In April 2016, I had an abscess that formed on my left buttock which I’ve gotten before, and it went away. I noticed in May I had lost weight still not paying no attention because my weight went up and down.
By June the abscess had gotten bigger, tender, and I could hardly walk and sit down. So, I decided to go to the ER @ Hillandale to get it lanced. The first Dr. ran tests and MRI and said that he would drain it. After, an hour another Dr. came on the scene looked at it and the results and said that it needed draining.
Another hour went by an another doctor came in and said that he’s not going to drain it, just take the antibiotics and follow up with an rectal specialist and I asked the doctor or you sure I don’t need it to be drained and he said not at this time and if it gets worse come back to the ER and my discharged paperwork said I had proctitis.
The Battle
Me thinking that I would be fine after the antibiotics but 3 days later instead of feeling better I felt worst, so I decided to go to Emory ER and that’s when I found out I had Sepsis when they did my blood work. The doctor. said if I hadn’t come in when I did I would be dead. The ER Dr. was upset that the doctor’s at Hillandale didn’t drained my abscess.
The abscess was drained in the ER and blood and puss filled the bed. My kidneys and other organs had started to shut down. I was admitted right away and had to spend 3 days in ICU with about 20 different IVs with antibiotics running every two hours to save my life. Then I was moved to a regular room where I stayed for 3 weeks before being released. I had to have a nurse to come out 3 times a week to change and pack my wounds.
Post Sepsis
My skin shedded for months. I thought I was a snake for a minute, but it was because it was shedding all that sickness away. That moment stills flashes in my head, that I could’ve died, but God said not yet. I’m so grateful that I survived and here to see after my two sons.
Doctors need to be held accountable and do a better job of treating patients.
Michelle Holmes