Sepsis Stories
Ruth Kent: Survived Sepsis
I thought I had the flu. I do not have a spleen so it wasn’t unusual for me to feel very ill and take to my bed so that’s what I did. After 24 hours I felt worse. I decided I would call the doctors the next morning but during the night I woke and had been incontinent of my bowel. My first thought was that I had a nasty bug but when I stood up to clean myself and noticed my legs and feet ached.
I moved to the sofa to sleep, I didn’t turn any lights on as didn’t want to wake my then partner and son. In the morning, my son found me on the couch. I was blue and had been incontinent again. I was blue-lighted (rushed by ambulance) to the hospital and my children, Mikey and Faye, were told to prepare themselves for the worst.
By some miracle, I survived. But my battle was not over. Over the course of four months, I slowly fought sepsis. My hands, feet and nose were black. I lost my toes and the soles of my feet. In November of 2018, I had skin grafts on the soles of my feet and fortunately, I am now walking and independent.
It has been a long recovery but I kept positive. I feel so lucky to be here and I am determined to make the most of my miracle. I’m 56 and see things so differently now.
Before I was sick, I wasn’t aware of sepsis. I strongly advise everyone to educate themselves on sepsis.
– Ruth Kent, Sepsis Survivor
