The Hidden Killer Sepsis

I may have shared this photo several times I forget that this day in October last year I was severely ill and nearly died. The reason is because I had Sepsis.

Looking at this photo it most likely shows you a different picture. Sepsis kills more people, each year, than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined. Would you know how to spot it?

This is one part of my story which is a complete blur, I hardly remember anything this part may seem mixed up or back to front but these parts are the only parts I can actually remember.

I’m writing this post because I want to make other pregnant ladies, elderly, the young and adults know how dramatically ill you can become and how deadly Sepsis is. Within minutes after we had been told Violets heartbeat had stopped I become dramatically ill I had no clue what was going on it was all a massive blur, I don’t remember getting undressed or being moved to another room all I do remember is being in a wheel chair, I hardly remember the doctors, the midwives, the consultants faces that entered the room on separate occasions throughout the night. I don’t remember feeling anything, I don’t remember having millions of blood taken or the 7 drips I had pumped into me. I was exhausted I’d been up solid for 2 days.

Once labour had fully started and I was fully dilated I was told It was safer for me to have a natural birth. I wanted a natural birth all along but under the circumstances and being told I had Sepsis I wasn’t sure if I could go through with it. They did say it wasn’t safe for me to have a c-section due to me having Sepsis, if they had have given me the epidural I possibly could of either had a reaction or be paralysed. I did ask if I could be put to sleep to make it less stressful for me and my husband, they confirmed it would be safer for me to not be because they knew my heart rate would be so high it would be a risk.

Labour began I was fully on my way to pushing my baby out, I tried, I pushed and pushed, I was exhausted, being in labour is anyway but I had to do all of this with my body in septic shock. My body was trying it’s best, it stopped, my contractions stopped, I became so ill that body started to give up, i was like a dead weight, I was thirsty and I wasn’t allowed to drink anything, my body went into shock. The mask got pulled over my face for oxygen, my heart rate went through the roof I became septic. My husband stood and watched at my side he saw me in pain, he watched me give birth to our sleeping beauty and there was nothing he could do, he also watched me severely ill.

He deserves a medal for being the bravest and the best daddy/husband. I don’t remember anything but after I’d given birth to Violet I stepped out of that bed like nothing had even happened, you would not believe your eyes if you saw me on that day I just got up like I’d never even nearly died.

I am so proud of myself for making it through, although non of my organs failed I was really really ill and I honestly can’t stress to you how Ill I was and how painful it was to go through loss of our daughter from Sepsis and myself. When your world gets flashed before your eyes you really do wonder if your going to be alive in the next few minutes. I can’t stress how important this Is and for everyone to the know the signs, I didn’t know because it’s something that never got discussed if I had it could of saved my daughters life and mine. I want to thank all the midwives and doctors who looked after me and delivered Violet.

Sepsis is the hidden killer it’s kills more people than breast, bowel and prostate cancer combined in fact it kills 5 people an hour in the UK every single day.

I never knew the signs of sepsis but I was very aware of infection during pregnancy and knew that infection once your waters had broken can occur. Little did I know what kind of infection or how quickly you can become ill from it. Something I regret and wish I knew the signs or someone had told me. Maybe I was to cautious?

It’s so vital that during pregnancy infections are spoken about and made aware which infection can occur. Sepsis needs to be recognised during labour. Although I wasn’t showing signs of being unwell and baby’s heartbeat was there at the time I did have a bad back which I had mentioned several times, maybe this was the infection starting? Who knows. From my experience the birthing centre which we were cared for at has now changed the pathway of care and if any one feels unwell in any way then the Sepsis route is taken to prevent Sepsis from happening if it is or to help with infection if it is and save babies lives.

For more information on Sepsis and the symptoms please click on the link below.

Thank you to This Morning for spreading the word about this deadly infection. Let’s help save others by knowing the signs.

https://www.facebook.com/ThisMorning/videos/10156680699162122/

sepsistrust.org

Grace and Violet xox