Teresa Oehlke

Teresa Oehlke
Survivor

October 2000 I was on my 2nd day of vacation in Sedona, Arizona, hiking in red rock by myself. I was at least 5 miles from my car and was doing some rock climbing. I felt great, except for some mild indigestion for a day or two.
Something, a gut feeling, just told me I needed to get down to level ground.

When I started walking back, I felt nauseated and intense abdominal pain. I vomited and my bowels emptied. I focused on getting back to my car. I became confused, chilled and weak. I realized I was in shock. I got turned around at one point, but eventually made it to my car, somehow made it to my aunt’s house and fell asleep.

When my aunt checked on me, she took me to the ER, where they diagnosed me with a gallbladder infection? They sent me home with antibiotics.
The next morning I was unresponsive. The rest I only remember bits of. I was hospitalized for 2 weeks, the list of problems was long. Hepatalmegaly, renal insufficiency, respiratory infection, GI dysfunction, bradycardia, hypotension, and fever. I was not given a good prognosis.

Somehow I survived, was able to fly home and spent the next 2 months recovering.

I did not realized until I researched septicemia how serious it is. I can not tell you how lucky I feel.

Listen to your body it will tell you when you need help!

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