Latest news with #sepsis
ABC News
14 hours ago
- Health
- ABC News
Geelong family calls for inquest into father's sepsis death after hospital discharge
Reminders of Brian Dean are scattered across his family's Geelong home. There is a photograph in a frame inscribed with "Dad the Hero", a coffee mug from his former employer, a hand-drawn picture of the 44-year-old and a floor-to-ceiling wall of photographs of him with his beloved wife Sandra and children Alfie, now 11, and Ari, 9. It is a house full of memorials to a man who went to hospital in 2023 and died a day later from sepsis. "He was cheeky, fun, loyal, sturdy, trustworthy," Sandra recalls, sitting in the family kitchen. "He was everything. "He was so involved. The minute he walked in the door he was bathing, cooking dinner if he needed to. He would step into every moment that he could. "When Ari moved into his first bedroom in his big boy bed he was nervous, so dad pulled the cushions off the couch and slept beside him — just gave him a sturdy hand and they had a sleepover." Brian's family is now calling for a coronial inquest into his death to determine whether earlier treatment could have saved his life. On July 1, 2023, Brian was taken to Geelong Hospital by ambulance after becoming increasingly sick with influenza symptoms. The 44-year-old spent the evening in the short stay unit, but was discharged at about 10.30am the following day, as he was deemed to be clinically well. By about 12 hours later he had returned to hospital, where he was soon diagnosed with severe sepsis, or septic shock. At 11.37am on July 3, he died. "I then had to sign to cease life support and come home and tell my children their dad had died," Sandra said. "It was awful. For the close-knit family, their friends and extended family, Brian's death has hit hard. "Our world has been obliterated in every way," Sandra said. "It's been the most horrific thing that we've ever been through, and we're continuing to go through it, as we speak." "It doesn't stop, unfortunately. It just doesn't. It's every minute of every day, because he's not here. Sandra said she had been diagnosed with a traumatic stress disorder, while her sons had experienced trauma of their own. "They experienced things that night with their dad and they remember things that have been extraordinarily hard for them to process," she said "They're still processing it. They miss their Dad horribly." One of the most difficult aspects of dealing with her husband's death has been Sandra's concern that, had Brian received antibiotics during his first hospital stay, he might still be alive today. Sandra is preparing to launch legal action against Barwon Health, which operates Geelong Hospital. She is also calling for a coronial inquest to determine whether the death was preventable and if healthcare recommendations can be made. "I think Brian deserves it. I think Brian's children deserve the answers that it might bring," she said. "Brian, if anything, was extremely helpful, and it's true to him that something should come out of this. "If his death can help other families or other people advocate for themselves in hospital, so this doesn't happen to anyone else — or it might stall it happening for someone else — then we all deserve that." Rachel Seager, an associate with Shine Lawyers's medical negligence team, said Brian's family wanted accountability and answers. She said an inquest could provide recommendations to hospitals across the state about protocols for identifying and treating patients suffering from sepsis. "We've asked the coroner to hold an inquest; we've made submissions to the coroner in support of an inquest," she said. "We've obtained strong expert evidence that says Brian should have received antibiotics when he went to Geelong hospital, and that if he'd received antibiotics, he would have survived." Barwon Health's Chief Medical Officer, Ajai Verma, said the health service would "like to express our condolences to the Dean family for their loss". "We are committed to providing the highest quality care to our community," he said. "As this case is before the courts, we are unable to comment further."
Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
I contracted a virus from a friend's toilet that caused sepsis... here is why you need to be careful
A woman has issued a stark warning about using shared bathrooms after contracting a dangerous virus that left her with sepsis and took her almost a year to recover from. JaMarriae Lawrence, who goes by Mars, was working overnight at a Walmart distribution center in Virginia last year when she was hit with a 'sudden, excruciating' pain in her stomach. Mars, who lives in Newport News, recalled the pain being so severe she couldn't even stand upright. 'I wrapped up what I was doing, slouched over, and made my way to the front,' the 20-year-old told She immediately left work and went to the local hospital, where they ran blood work, CT scans, and collected urine. 'They suspected ovarian cysts or an appendix rupture but ultimately said I was likely fighting a virus,' she explained. 'Since it didn't seem life-threatening, they sent me home.' However, Mars' condition worsened, and she began throwing up every few hours. Concerned, she went to a different hospital and was told the same thing. '[They told me] "Your bloodwork shows you're fighting something, but it's not life-threatening,"' she recalled. 'Again, I was sent home.' However, that night, the content creator and singer began 'vomiting and having diarrhea at the same time.' Noticing how sick she was, her mom took her to another hospital. 'They ran more tests and finally discovered I was septic,' she shared. 'I was hospitalized. They gave me fluids and ran stool and urine cultures.' After running more in-depth tests, doctors found that she had C. difficile (C. diff) in her stool and Mycoplasma hominis in her urine, with Mars saying she contracted the virus from using a bathroom from someone who also suffered from the illness. Clostridioides difficile (C. diff) is a type of bacteria that can cause inflammation of the colon, known as colitis, which can cause diarrhea and more serious intestinal conditions. Mycoplasma hominis causes pain or burning during urination, genital discharge, and pelvic pain or discomfort. Mars was treated with antibiotics and discharged after a week - but that wasn't the end of her medical nightmare. 'I felt okay for a few months,' she recalled. 'Around the same time, I visited someone who had C. diff at the same time I did the previous year.' 'I used her bathroom and was shocked to find there was no soap. A month later, my symptoms returned,' Mars shared. 'I told my GI doctor that I suspected I had C. diff again. He ordered a stool test, which confirmed it.' Mars was put on an antibiotic called Dificid, which eventually cleared up her symptoms. 'This whole ordeal began in April 2024, and I am only now beginning to feel relief,' she shared. 'C. diff can be picked up anywhere. What I really want people to understand is this: we've become too comfortable with filth,' she pointed out. 'I see people skip handwashing all the time. People go out in public while sick. They don't finish their antibiotics. And all of this leads to antibiotic-resistant superbugs,' Mars continued. 'In elementary school, our teachers made us wash our hands before lunch. But where is that standard now — in middle school, high school, college? I think we've forgotten basic hygiene. I think we've forgotten empathy,' she declared. 'Some say there's always risk of going to public places, which there is, but C. diff isn't a normal bacteria. It's strong. Contagious. And deadly,' Mars warned. In the US, 500,000 infections cause 15,000 deaths each year, as per the Cleveland Clinic. According to Dr. Steven Goldberg, Chief Medical Officer at HealthTrackRx, C. diff can be spread through toilets and bathrooms - especially in hospitals, nursing homes, or shared facilities. 'C. diff is spread via spores that are shed in the stool of an infected person,' he told 'These spores can survive on surfaces like toilets, sinks, and medical equipment for weeks or months. 'Transmission typically occurs when someone touches a contaminated surface and then their mouth, or through healthcare workers' hands.' Dr. Goldberg added that spores can spread to others if high-touch surfaces like toilets, handles, and sinks are contaminated and not thoroughly disinfected. 'The proper handwashing with soap and water is critical, as alcohol-based sanitizers do not reliably kill C. diff spores,' he urged. '[C. diff] most commonly leads to watery diarrhea, abdominal cramping, fever, and in severe cases, life-threatening complications,' Dr. Goldberg said. 'C. diff often occurs after antibiotic use, which disrupts normal gut bacteria and allows C. diff to overgrow.'
BBC News
3 days ago
- Health
- BBC News
West Sussex boy wants to 'enjoy life' after losing legs to sepsis
A 13-year-old boy who lost both legs to sepsis says he is getting his strength back and looking forward to the future, a year after being placed in an induced first went into hospital in June 2024 with leg pain. He later developed a life-threatening blood infection and underwent months of treatment, including two induced comas and care at Evelina London Children's teenager, from Rusper in West Sussex, had his left leg amputated in August 2024 and his right in February 2025 after efforts to save it fitted with prosthetic limbs, Austin said: "I can't change what happened in the past, but I can change what is in front of me." Austin has returned to school and has had to learn to walk again. He said: "So much has changed - I'm getting my strength back and trying new things."He first became unwell after complaining of leg pain. His grandmother noticed the tips of his ears turning blue and he was taken to hospital, where he was diagnosed with sepsis, the life-threatening blood infection. He was placed in a coma for three he developed a secondary infection and was induced into a coma father, Warwick, said: "My wife and I were told to prepare for the worst. "In life a lot of people take their health for granted, and so did we, but suddenly you realise how fragile it is."It makes you focus on what is important in life." A keen sportsperson, Austin has swapped hockey for wheelchair tennis and basketball. He is also rowing with Paralympic gold medallist Rachel Morris."I'm just trying so many different things and enjoying life," he said.
