It kills more people than cancer worldwide...

[MoodyBlues]

...and I survived it.

Sepsis.

On tonight's ABC World News Tonight, David Muir cited a new study showing that, globally, 1 in 5 deaths is caused by sepsis; 270,000 deaths in the US annually; 20 deaths per minute worldwide.

I believe these are the Lancet study articles referenced on the news: A global accounting of sepsis and Global, regional, and national sepsis incidence....

If you don't know, sepsis is the body's over-reaction to infection, in which your blood basically becomes poisoned. As it circulates through your body, it wreaks havoc on every organ system, every cell...everything, causing organ failure. In my case, I had multi-organ failure: cardiac, renal, and respiratory.

For those of us who survive, it's not necessarily over. Some of us, myself included, suffer from Post-Sepsis Syndrome, which has its own set of problems. Some patients eventually recover...but many don't. I'm still in the "it's going to get better someday!" mindset. I'll believe that until proven otherwise.

 

[Dannydet]

OMG, stay strong Moody...

 

[Steven58]

I survived it too. I didn’t know I had pneumonia until I went into septic shock. Spent the night in intensive care. What a trip.

 

[MoodyBlues]

I survived it too. I didn’t know I had pneumonia until I went into septic shock. Spent the night in intensive care. What a trip.

I'm glad you survived it, too. You're one of the lucky ones.

My week in the ICU is basically a blur. I think I've posted before that I thought it was a huge, warehouse-like room, with people traipsing in and out to get supplies. Nothing like ICU hallucinations.

My six months hospitalized, and on IV antibiotics, took their toll; among other things, causing tooth loss. And the near-year I spent bed-bound, too weak even for a bedpan, taught me strong lessons about humility and appreciation. There wasn't a single time, after a CNA changed my diaper, that I didn't thank him/her. I wanted them to know they were appreciated.

So many things we take for granted, like changing positions in bed or brushing our own hair, will never be taken for granted again by me.

I encourage everyone to take a mental inventory of all the little things you do in a day, then imagine not being able to. I promise it'll change your perspective...

 

[Milo Willamson]

I'm glad you survived it, too. You're one of the lucky ones.

My week in the ICU is basically a blur. I think I've posted before that I thought it was a huge, warehouse-like room, with people traipsing in and out to get supplies. Nothing like ICU hallucinations.

My six months hospitalized, and on IV antibiotics, took their toll; among other things, causing tooth loss. And the near-year I spent bed-bound, too weak even for a bedpan, taught me strong lessons about humility and appreciation. There wasn't a single time, after a CNA changed my diaper, that I didn't thank him/her. I wanted them to know they were appreciated.

So many things we take for granted, like changing positions in bed or brushing our own hair, will never be taken for granted again by me.

I encourage everyone to take a mental inventory of all the little things you do in a day, then imagine not being able to. I promise it'll change your perspective...

Been doing mental inventory of the little things in my head in a day, since around like twenty three or twenty four years ago.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Been doing mental inventory of the little things in my head in a day, since around like twenty three or twenty four years ago.

That's awesome! Was there something specific that triggered it?

 

[Milo Willamson]

That's awesome! Was there something specific that triggered it?

No helping my physcosis that is all Well had a few close encounters too.

 

[tommo47]

So many things we take for granted, like changing positions in bed or brushing our own hair, will never be taken for granted again by me.

I encourage everyone to take a mental inventory of all the little things you do in a day, then imagine not being able to. I promise it'll change your perspective...

As I've said before, my experience over the last 8 weeks or so pales into almost insignificance when compared to what you have endured but even so, I understand completely, and endorse your feelings totally.

 

[MoodyBlues]

As I've said before, my experience over the last 8 weeks or so pales into almost insignificance when compared to what you have endured but even so, I understand completely, and endorse your feelings totally.

Sweetie, it's not a competition.

You're dealing with a serious problem that's altered your life. I'm not religious, so saying you're in my prayers feels disingenuous--but you're definitely in my thoughts.

How are things going now? Are you getting enough nutrition? Please update us on your situation, including what's being done treatment-wise. We're worried about you!

 

[carson495]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

 

[MoodyBlues]

Very interesting! Thanks for sharing!

You're welcome!

And now that this thread has been resurrected, how about an update? My PSS [ post-sepsis syndrome ] has only gotten worse. My doctors long ago told me there will be no further improvement. Some recent research I did helped explain why; look up "sepsis-induced myopathy" if you're interested. Basically this myopathy causes permanent, irreversible damage to the muscles of the respiratory system, including the diaphragm, and the limbs, resulting in extreme weakness. That explains why my arms get exhausted washing my hair. It also helps me understand why, at the onset of the pandemic, my doctors told me that if I got COVID-19, I would not survive--my respiratory system, having failed once and now permanently impaired, couldn't handle it.

Well, I guess this cheery comment is plenty for now!

 

[Steven58]

You're welcome!

And now that this thread has been resurrected, how about an update? My PSS [ post-sepsis syndrome ] has only gotten worse. My doctors long ago told me there will be no further improvement. Some recent research I did helped explain why; look up "sepsis-induced myopathy" if you're interested. Basically this myopathy causes permanent, irreversible damage to the muscles of the respiratory system, including the diaphragm, and the limbs, resulting in extreme weakness. That explains why my arms get exhausted washing my hair. It also helps me understand why, at the onset of the pandemic, my doctors told me that if I got COVID-19, I would not survive--my respiratory system, having failed once and now permanently impaired, couldn't handle it.

Well, I guess this cheery comment is plenty for now!

Compared to you, I got off easy. Godspeed, sis.

 

[MoodyBlues]

Compared to you, I got off easy. Godspeed, sis.

Thanks. A physician came to see me last year, and he said I'm the first septic shock patient he's ever visited in their home. All the others were dead. They'd all died from the things that nearly killed me, including multi-organ failure, extremely high serum lactate, extremely low blood pressure, permanent system-wide organ damage, etc.

I was also insulin-dependent for several months. It was weird and I'm left not knowing how to explain it, like if I'm filling out a form and it asks if I have diabetes, either type 1 or 2, I can't say yes because that wasn't it. It was another effect of sepsis. I remember at one point I had had my fingers stuck SO MANY TIMES every day that I just felt like I couldn't stand any more. Same for blood draws. Despite having PICC lines, which worked fine for 24/7 IV infusions, they had to use an actual vein, or artery, for blood draws--and those were 2-3 times a day. I remember one day when I just lay there sobbing...

You were incredibly lucky. Most people with septic shock are in the ICU for prolonged periods, have multi-organ failure, are hospitalized for [at least] weeks or, as in my case, many months, and are permanently disabled--if they pull through. Hence that visiting doctor's statement!