Tudy F.

Hi I’m a newcomer. By the sounds of it I’m a survivor. In January 2015 I was hospitalized with double pneumonia and the bacteria in my lungs was Klebsiella pneumoniae. (Sepsis and Pneumonia) This was treated “successfully” and along with antibiotics was sent home to recuperate. I was successfully “cured.” Fast forward to August 25 this year, an extremely high fever found me riding in an ambulance to emergency. For 3 full days and countless blood tests later I was put on 3 different antibiotics, which determined I had Klebsiella pneumoniae running rampant throughout my body – once more. This time this bacteria had made its home in my liver duct.

CT scans showed a large “massive” blockage causing liver enzymes to be out of whack and of course the bowels and digestive system were so disrupted, causing much pain and discomfort Then the rashes on limbs made me look like a leper! My body was in full blown sepsis. If needles or IV’s were attempted I had hematomas covering an entire arm. Bruising everywhere.

On the 5th day, specialists sent me home with 2 completely new/different antibiotics to now be taken orally where the first 3 were all intravenously administered. With 4 days on my own at home, this body got worse and a doctor from a walk-in clinic sent me immediately back to hospital emergency. Here it was determined there was now a bleeding stomach ulcer and 2 once very healthy kidneys were going into failure…..this sick body should never have been sent home!!

For 6 more days they battled to save these once healthy kidneys. From 60 points down to 13……..I was told these 2 healthy hard working organs needed to show them some sign of improvement or it would be game over. By the 6th day my kidneys went back up to 19….ever so slowly but relief was evident by everyone. Losing about 20 pounds in such short time left me very very weak. (I might add here….one does not gain health by surviving on jello and popsicles!!!). Today it’s exactly 3 months post trauma. I was told by the kidney specialist – it would take several weeks to regain strength and not feel so tired. Yet all I’ve been experiencing is extreme fatigue and laying down most of my days since then. So when I found this amazing site of post sepsis…..I cried with relief because there was finally someone who realized “just a few weeks” is NOT the norm from recuperating from such trauma. This 75-year-old body is tired!!!! And I can relax knowing in time this tiredness will also pass. I now take time to rest without the guilt. I say “to heck” with what is expected of me by others.

I survived this experience for a reason. It just wasn’t my time to go. And maybe, just maybe I was meant to still be here, tired or not, just to be able to share this with someone out there who is discouraged by someone’s expectations of them. Be who you are. Get help if you think you need it. But don’t let expectations of others (even the medical profession) let it get you down. Listen to your body. Thanks for letting me tell you my story. Yes!! It was traumatic. But that was then. This is now. I will enclose a photo of the rash I had.