Category: Personal stories

Septic shock - cause unknown

I was born in 1966 and live in Schoten (north of Antwerp). Together with my husband, I had two sons: the youngest still lives at home while the oldest has built his life in Amsterdam. My days have long been filled with taking care of my family, running the household and cherishing the warmth of our daily life. Beyond that familiar rhythm, I have always had a desire to explore the world. Travelling opens my eyes, gives me new energy and makes me feel how vast and multifaceted life is. I also chaired the school council at the school where my children took their first steps in learning, and found it a joy to make time for my girlfriends.

Wednesday, 9 March 2022, disaster struck unexpectedly. What started as an ordinary day turned into a nightmare when I was struck by septic shock with multi-organ failure caused by streptococcus aureus bacteria. Suddenly, everything stood still: my body, my future, my certainties.

What happened. It actually started on Monday. I was not feeling well - nauseous, very high fever - and slept almost all day. On Tuesday, the GP came. She examined me and took blood. Meanwhile, the fever continued to rise above 40°C. Wednesday in the afternoon, the GP called to tell me I had to go to the emergency department at Klina to get a dose of antibiotics intravenously. Once there, things suddenly went very quickly: several catheters were immediately placed, and in no time I was in the Intensive Care Unit. My husband was told that my condition was very critical and that if he had arrived two hours later, it would have been fatal. Fluid resuscitation was started, vasopression with Noradrenaline, Amukin and Augmentin. This was then Floxapen via a PICC catheter. The doctor who was called in to emergency was literally my salvation. Pretty soon the term septic shock with multi-organ failure (DIC, acute renal failure, shock liver) fell. For me, that period is largely a black hole. All I vaguely remember of this period is walking through fields, endless fields of flowers... On Friday, I was transferred to the ICU of the UZA. Saturday followed emergency surgery: my ICD and leads were removed. This was followed by weeks in ICU, Mid Care and cardiology, first in the UZA and later again in Klina.

The period in the clinic was not easy and very lonely. There was a lot of time for brooding and thinking. I was only allowed (limited) visits from my husband and children - someone came every day - as special rules still applied due to the coronavirus. In mid-May, I was allowed to leave the clinic. But the struggle did not end there. A whole rehabilitation track was completed and unfortunately the implantation of a new device was necessary.

To this day, I still experience the effects: fatigue, severe pain symptoms, concentration problems, brainfog, poor sleep, moodswings and overstimulation. My world has become small and finding understanding is often difficult. Aftercare after such an experience is a big problem. There is basically no plan, no info and too little understanding. Sepsis survivors are not “fakers”. There are plenty of doctors I visited with whom you feel you are not taken seriously. You are sent from pillar to post... this is very painful. Fortunately, I have a cardiologist who does listen, helps me look for solutions, follows up my file and discusses it with colleagues. A doctor who is ‘human’, empathetic and dares to look beyond his speciality. I am extremely grateful and have endless respect for him.

This is who I am today. No longer the old me, but someone who fights every day and hopes for more understanding and for a future where there will be some space for ‘life’ again.

One more thing - not unimportant - I cannot say it enough, a heartfelt ‘thank you’ to my family and friends for your support and understanding. I am sorry that I am no longer who I once was, and I fervently hope that step by step I can get closer to myself again. For those who know me less well: what you see on the outside often does not tell the whole story. You mostly meet me in the moments when things are going just a little bit better, but the struggles I face inside every day usually remain hidden. I hope the day will come when I can say again that I am really doing well!

Sylvie

My sepsis episode

Retired but still active, I was struck by sepsis in 2006, without really being aware of the severity of what was happening to me. Apart from chills, which I attributed to a slight fever (38.4°C), I felt no pain. Although I experienced intense fatigue from the first few days, I did not worry too much about it and attributed it to a neurological condition I had been suffering from for several years.

At the time, I was volunteering at a palliative care clinic. I did notice that the wound on my tibia, which I had sustained at the clinic after contact with one of the wheels of a patient's bed, was not healing. It was only after four or five days, and at the insistence of the nursing staff, that I decided to have blood drawn the following Wednesday. The results came in that afternoon and were not good. The doctor therefore decided to take a blood sample, a urine sample and some culture tests on Friday, during my visits.

Septic shock due to peritonitis

I am Angélique Dammer a woman of 52 years. In September 2022, my husband and I took our boat sailing towards Purmerend. Moored at Purmerend, ordered some food, watched some TV and then went to bed. My husband always lies with the dogs in the front part of the boat and I lie in the tip of the boat (my husband still snores sometimes, hence the name).

That night I developed terrible abdominal pain but also a fever, which was new. The abdominal pain resembled the pain I had a year before when I had my breasts preventively removed with reconstruction because of a BRCA-2 gene, then I got constipation in my intestines.

I am Kathleen. A 38-year-old woman, primary school teacher and mother of two young children.

On 27 February, I don't feel very well in the morning. Fatigue, muscle and joint pains and general malaise play tricks on me. Later that day, I gradually develop a fever. By evening, I start shivering heavily. I pick up the children from school and day-care and ask my husband to be home on time. Meanwhile, I feel very sick. With antipyretic medication, I get the pain and fever somewhat under control. I inform my sister because I don't trust it. She is a nurse and often assists me with advice. The night is difficult. 

I am Paul, born in 1954. After a career in sales, I am retired. 3 children and 7 grandchildren keep me busy. My hobby is making toys, so that hits...

In early September 2023, I had been feeling unwell for several days and my GP took blood and the results (infection rate) indicated a serious problem. She made an appointment for me at the hospital where I went on Friday, but was sent back saying "next week we are going to examine some things". I was simply miserable and had been running a fever for several days. The day after, my partner found me unconscious on the floor and I ended up in the emergency room of the UZA in Edegem where, my partner and daughter told me, the word "sepsis" was immediately dropped and I was apparently given priority.

Before I start my story I will introduce myself. I am Wendy 54 years old. I am married and have 2 daughters aged 25 and 29.

A few years ago, I went to a lecture on kidney stones, where I bumped into a former colleague (Carine). We had a drink and a chat. Here Carine told me she had been seriously ill, septic shock. I sympathised with her and was glad that she was doing well (at the time I didn't know any better).

Kenny 40 years Sepsis after Streptococcal infection

26 January 2023 I contracted a bacterial cold due to a sick employee. From my own knowledge, I knew antibiotics were the only thing that could help me. However by the GP no written. The first 2 days passed and at first there was a slight improvement, but on afterwards I felt that this was getting worse and made another appointment with the GP. The day of the appointment ( 31/1/2023) my mother came by and saw that something was wrong and took me straight to A&E.

I live on the edge of a nature reserve with my husband and three sons. My hobbies are walking, running and good food. My story began with a tumour in my right breast. Four days after my first chemo, I stumbled into A&E with severe abdominal pain. I was immediately operated on. 'The inhuman pain the day after surgery was normal,' the doctor said, 'within a week you will be home'. The seven foreseen days turned into four hundred and eighty-seven.

Monday, March 7, 2022, the first day of a new working week went normally until I developed a nasty abdominal/stomach pain shortly after noon. As the pain did not go away, I called the abdominal surgery service of a nearby hospital. There, I was advised to come in through the emergency room.

A gripping testimonial around sepsis from Krista Bracke: