Rita Gibbs

Born with hereditary spherocytosis – my red blood cells are shaped like a sphere causing my white blood cells to destroy them. My first blood transfusion was at 6 weeks of age and spleen removed at 6 years old. Setting me up for a long life of health issues and a total of 5 septic shock situations. (Sepsis and Septic Shock)

The first time I was 28 years old going through cervical cancer. I had to have my cervix removed and 2 days later I was having severe abdominal pain and a fever of 102 with no spleen to help me fight infections. (Sepsis and Cancer, Sepsis and Surgery) I knew I had to go to ER. Once there I was told I had sepsis. I was told I needed a complete hysterectomy. I had a full recovery.

Then December of 08 I was in an car crash and during the MRI of my neck and back, a doctor round breast cancer in my lymph nodes in my right breast. Days later I had my lymph nodes removed and was released home the same day. 8 hours later I was back at the hospital in the ER this time I was not treated promptly. I laid in the ER unattended for probably another 12 hours. Then a candy striper came in to stock a cabinet and I waved her over cuz I could hardly speak. I told her get a doctor. I’m dying. She told me no you’re not dying. You’ll be okay when she got the nurse. The last thing I remember the nurse taking my blood pressure 3 days later I woke from my coma.

This time I was not as lucky as the first time my liver had failed. My kidneys had failed and my adrenal gland failed. (Sepsis and Kidney Failure) I was in pretty bad shape looking at being on dialysis for the rest of my life. I woke from my coma with a surgeon drawing on my breast. They were getting ready to do a complete mastectomy to try and save my life.

That time I spent four months and ICU fighting for my life. I have never been the same since I have had three more other sepsis infections. The last one was this past February after my second lung surgery of 8 tumors biopsy and I do believe this one was the worst. Of course I am older. I’m 58 now and as we all know we don’t bounce back. We did when we were younger. I have kidney problems. All I want to do is sleep and the swelling so bad I feel like I’m being ripped apart the pain throughout my entire body is so bad most nights I beg God to just take me. I have reached out to My primary care doctor with my concerns. I have reached out to my bone marrow doctor who does my bone marrow infusions each year. I need help. I don’t know where to turn. I don’t know how to get any relief. It is April now.