A former north-east headteacher says her long recovery from serious sepsis totally changed her life – prompting her to change career and find new passions.
Gillian Watt, 59, was already in hospital in pain with a blocked kidney when her body started to shut down due to the life-threatening condition.
The Insch mum-of-four should have been winding down from the end of the busy school term during the second week of the school summer holidays.
But she ended up ill in the high dependency unit at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary instead.
‘I was lucky I was in hospital’
“I had back pain and then extreme vomiting and felt hot and cold,” she said.
“Luckily I was in the hospital when the poison started to go through my body.”
I went from being somebody who would run a marathon to somebody who couldn’t walk down the corridor.”
Gillian was cared for in hospital for a week but faced a long, difficult recovery at home with post-sepsis syndrome spending the next few months of 2015 in bed.
The condition is caused by the immune system overreacting to an infection which can start to damage the body’s own tissues and organs.
As many as half of these patients face post-sepsis syndrome, suffering long-term physical and psychological effects.
Gillian, who had enjoyed competing in triathlons, eventually had to give up her job as headteacher of Monymusk Primary School in Aberdeenshire.
“It totally changed my life,” she said. “My physical body, the fit body that I had was gone – I had to really build up to do any walking again.
“Mentally not being able to do all of that was extremely hard. My cognitive abilities were impaired.
“I went from being somebody who would run a marathon to somebody who couldn’t walk down the corridor.
“With decision-making, I used to love juggling – multi-tasking was my thing.
“But that continues to be a challenge, and that was one of the big issues when I tried to get back to work. It just wasn’t possible any more.”
Gillian now had to adapt to her new life while recuperating with post-sepsis syndrome.
During her recovery, she was handed a book on EFT tapping, an alternative treatment for pain that helped her cope.
“It’s a fascinating tool useful for so many different issues from anxiety to physical pain,” Gillian said.
“You can just tap as you think about it and it dissolves the stress.”
Post-sepsis syndrome: ‘I’m a survivor’
In October 2015, Gillian attended a week-long online mindfulness summit.
And it was during a talk about the importance of the practice in schools that she realised she could continue to work with children.
She has since trained to teach mindfulness at both primary and secondary school level and now runs courses with children across the north-east.
Gillian has also become an advanced EFT practitioner helping people – and animals – use tapping to help with phobias and health conditions.
Similar to acupuncture, EFT involves tapping on parts of the upper body which is said to release energy.
“If we suppress how we’re feeling then tension builds up inside the body and in extreme situations, chronic illness can set in in all sorts of different ways.
“By using tapping and releasing the tension and stress you don’t get to that point. It leaves you in a better place to face the challenges that we all have in day-to-day life.”
Gillian is now training up to do another triathlon this year. Keeping fit is still important to her and she says a consultant told her it had helped her recover from sepsis.
“The reason I’m alive is because I was so fit and because I had done a lot of triathlons.
“I’m a survivor.”
She is also looking forward to her 60th birthday in June and organised a health and wellbeing festival held on the weekend of March 5th.
A wide range of taster sessions were on offer at the event at Knockburn Loch Centre near Banchory, Aberdeenshire, including yoga, pilates, Qigong and EFT tapping.
We’d like to share your story
Every Friday lunchtime we highlight an incredible story about recovery, overcoming illness and bravery.
Have you overcome a health challenge, lost weight or got fit and are now in a position to help others by talking about your journey?
We’d love to hear from you as we look to offer information, insight and inspiration through our content.
You can get in touch by emailing me at charlotte.thomson@ajl.co.uk
