do is just keep plugging away, and hope my health improves.