Hannah Littlejohn felt emotional and scared when she was diagnosed with sepsis.
The 28-year-old was recovering in hospital from a bowel operation when she suddenly fell ill, five days after the procedure.
During the first few days post-surgery Hannah, of Inverurie, had shown no signs of the health battle that was yet to come.
“On day five I just became really unwell quite quickly,” Hannah explains.
“I felt really tired and couldn’t keep my eyes open and didn’t leave my bed that day at all.
“My dad came to visit me at night-time and I just didn’t feel myself.”
‘I could feel my heart thudding through my chest’
That night, nurses carrying out routine observations noticed Hannah had become seriously unwell.
To her and family’s shock, Hannah was diagnosed with sepsis by an intensive care consultant then moved to the high dependency unit.
Sepsis is an extreme response to an infection in the body. It can damage tissue and kills around one in five people.
The sepsis was caused by clostridium difficile (C. diff) colitis, an infection spreading through Hannah’s bowel, causing severe inflammation and ulceration.
She had a temperature of 39C, a high heart rate of 130 beats per minute and she continued to deteriorate as the night went on.
“I was really breathless,” she says. “I was shivering and really hot at the same time and could feel my heart thudding through my chest.
“I was also very emotional and scared; with an overwhelming feeling I was going to die.”
Seriously ill with sepsis: ‘The doctor was surprised I could still speak’
Hannah had been recovering from an operation to get an ileostomy bag fitted after suffering with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for around seven years.
Falling so ill during her recovery was a shock and being moved into the high dependency unit surrounded by machines was a frightening experience.
“It was weird because I tried to stay really upbeat,” she said.
“The doctor, when he came into see me, said he’d expected me to have my eyes closed and have no idea about what was happening because of what had been reported to him.
“But I was busy chatting to him about holidays, about Covid, about life in general.
“The nurses gave me ice to suck on and for some reason I put my hand in the bucket of ice because it was really calming.”
On realising just how ill she was…
Hannah was treated in a room on her own to prevent the C. diff infection spreading to other patients.
She was given IV fluids, two different types of antibiotics and pain relief and, after four days, was able to return to the recovery ward.
“At that point I got really emotional because I think it hit me then how ill I had been,” she said.
“I was walking trying to build my strength up and I would just randomly start crying.
“But the nurses did say that I had been through a lot so it was totally normal for me to be upset.”
Hannah still has health problems after falling so ill
For the first few days eating and drinking was painful because Hannah had a nasogastric tube inserted down her throat.
She built up her appetite eating soup and yogurts but lost a stone (6.3kg) during the two weeks she was in hospital in October 2020.
A CT scan also flagged up problems with Hannah’s kidneys after she fell seriously ill with sepsis.
“I’m still having ongoing problems with them,” Hannah says. “I’m waiting for an appointment with a specialist; ever since I had sepsis I’ve had urinary infections.
“Apart from the kidney problems it physically took me about nine months to recover properly to get back to work. The fatigue you’re left with is tough going.
“Mentally I’m better than I was two years ago. But part of me just doesn’t think it’s ever going to leave.
“There’s always that anxiety wondering if it’s going to come back.”
How has her time in hospital shaped her life?
Sepsis can take a long time to recover from.
Hannah got advice from the Sepsis Research (FEAT) charity and knows the exact symptoms to look out for in case she ever develops them again.
She’s started a new role working as a care assistant in a nursing home and her future looks bright.
Six months after leaving hospital she met her partner Craig Thom who helped her remain positive throughout her recovery.
She also has plans to study nursing.
“Because I’ve been in and out of hospital, it’s made me realise it’s what I really want to do,” she says. “Caring for somebody is a rewarding role.
“When you see somebody who has been unwell for so long, then they get better, you’ve been part of that journey for them.
“I think having the background that I have has made me want to pursue a career in nursing, it’s definitely had an impact.”
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