Telegraph
4 days ago
- Health
- Telegraph
Grandmother died of sepsis after being misdiagnosed with stomach complaint
A grandmother died of sepsis after doctors failed to recognise signs of a urinary tract obstruction, a coroner has found. Suzanne Edwards, 71, of Leighton Buzzard, Bedfordshire, visited her GP on Nov 29 2024 with abdominal pain and vomiting but despite urgent blood and urine tests she was not sent to hospital. Later that day her symptoms worsened and she went to A&E at Milton Keynes University Hospital, Bucks. Her test results were indicative of systemic inflammation and dehydration but she was diagnosed with gastroenteritis and discharged. Her condition deteriorated further and the following day her family called NHS 111. She was directed to an urgent care centre and transferred to Bedford Hospital where clinicians identified a 7mm stone in her urinary tract and sepsis. She underwent emergency surgery but died later on the evening of Dec 1 from septic shock. 'Heart of our family' Stacey Edwards, her daughter, said: 'My mum was the heart of our family – full of warmth, compassion and humour. 'It's devastating to know that her death may have been avoided if the signs of sepsis had been recognised sooner.' Her family described her as 'an unbelievably kind and caring woman with a wicked sense of humour and fun'. She leaves behind husband Terence, two children and two granddaughters. Stacey said: 'When she visited her GP she was so unwell she used a wheelchair. 'After she was taken to A&E we were told it was likely gastroenteritis. She was given IV fluids and pain relief but she was still in pain and struggling. 'There was very little communication from doctors and when she was discharged we were simply told to come back if symptoms returned. 'At home, things got worse. But because she'd been examined by medical professionals we thought she just needed time to recover. 'The call we received later that evening asking us to come in urgently is something we'll never forget. 'Neither is watching her suffer in those final days.' Jewellery went missing Soon after her death Mrs Edwards' family realised her jewellery worth thousands of pounds – three necklaces and four bracelets – were missing. Stacey said: 'Mum never took off her jewellery. 'It is heartbreaking to think someone may have taken advantage of such a tragic situation.' Bedfordshire Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust launched a full investigation and search at the time but the items were never found. Tom Osborne, the senior coroner for Milton Keynes, recorded a narrative verdict saying there was a failure to recognise the signs of a urinary tract obstruction, leading to missed opportunities to treat Mrs Edwards before sepsis developed.
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
"A UTI Can Be Completely Asymptomatic": Doctors Are Spilling Shocking Truths About Our Bodies That We Were Never Taught In School
We recently surprised a lot of you with these body facts that medical professionals say most people don't know, and it turns out a lot of our readers are healthcare experts who have more to add to the list! So, here are 15 more things you may not know about your own body but should: 1."In older women, a UTI can be completely asymptomatic. I'm a bladder cancer survivor and very tuned in to my bladder health. I was feeling very run down but had absolutely no UTI symptoms. I went to the emergency department for something unrelated, where I passed out and had to be resuscitated multiple times. I had become septic from an unknown bladder infection, and my husband had to watch me die and be revived in the emergency room at least three times. A super star emergency team saved my life, and I was put in the ICU without much hope of recovery. I spent six days hospitalized, and every day I thank God and those medical professionals for letting me go back to my family. PLEASE learn from my frightening experience!" —charmingcaptain114 Related: 2."Your optometrist asks what medications you take because your eyes are part of your body and can be affected by systemic diseases. You can lose vision from diabetes, hypertension, autoimmune disorders, etc. It amazes me when people leave off medications they are taking, and I say, 'So, you aren't taking any medications at all?' And then the person has an entire list, explaining that they didn't mention them because 'they don't affect my eyes.' This is wrong." —Anonymous, 52 Wisconsin 3."Never EVER boil breast milk. By doing this, you destroy all the