Philip Cotton

Shortly after midnight on October 26, 2013, I woke up with severe chills (called rigors by the doctors). My wife called 911 and paramedics took me to the hospital.

At 3:30 the next morning my blood pressure dropped precipitously and a code team rushed to my room. I was in excruciating pain as my organs were shutting down. They administered numerous IVs, put tubes down my nose and inserted a port in my neck.

Subsequently a CT scan showed a large abscess on my liver and a drain was inserted. After five days in the ICU I moved to a regular room for another five days, being discharged on November 5.

After returning home, I continued to have pain in the area where the drain had been inserted into my liver. As the healing of my body continued, there was a strong emotional toll to overcome as I realized how close I had come to death.

Prior to the sepsis episode, I was very physically fit, a regular at the gym and a hiker. Because of my good physical condition, I was told I would recover fully. Two months after discharge from the hospital I am once again exercising regularly.

I am extremely grateful to be a survivor of septic shock. I thank God that I am alive, and all my friends who supported me during this very difficult period. I have learned much from the Sepsis Alliance and I hope to help them succeed in their mission of raising awareness of sepsis.