Velvet Tucker

On Memorial Day of 2013, my family and I got together and went out to eat. On the way home I noticed some aching all over my body, even commenting that I felt as if I were coming down with the flu. That night, I went to bed remembering that I was feeling cold.

Upon waking up to the alarm the next morning, it was as if someone had poured a 5-gallon bucket of water on me while I’d slept. The bed, my body and clothes were all soaking wet from sweat. In what now seems like a delirious madness, all I could think was, “Get to work. Get to work.” I showered and went into work. I was there for 3 hours and don’t remember any of that morning, what I did, nothing.

At approximately 11:00 am, while driving to a client’s office, I blacked out, ran off the road and hit a curb. As I continued on, I called my Mom telling her that I didn’t know what was wrong with me but that I didn’t feel good, had run off the road and was going home to lie down for a couple of hours.

When I got home, my 2 teenage children were there. I was cold and shivering uncontrollably but assured them that I was okay. A short time later, my mom, dad and sister arrived at the house. After seeing me, they said I needed to go to the hospital, but I told them I just wanted to lie down and sleep it off. At that time, my sister, having a bad feeling and a sense of urgency, demanded that I go.

This is where things become extremely fuzzy for me. I recall being in the ER. My blood pressure was approximately 40/30 and my body temperature was 104.5. The physician ordered several tests, one being a spinal tap, which I understand is extremely painful. However I barely recall having it done. I only remember a male nurse holding me in a “balled up” position and telling me everything was going to be okay. I didn’t care what they were doing, I was so out of it.

None of the test came back with any positive diagnosis and at approximately 6:30 pm, the doctor came in to tell my family and I that I was being released. Lucky for me, it was shift change and the physician coming in for the night had reviewed my chart before releasing me. The new doctor said he knew I’d been told I was being released, but that he didn’t feel comfortable sending me home with such a low BP and high fever. He told us that he wanted to admit me for observation and run more tests. Thank God for this Angel!

After 6 days in ICU, 2 days in step-down and then another week of rest… I AM A SURVIVOR and thankful to be able to continue my life while taking nothing for granted.

Note from Sepsis Alliance: Tests showed that Velvet’s sepsis came from an untreated UTI, for which she had no symptoms. (Sepsis and Urinary Tract Infections)