What exactly is sepsis?
Sepsis is a life-threatening illness that develops when your immune system reacts to an infection by damaging or necrotizing your body’s tissues and organs.
Septic shock occurs when a person with sepsis experiences a significant drop in blood pressure, which can be fatal.
Early symptoms of sepsis may include:
- a high temperature (fever) or low body temperature
- chills and shivering
- a fast heartbeat
- fast breathing
Early symptoms in children can differ. In those under five, if these symptoms appear they should be taken straight to A&E
- looks mottled, bluish or pale
- is very lethargic or difficult to wake
- feels abnormally cold to touch
- is breathing very fast
- has a rash that does not fade when you press it
- has a fit or convulsion
After overcoming sepsis, a mother was hailed a “medical miracle,” but she may now lose her left leg.
As a result of her diagnosis, Sadie Kemp, 34, has already had all ten of her fingers removed.
On December 25, last year, she was brought to the hospital with what she thought was back pain.
Sadie was given painkillers but returned the next day to A&E, where she fell in front of physicians.
She awoke two weeks later on life support, having gone into septic shock due to an infected kidney stone.
During the incident, she stayed in the hospital for 103 nights and was dubbed a “medical miracle” by professionals for surviving.
For months, the 34-year-old from Peterborough has been waiting for word on her impending limb amputation.
She was able to return home in April, where she and her two songs, Kenzie, 16, and Hendrix, two, are awaiting additional information.
Her left leg will most likely be amputated below the knee, but it is unclear whether her right leg will be removed as well.
‘I knew it was coming, but when you actually hear it, like this is definitely what’s happening, it hits home a little bit,’ Sadie said after learning she had lost her left leg.
‘I didn’t cope very well for about two days after.
‘But then I just remember that the sooner I get it done I can get prosthetics and learn how to drive again and live a fairly reasonable, normal life’.
Sadie said: ‘I have no idea how we’re going to be able to raise that much money for hands.
‘I’m just going to keep this GoFundMe page running.
‘And so at the moment I’m just throwing all my energy and my mind into fundraising for critical care for the people who saved my life, otherwise my mind is going to go crazy.’
She added: ‘I’ve always said when I get prosthetics I want them to look like prosthetics, I don’t want to blend into the crowd.
‘I really want new hands for Christmas as I got poorly Christmas day’.