nutrients, and it basically becomes as nutritious as water." —u/SuspiciousLemur 4."As a Navy corpsman and now Physician Assistant, I have always told my male patients that smoking can cause erectile dysfunction. That gets their attention more than strokes or heart attacks." —Anonymous Related: 5."Women continue to build bone mass until age 30. That is why it is important that you get enough calcium when you are young. It affects bone density and helps prevent osteoporosis." —Anonymous, 74 Ohio 6."I'm an ENT. Please bring earplugs to loud concerts and shows. Please don't listen to music on your earbuds/headphones too loudly. Your hearing doesn't regenerate, and you put yourself at a higher risk of developing tinnitus (ringing in your ears) and hyperacusis (sensitivity to sound)." —u/hapabeauty 7."Grapefruit juice can mess with a lot of meds, so you might want to avoid it while you're taking them." —Maya Related: 8."Type 2 diabetes is more serious than most people realize. I work as a doctor in hemodialysis, and most of the cases are due to diabetic nephropathy. It also affects your eyes, nerves, immune system, etc. Simple life changes can help prevent this." —u/kingofneverland 9."Moles don't have to look odd, have irregular borders, be different colors, grow fast, crack and bleed, etc., to be skin cancer. Moles that look absolutely normal and have been on your body for years can be cancerous. Flaky patches of skin that mimic eczema or psoriasis can actually be skin cancer. A dark freckle can actually be skin cancer. A dark purplish stretch mark can be skin cancer. This is why it's so important to not only get yearly skin checks, but also check yourself every time you are naked. Make notes of the locations on your body and a detailed description of what each area looks like so you can track it." "About 25 years ago, I had two little moles on my left ear and asked to have them removed so I could get my ears double pierced. The doctor did the usual shaving procedure and sent the tissue out for testing (this is standard protocol). Imagine my shock when the doctor called a week later and said I needed to come in to talk about the results. My perfectly normal moles were stage 1 squamous cell carcinoma. They also took off a normal-looking mole on my left elbow, which turned out to be full of atypical cells (which often leads to cancer). Thankfully, the cancer was completely localized, and I didn't need chemo or radiation. 'Normal' isn't always what it seems." —henrylovedog 10."Antibiotics only work against bacteria; they are not some kind of wonderpotion that cures anything, and they should not always be given. Please stick to the prescription the doctor gives you. Even if you already feel better, don't just stop unless the doctor says you can stop. A lot of medication needs to be taken according to the prescription in order for it to be effective because you build up the dosage to an effective level. Stopping or not sticking to it really decreases effectiveness." —u/jonneyboy112 11."Tell us what drugs and alcohol you're on. We aren't gonna tell the cops, and we aren't gonna lecture you, but it might change the anesthesia we give you. Some of the stuff we give could kill you. So, if you drink a 30-pack a day, tell us." —u/CopyX Related: 12."Having wet hair in a cold room will not make you sick." —u/jbx_93 13."Just because you're skinny doesn't mean you're healthy. Sometimes I ask teens whom I treat what healthy foods they eat, and rarely do I get a right answer. I feel like the internet has so many fad diets, and some families rarely cook, so there are so many people who don't know basic nutrition facts." —u/Thornloki256 14."Alcohol is really, really bad for you. By binge drinking, you run the risk of developing stomach bleeds, intestinal bleeds, pancreatitis, liver disease, and/or liver failure, alcoholism, heart failure, seizures, stroke, osteoporosis, lung failure, the list goes on... Having 4 drinks spread out over a few hours can be JUST as fun as having 10 drinks in the same time span, AND you're not putting yourself at risk for massive organ failure and making yourself look like an idiot." —u/Mosessbro lastly: "Fevers are not always dangerous. In fact, they are your body's natural response to an illness. Always call your doctor first, but you might not need to rush to the emergency department at the first sight of one." —u/sms575 Did any of these surprise you? Let us know in the comments! Also in Internet Finds: Also in Internet Finds: Also in Internet Finds: Solve the daily Crossword
